Louisville DC Ron English to step away for 2026 season

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It appears Louisville will be in need of a defensive coordinator for (at least) the 2026 football season.

According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, U of L defensive coordinator Ron English has informed school officials that he would like to step away for the year. English’s son, Seth, will be playing his final season as a safety at the Naval Academy in 2026, and English has reportedly expressed a desire to be able to attend his games.

Additionally, Thamel is reporting that U of L has informed defensive line coach Mark Hagen that he will not return in 2026. Hagen came to Louisville from Purdue with Jeff Brohm and English in 2023.

After a rough 2024, the Cardinal defense took a sizable step forward in 2025. U of L finished the season ranked 17th in the FBS in both total defense and yards per game allowed. English’s defense did not allow an opponent to rush for 200 yards in a game this season, and held every opponent but one to 30 points or fewer.

This is certainly an interesting development for what feels like a monster season for Jeff Brohm. I don’t know where you find a potential defensive coordinator willing to rake the reigns (potentially) for just one season … UNLESS, there was an out of work, highly paid, defensive-minded former head coach who just got let go by your arch-rival …

I’m joking. Mostly.

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