Hot Board: Who will be Louisville's defensive coordinator in 2026?

Louisville will need to replace two defensive coaches before the 2026 season. Defensive coordinator Ron English has chosen to step away from the program, and defensive line coach Mark Hagen will not be retained next year. It has been reported that English is stepping away from coaching to watch his son, Seth, play his senior season of football at Navy. He just completed his third and best season at Louisville after a two-year stint with coach Jeff Brohm at Purdue.  Hagen made the move to Louisville with English. Fueled by defensive linemen Clev Lubin and Wesley Bailey, Louisville finished with the 24th-ranked rushing defense. The Louisville defense allowed 303.1 yards and 21.15 points per game in 2025, both top-40 in the nation. Louisville improved significantly this season compared to its previous two under English and Hagen.  Here are some early names that have caught our attention and very well could be Louisville's next defensive play caller.