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Lou Esposito

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Lou Esposito
Current position
TitleDefensive line coach
TeamMichigan
ConferenceBig Ten
Biographical details
Born1977 or 1978 (age 46–47)[1]
Playing career
1997–2000Memphis
2001–2002Memphis Xplorers
Position(s)Offensive lineman
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2003Memphis Xplorers (OL/ST)
2004Saint Joseph's (IN) (DC)
2005–2009Saint Joseph's (IN)
2010–2012Western Michigan (DL)
2013Ferris State (DC)
2014–2016Davenport
2017–2023Western Michigan (DC/DL)
2024–presentMichigan (DL)
Head coaching record
Overall35–30
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2 GLFC(2006, 2009)
Awards
GLFC Coach of the Year (2009)

Lou Esposito (born 1977 or 1978) is an American football coach and former player. He is the defensive line coach for the University of Michigan, a position he has held since 2024. Esposito was a head coach at Saint Joseph's College and Davenport University. Prior to Michigan, Esposito was the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan University from 2017-2023.

Playing career

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Esposito graduated in 1995 from Manalapan High School in Manalapan Township, New Jersey, where he played football and wrestled.[2][3] He played college football at the University of Memphis, where he was a four-year letterman from 1997 to 2000.[4]

Following his time at Memphis, Esposito played two seasons with the Memphis Xplorers, a professional arena football team in the AF2 league. His roommate during those years was Tim Lester, who had played quarterback at Western Michigan.[5]

Coaching career

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Esposito began his coaching career with the Xplorers in 2003, then left in 2004 to become defensive coordinator at Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Indiana where Tim Lester, his arena football roommate, had just been hired as the head coach. When Lester left after one season to become quarterbacks coach at Western Michigan under new head coach Bill Cubit, Esposito succeeded Lester as head coach at Saint Joseph's.[5][6]

Esposito coached at Saint Joseph's for five seasons, from 2005–2009. During his tenure, Saint Joseph's became a member of the Great Lakes Football Conference and won the conference twice. Esposito's overall record at Saint Joseph's was 29–25. Following the conclusion of the 2009 season, Esposito resigned to become the defensive line coach at Western Michigan under Cubit (Lester had left WMU several years prior). A. J. Ricker, the offensive line coach, succeeded him at Saint Joseph's.[7]

Esposito left Western Michigan after the 2012 season, heading 90 minutes north on U.S. Route 131 to become the defensive coordinator at Ferris State, in Big Rapids, Michigan, succeeding Ryan Oshnock.[1] He stayed at Ferris State for a single year before accepting the head coaching job at Davenport University, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Esposito was Davenport's first head coach and oversaw the recruiting of its initial class, a practice season in 2015, and the program's first full season in 2016, in which he compiled a record of 6–5. After that initial season, Esposito resigned to return to Western Michigan, this time as defensive coordinator under his old roommate Tim Lester, who had just been hired as the WMU head coach, replacing P. J. Fleck.[8]

Esposito was the defensive coordinator at Western Michigan for 7 season, 2017-2023, and was regarded as one of the top coordinators in the MAC Conference. After the 2023 season, Esposito left Western Michigan to become the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at the University of Memphis in early 2024. A month after his initial hiring Esposito left Memphis, not coaching during the 2024 season.

On March 29, 2024, it was announced that Esposito was hired as the defensive line coach for the defending national champion, Michigan Wolverines.[9]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Saint Joseph's Pumas (NCAA Division II independent) (2005)
2005 Saint Joseph's 7–4
Saint Joseph's Pumas (Great Lakes Football Conference) (2006–2009)
2006 Saint Joseph's 8–3 4–1 T–1st
2007 Saint Joseph's 4–7 3–2 T–2nd
2008 Saint Joseph's 5–5 2–2 4th
2009 Saint Joseph's 5–6 4–0 1st
Saint Joseph's: 29–25 13–5
Davenport Panthers (NAIA independent) (2016)
2016 Davenport 6–5
Davenport: 6–5
Total: 35–30
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ a b Slagter, Martin (March 27, 2013). "Esposito to lead FSU defense". Big Rapids Pioneer. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  2. ^ Considine, Bob (February 26, 1995). "Manalapan's Esposito shows perseverance". Asbury Park Press. p. 116. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Sportswire", Asbury Park Press, December 11, 2004. Accessed February 7, 2022, via Newspapers.com. "Lou Esposito, a 1996 graduate of Manalapan High School, has been named the 17th head football coach at Division II Saint Joseph's College in Rensselaer, Ind."
  4. ^ "Davenport University announces the resignation of Lou Esposito as head football coach". dupanthers.com. Retrieved January 14, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Bowker, Paul (August 28, 2005). "Indiana ties suit Lester fine". The Times of Northwest Indiana. p. 116. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Clark, Mike (December 12, 2004). "How to find a guy in 30 seconds". The Times of Northwest Indiana. p. 72. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Ricker named new coach at Saint Joseph's". The Times of Northwest Indiana. February 9, 2010. p. 21. Retrieved November 3, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Wallner, Peter J. (January 17, 2017). "Davenport football coach Lou Esposito resigns". MLive.com. Retrieved November 3, 2021.
  9. ^ https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2024/03/29/michigan-football-set-to-hire-lou-esposito-as-dl-coach/73150157007/
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