Reports: Michigan to hire defensive line coach Lou Esposito from Memphis

Michigan Wolverines football reportedly has its new defensive line coach to replace Greg Scruggs, who spent less than a month with the program but resigned March 21 after being charged with an OWI. Reports indicate that Memphis defensive line coach and co-defensive coordinator Lou Esposito will take over the position group.

Michigan graduate assistant LaTroy Lewis was working with the defensive line on an interim basis, while coordinator Wink Martindale also focused on the group more during the team’s first several spring practices.

“We’ll move swiftly but carefully, and do what we need to do to get that,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said of the hiring process March 21. “But we have a collective unit coaching D-line, and super happy with these past couple of days while that was going on. The whole defensive staff will be all hands on deck as we all are coaching every position. So looking forward to keeping it moving.”

Now, Moore appears to have his man in Esposito, who will work with a talented defensive line that is led by junior tackles Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, junior EDGE Derrick Moore and senior EDGE Josaiah Stewart.

Esposito leaves his alma mater — where he played from 1997-2000 — after being hired by head coach Ryan Silverfield in early January. He spent the previous seven seasons as the defensive coordinator and line coach at Western Michigan (2017-23).

In Kalamazoo, Mich., Esposito led a Western Michigan defense that ranked third in the MAC by allowing just 22.4 points per game and second by giving up only 347.4 yards per contest in 2022. Linebacker Zaire Barnes, a first-team All-MAC performer, was drafted in the sixth round by the New York Jets.

The Dearborn, Mich., native has 21 years of coaching experience, including being the first-ever head man at Division II Davenport College near Grand Rapids, Mich. (2014-16). Fourteen of his years of experience have come in the state of Michigan. Other coaching stops include with Western Michigan as defensive line coach from 2010-12 and D-II Ferris State (Big Rapids, Mich.) as defensive coordinator in 2013.

Esposito worked with new Michigan tight ends coach Steve Casula at both Davenport and Western Michigan.

Michigan’s on-field coaching staff under Moore is now full with 10 assistants. Esposito joins a defensive staff that consists of Martindale, linebackers coach and run game coordinator Brian Jean-Mary and secondary coach and passing game coordinator LaMar Morgan. The Maize and Blue lost all of their defensive assistants from last season, but Moore is pleased with who he’s brought in.

“I wish all of them nothing but luck and love, still talk to them all,” Moore said. “So happy for their opportunity and it creates an opportunity for someone else here. Really, just ready for anything to happen at any point and not being too caught off guard with anything.”