It’s been more than 25 years since Mike Riley coached a game in Legion Field.

It’s been even longer since he was clad in crimson as a member of the Alabama football team in the 1970s under legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant.

Riley returns to the Old Gray Lady this week as the head coach of the the San Antonio Commanders of the Alliance of American Football, leading his team againast the undefeated Birmingham Iron (3-0). First snap is set for Sunday at 3 p.m., at Birmingham’s Legion Field.

The former Oregon State and Nebraska head coach was a reserve defensive back for the Crimson Tide from 1971-1974 – playing 15 games at Legion Field during a run that included four SEC titles and the 1973 national championship – and returned twice as a head coach in 1991 and 1992 with the San Antonio Riders of the World League of American Football.

Riley coached the Riders for two seasons before the WLAF was suspended following the 1992 season and reformed as NFL Europe in 1995. Both trips to Birmingham ended in losses for the Riders, but Riley was still appreciative of the chance to coach in his old stomping grounds and bring a new team back after an extended period of time.

“I love it, and I’m very very thankful for it,” Riley said. “I’m thankful for my time at Alabama. I was really excited to take the San Antonio Riders back there to play in Legion Field and I’m very excited once again to do that with the Commanders. It’s just a great part of my life and I’m very thankful for it.”

Pleasant memories aside, Riley knows he will have his hands full with an Iron team that has opened the season on a three-game winning streak. Birmingham is one of two remaining undefeated teams in the AAF and has won their first three games by an average margin of 15 points.

“They’re playing very sound, on both sides of the ball,” Riley said. “They have a real identity of what they’re doing offensively and they play to their strength. They run the football well, they have a good play-action game, and they take care of the ball and they’re not afraid to punt it because they play good defense. Their recipe for winning is very very evident and they’ve done a great job of it.”

The “recipe” on offense includes the league-leader in touchdowns in former Alabama running back Trent Richardson, and former Texas A&M-Commerce quarterback Luis Perez, who has completed 58.8 percent of his throws for 596 yards with only one interception. Quinton Patton has emerged as the go-to target for Perez, hauling in 11 passes for 209 yards, while L’Damien Washington brought down some clutch catches in the Iron’s 28-12 victory over Atlanta.

Defensively, the Iron lead the AAF by allowing only seven points per game while forcing eight turnovers. Riley alluded to Birmingham’s ability to punt without fear relative to its defense but punter Colton Schmidt has made it much easier with a 43-yard average per kick and was named the league’s Special Teams player of the Week after his performance against Atlanta.

Riley and the Commanders face off against the undefeated Iron at Legion Field with first snap scheduled for 3 p.m. on Sunday.