Ivey and Ellis Named Co-Defensive Coordinators
February 04, 2026 | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Louisville football assistant coaches Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis have been named Co-Defensive Coordinators, head coach Jeff Brohm announced.
Ivey and Ellis will share defensive coordinator responsibilities, with Ivey leading the defensive line and Ellis overseeing the secondary. Ivey has coached the Cardinals' linebackers since being retained when Brohm was hired prior to the 2023 season.
The duo played key roles in Louisville's defensive success in 2025, helping the Cardinals finish No. 16 nationally in total defense.
Ivey, who enters his eighth season at Louisville and fourth under Brohm, will return to coaching the defensive line, a position group he previously led for four seasons.
During his three seasons as linebackers coach, Ivey oversaw the development of TJ Quinn, who became the first Louisville player to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons since Mark Sander (1988–90). Quinn earned Third Team All-ACC honors in 2025 after leading the Cardinals with 95 tackles.
In 2024, Ivey coached Quinn and Stanquan Clark, who recorded 82 and 76 tackles, respectively, to pace the team. Quinn led the Cardinals in tackles for the second straight season, while Clark ranked second during his first full year of action.
In Ivey's first season coaching linebackers in 2023, Quinn led the team with 92 tackles in his first year as a starter, recording four games with 10 or more tackles and earning all-league honors.
Prior to moving to linebackers, Ivey coached Louisville's defensive line from 2019–22, mentoring Ashton Gillotte to All-ACC honorable mention recognition in 2022. In 2019, the Cardinals increased their sack total from 11 the previous season to 27, with G.G. Robinson leading the unit with 4.0 sacks.
Before joining the Louisville staff, Ivey spent seven seasons at Appalachian State, coaching the outside linebackers and defensive line. He was promoted to interim head coach following Scott Satterfield's departure, leading the Mountaineers to a 45–13 victory over Middle Tennessee in the 2018 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Ivey helped guide Appalachian State to a win in the program's first Sun Belt Championship Game and a bowl victory while working with a defensive line that included All-Sun Belt First Team selection MyQuon Stout. His coaching helped three walk-ons develop into regular contributors within a nine-man rotation.
Before the 2018 season, Ivey was promoted to assistant head coach while continuing his duties as defensive line coach. Appalachian State's defense ranked 17th nationally in sacks (38) in 2017. Over his first three seasons, his defensive linemen combined for 52.5 sacks and 109 tackles for loss, anchoring a defense that led the conference in total and scoring defense in back-to-back seasons. In 2016, Appalachian State allowed the fewest points in conference play among all FBS teams and finished in the Top 10 nationally in scoring defense.
Ivey also served as special teams coordinator from 2012–14, overseeing units that led the Southern Conference in net punting average. Bentlee Critcher earned FCS All-America honors in 2014, while Sam Martin helped the Mountaineers rank second nationally in net punting during the 2012 season.
A veteran secondary coach, Ellis joined Brohm's staff in 2023 and has brought experience and intensity to the Cardinals' defensive backs.
In his first three seasons at Louisville, Ellis helped develop a secondary that produced NFL Draft selections Quincy Riley and Jarvis Brownlee. Riley intercepted five passes over his final two seasons and was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, while Brownlee was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2024.
Prior to Louisville, Ellis helped East Carolina become one of the nation's top ball-hawking units, as the Pirates recorded 25 interceptions over two seasons, their highest per-game average since 2013–14. In 2021, ECU ranked 14th nationally and second in the AAC with 15 interceptions, reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2014.
Under Ellis' guidance, Ja'Quan McMillian captured the 2021 NCAA FBS statistical championship in passes defended (1.75) and earned five Second-Team All-America honors, while also being a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Ellis has 19 years of Division I coaching experience, including stops at South Florida, Middle Tennessee State, and Nicholls State, his alma mater. While at MTSU, Ellis served as cornerbacks coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator, helping the Blue Raiders reach seven bowl games.
As defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee, Ellis engineered a dramatic turnaround in 2012, improving the program 48 spots in scoring defense, 29 in rush defense, and 10 in total defense nationally.
Ellis began his coaching career at Nicholls State in 2003, working with safeties before becoming linebackers coach and later defensive coordinator.
Ivey and Ellis will share defensive coordinator responsibilities, with Ivey leading the defensive line and Ellis overseeing the secondary. Ivey has coached the Cardinals' linebackers since being retained when Brohm was hired prior to the 2023 season.
The duo played key roles in Louisville's defensive success in 2025, helping the Cardinals finish No. 16 nationally in total defense.
Ivey, who enters his eighth season at Louisville and fourth under Brohm, will return to coaching the defensive line, a position group he previously led for four seasons.
During his three seasons as linebackers coach, Ivey oversaw the development of TJ Quinn, who became the first Louisville player to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons since Mark Sander (1988–90). Quinn earned Third Team All-ACC honors in 2025 after leading the Cardinals with 95 tackles.
In 2024, Ivey coached Quinn and Stanquan Clark, who recorded 82 and 76 tackles, respectively, to pace the team. Quinn led the Cardinals in tackles for the second straight season, while Clark ranked second during his first full year of action.
In Ivey's first season coaching linebackers in 2023, Quinn led the team with 92 tackles in his first year as a starter, recording four games with 10 or more tackles and earning all-league honors.
Prior to moving to linebackers, Ivey coached Louisville's defensive line from 2019–22, mentoring Ashton Gillotte to All-ACC honorable mention recognition in 2022. In 2019, the Cardinals increased their sack total from 11 the previous season to 27, with G.G. Robinson leading the unit with 4.0 sacks.
Before joining the Louisville staff, Ivey spent seven seasons at Appalachian State, coaching the outside linebackers and defensive line. He was promoted to interim head coach following Scott Satterfield's departure, leading the Mountaineers to a 45–13 victory over Middle Tennessee in the 2018 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl.
Ivey helped guide Appalachian State to a win in the program's first Sun Belt Championship Game and a bowl victory while working with a defensive line that included All-Sun Belt First Team selection MyQuon Stout. His coaching helped three walk-ons develop into regular contributors within a nine-man rotation.
Before the 2018 season, Ivey was promoted to assistant head coach while continuing his duties as defensive line coach. Appalachian State's defense ranked 17th nationally in sacks (38) in 2017. Over his first three seasons, his defensive linemen combined for 52.5 sacks and 109 tackles for loss, anchoring a defense that led the conference in total and scoring defense in back-to-back seasons. In 2016, Appalachian State allowed the fewest points in conference play among all FBS teams and finished in the Top 10 nationally in scoring defense.
Ivey also served as special teams coordinator from 2012–14, overseeing units that led the Southern Conference in net punting average. Bentlee Critcher earned FCS All-America honors in 2014, while Sam Martin helped the Mountaineers rank second nationally in net punting during the 2012 season.
A veteran secondary coach, Ellis joined Brohm's staff in 2023 and has brought experience and intensity to the Cardinals' defensive backs.
In his first three seasons at Louisville, Ellis helped develop a secondary that produced NFL Draft selections Quincy Riley and Jarvis Brownlee. Riley intercepted five passes over his final two seasons and was selected in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints, while Brownlee was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in 2024.
Prior to Louisville, Ellis helped East Carolina become one of the nation's top ball-hawking units, as the Pirates recorded 25 interceptions over two seasons, their highest per-game average since 2013–14. In 2021, ECU ranked 14th nationally and second in the AAC with 15 interceptions, reaching a bowl game for the first time since 2014.
Under Ellis' guidance, Ja'Quan McMillian captured the 2021 NCAA FBS statistical championship in passes defended (1.75) and earned five Second-Team All-America honors, while also being a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
Ellis has 19 years of Division I coaching experience, including stops at South Florida, Middle Tennessee State, and Nicholls State, his alma mater. While at MTSU, Ellis served as cornerbacks coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator, helping the Blue Raiders reach seven bowl games.
As defensive coordinator at Middle Tennessee, Ellis engineered a dramatic turnaround in 2012, improving the program 48 spots in scoring defense, 29 in rush defense, and 10 in total defense nationally.
Ellis began his coaching career at Nicholls State in 2003, working with safeties before becoming linebackers coach and later defensive coordinator.
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