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PAGE 3B December 2025
2025 All-SEC Football Honors Twelve Southeastern Conference schools placed a member on the 2025 All-SEC Coaches’ Football First Team, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. The first, second and third teams were announced on Tuesday, December 2. Missouri led the way with four representatives on the first team, while Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M had three. Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion earned first team honors at wide receiver, all-purpose and return specialist. All 16 SEC schools had at least one All-SEC selection and 12 schools had four or more. Eleven Georgia players, the most of any school, earned All-SEC honors, followed by Oklahoma with 10 and Texas with eight. The 2025 list includes 15 student-athletes who have now made multiple appearances on the All-SEC Team in their career: Ben Anderson (Oklahoma), Fernando Carmona (Arkansas), Daylen Everette (Georgia), Beau Gardner (Georgia), Anthony Hill Jr. (Texas), Deontae Lawson (Alabama), Harold Perkins (LSU), Kadyn Proctor (Alabama), Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt), R Mason Thomas (Oklahoma), Brett Thorson (Georgia), Josh Turbyville (Tennessee), Rocco Underwood (Florida), Peyton Woodring (Georgia) and Trey Zuhn III (Texas A&M). The players earning First Team All-SEC honors include: Offense QB Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss WR Chris Brazzell II, Tennessee KC Concepcion, Texas A&M TE Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt OL Kadyn Proctor, Alabama Trey Zuhn III, Texas A&M Keagen Trost, Missouri Trevor Goosby, Texas C Jake Slaughter, Florida AP KC Concepcion, Texas A&M Defense DL Cashius Howell, Texas A&M Colin Simmons, Texas Zion Young, Missouri R Mason Thomas, Okla. LB CJ Allen, Georgia Xavier Atkins, Auburn Josiah Trotter, Missouri DB Mansoor Delane, LSU Bray Hubbard, Alabama Michael Taaffe, Texas AJ Haulcy, LSU Special Teams PK Tate Sandell, Oklahoma P Grayson Miller, Oklahoma RS KC Concepcion, Texas A&M KOS Lucas Carneiro, Ole Miss LS Beau Gardner, Georgia
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Geraldine's Gabriel Garcia (#21) defends as Keilan Green (#11) attempts a basket for Douglas during the 2025 Marshall County Showdown on Saturday, December 13.
Photo Courtesy of UAB Athletics
UAB Director of Athletics Mark Ingram has named Alex Mortensen the eighth head coach in UAB Football history. Mortensen has served as the Blazers’ offensive coordinator since 2022 and led the Blazers as interim head coach for the second half of the 2025 season. “I love Birmingham, UAB and this team, and I look forward to building a successful program that represents our university and fans well,” Mortensen said. “I want to thank the administration for the opportunity and for committing to providing additional institutional support to increase our competitiveness. I am grateful for the confidence being placed in me, and we will make the most of it.” The UAB offense has averaged 415.6 yards per game under Mortensen as offensive coordinator, and he led the Blazers to a historic, upset win over No. 22 ranked Memphis in his first game as interim head coach. Prior to joining UAB, Mortensen spent nine years on staff at the University of Alabama under Coach Nick Saban. “Coach Mortensen is a true rising star in college football who has been immersed in winning at the highest levels, and I am excited to see what he will accomplish leading our program,” Ingram said. “His vision for UAB Football is clear: to succeed in the American and bring winning football back to Birmingham. Coach Mortensen already has one of the biggest, most exciting wins in program history under his belt, and his road win to finish the season provides important momentum.” Mortensen started his coaching career in 2012 at New Mexico Highlands as the quarterbacks coach and passing game coordinator. While there, quarterback Emmanuel Lewis ranked second nationally in Division II for total offense and passing yards per game. Mortensen was then a part of three national championships at the University of Alabama during a stretch in which the program amassed a record of 115-12. During his first season as offensive coordinator at UAB, the Blazers set a single season school record for yards per game, and Mortensen was named a Broyles Award nominee among the nation’s top assistant coaches. While working under Saban, Mortensen mentored under many of the industry’s top offensive minds, including Lane Kiffin, Brian Daboll, Mike Locksley, Steve Sarkisian and Bill O’Brien. “Today marks an important step forward for UAB Football and for our university,” said UAB President Ray Watts. “Coach Mortensen brings leadership, energy and experience that will help us elevate UAB Athletics on the national stage. He has outstanding character, embodies the resilient, fighting spirit of UAB and our fans, and is respected by players.” “I want to thank Mark Ingram, the search committee and respected advisors for their dedication to this process, as well as the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees and our colleagues in the UA System Office for their continued support of UAB Athletics.” Of the hire, UAB Athletics Foundation Chair Hatton Smith said, “This search was thorough and purposeful, and we are thrilled to have Alex Mortensen lead UAB Football. He has demonstrated spectacular leadership and was able to win under difficult circumstances, beating a ranked Memphis team and securing our first road win in three years. With his experience and UAB leadership’s commitment to increasing resources for Athletics, Coach Mortensen is poised for success. I look forward to seeing Blazer Nation get behind Alex and the team to support a positive, winning culture.” While appropriate members of the UA System Board of Trustees have been notified of the proposed terms and conditions of this proposed agreement, the financial terms remain subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. Mortensen played quarterback at the University of Arkansas where he earned a communications degree, and he earned a master’s degree in Sport Management from the University of Alabama. Alex Mortensen Named UAB Head Football Coach
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Jordan Garrett (#2) attempts a layup for the Sardis Lions.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Spring Garden's Braxton Sadler attempts to keep the ball away from a Cedar Bluff defender during a recent Junior High Game.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger Spring Garden's Ayden Littlefield (#13) and Cedar Bluff's Esme McCain battle for the basketball during a recent Junior High Game.
Photo By Brandon K. Pierce, The Sports Ledger
Crossville's Edward Hernandez (#13).
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