Louisville officially names Ivey and Ellis co-defensive coordinators

February 4, 2026 - 21:44

Head coach Jeff Brohm has solidified his defensive staff by officially promoting assistants Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis to the positions of co-defensive coordinators. The move formalizes a collaborative leadership structure for the Cardinals' defense.

Under the new arrangement, Ivey and Ellis will share the overarching coordinator duties. Ivey will maintain his direct oversight of the defensive line, while Ellis will continue to command the secondary. This promotion rewards both coaches for their contributions to a defensive unit that showed significant improvement during the 2023 season.

Brohm's decision underscores a belief in continuity and the existing defensive philosophy. By elevating from within, the program aims to build upon last year's foundation without a period of adjustment to new schematic ideas. Both Ivey and Ellis are now tasked with further developing a defense that can compete at the highest level within the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The shared title suggests a partnership built on mutual trust and a unified vision, allowing each coach to focus on their positional expertise while jointly managing the defensive game plan. Louisville fans will be watching closely to see how this internal promotion translates to on-field performance in the coming season.