Louisville's Ron English, Mark Hagen not returning in 2026
The University of Louisville football program is about to have a massive overhaul of the defensive staff.
Defensive coordinator/play-caller and safeties coach Ron English will not return next season, as he informed the University that he wants to take a year off from coaching and support his son Seth during his senior season at Navy. ESPN’s Pete Thamel first reported the news on Tuesday afternoon.
Defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Mark Hagen will also not return to next season’s coaching staff. Hagen’s contract expires at the end of January.
Before joining the Louisville staff, Hagen was the co-defensive coordinator, along with English, for a Purdue defense that showed consistent and steady improvement. The 2022 team finished in the top 20 in interceptions with 15, and the Boilermakers allowed 142.5 yards per game and held four opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground.
English joined Purdue’s staff in 2020 after previous stops at Florida, Mississippi State, and San Jose State.
English’s group was responsible for a massive turnaround from 2024 to 2025. Louisville allowed three fewer points a game this year and led the ACC with the fewest passing yards allowed per contest. The Cards’ defense was anchored by its defensive line and pass rush from newcomers like Clev Lubin and Wesley Bailey. The two combined for 14.5 sacks, with Lubin collecting 8.5 of them.
In the secondary, returners like Tayon Holloway and D’Angelo Hutchinson had career seasons, and Louisville’s backend was responsible for 14 interceptions. Louisville ranked No. 32 in total sacks this season and No. 41 in tackles for loss. After defeating Toledo in the Boca Raton Bowl, Louisville finished the 2025 campaign with a 9-4 overall record and a 4-4 mark in conference play.
RELATED — Louisville football 2025 position grades: Defense
Also exiting the program this offseason are tight ends coach Ryan Wallace and Director of Recruiting Pete Nochta. Nochta will join former Louisville teammate Will Stein at the University of Kentucky. And Wallace is set to join JaMarcus Shephard’s initial staff at Oregon State.
