Denzel Lewis joined the LSU Athletics staff in 2026 as Assistant Director of Academics for Football.  Lewis comes to LSU after four years at UAB, where he held multiple roles within Student-Athlete Support Services, most recently serving as Director of Football Academics. During his tenure, he provided academic support and oversight for the football program while helping drive significant academic progress. In Fall 2025, UAB Football posted a 3.03 team GPA, marking the first 3.0 semester in program history. The Blazers followed with a 3.07 GPA in Spring 2026, securing back-to-back 3.0-plus semesters for the first time in program history.  Prior to UAB, Lewis served in academic support and student-athlete development roles at Southern University and Grambling State University. Throughout his career, he has focused on academic achievement, NCAA eligibility, degree progression and the overall development of student-athletes.  A former football student-athlete at Prairie View A&M University, Lewis earned his bachelor's degree in Human Performance in 2015. He later earned his master's degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Sport Management from LSU in 2020.  Lewis' return to LSU marks a full-circle moment as he continues his career at his Alma mater, supporting the academic and personal development of football student-athletes.