Louisville Names Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis Co-Defensive Coordinators After Standout 2025 Season
Louisville’s defense was one of the most consistent and disruptive units in the country last season, and now the Cardinals are doubling down on that success. Head coach Jeff Brohm has announced that Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis will serve as Co-Defensive Coordinators moving forward, a move that keeps continuity while leaning into the strengths of two seasoned coaches.
Ivey, a familiar face in the Louisville program, will shift back to leading the defensive line - a unit he previously coached with notable success. Ellis, who’s been instrumental in developing the Cardinals’ secondary, will continue overseeing that group while taking on added responsibilities as co-coordinator.
Together, they helped engineer a defense that finished No. 16 nationally in total defense in 2025 - a major reason the Cardinals stayed competitive week in and week out.
Ivey’s Return to the Trenches
This will be Ivey’s eighth season with the Cardinals and his fourth under Brohm, and he’s no stranger to getting the most out of his players. After three years coaching linebackers, where he played a key role in developing standout TJ Quinn, Ivey now returns to his roots on the defensive line.
Quinn’s rise under Ivey has been nothing short of impressive. In 2025, he led the team in tackles for the third straight year - something no Louisville player had done since Mark Sander from 1988 to 1990. Quinn racked up 95 tackles and earned Third Team All-ACC honors, establishing himself as the heart of the defense.
The 2024 season saw Quinn and freshman standout Stanquan Clark form a formidable duo, combining for over 150 tackles. Quinn continued to lead the team, while Clark made an immediate impact in his first full season.
Back in 2023, Ivey’s first year coaching linebackers, Quinn burst onto the scene with 92 tackles, including four games with double-digit stops. That kind of production doesn’t happen by accident - it’s the product of smart coaching and player development.
Before his stint with the linebackers, Ivey was the man behind the Cardinals’ defensive line from 2019 to 2022. In that time, he helped turn around a pass rush that had been nearly nonexistent.
In 2019, Louisville jumped from 11 sacks the previous year to 27, with G.G. Robinson leading the charge.
He also helped mold Ashton Gillotte into an All-ACC honorable mention in 2022.
A Proven Track Record at Appalachian State
Ivey’s coaching résumé extends beyond Louisville. He spent seven seasons at Appalachian State, where he coached both outside linebackers and the defensive line. When head coach Scott Satterfield left in 2018, Ivey stepped in as interim head coach and led the Mountaineers to a dominant 45-13 win in the New Orleans Bowl.
That 2018 season was a big one for App State - they won their first Sun Belt Championship Game and capped it off with a bowl win, thanks in part to a defensive front that Ivey had helped build. His line featured All-Sun Belt First Team selection MyQuon Stout and several walk-ons who became key contributors in a deep rotation.
Even before that, Ivey’s units were getting it done. From 2015 to 2017, his defensive linemen racked up over 50 sacks and more than 100 tackles for loss.
The Mountaineers led the Sun Belt in both total and scoring defense in back-to-back seasons. In 2016, they allowed the fewest points in conference play among all FBS teams and finished in the Top 10 nationally in scoring defense.
Ivey also wore multiple hats during his time at App State, serving as special teams coordinator from 2012 to 2014. Under his watch, the Mountaineers led the Southern Conference in net punting, with Bentlee Critcher earning FCS All-America honors in 2014 and Sam Martin helping the team rank second nationally in net punting in 2012.
Ellis Brings Energy and Results to the Secondary
On the back end, Steve Ellis has been a game-changer since joining Brohm’s staff in 2023. His impact was immediate and measurable - both in player development and in the numbers.
Under Ellis, the Cardinals’ secondary became a legitimate NFL pipeline. Quincy Riley and Jarvis Brownlee both made the leap to the pros, with Riley going to the Saints in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft after snagging five interceptions over his final two seasons. Brownlee was picked up by the Titans in 2024.
Before arriving in Louisville, Ellis helped turn East Carolina into one of the most opportunistic defenses in the country. The Pirates racked up 25 interceptions in two seasons - their highest per-game average in nearly a decade. In 2021, ECU finished second in the AAC and 14th nationally in picks, helping the program earn its first bowl bid since 2014.
That same year, Ellis coached Ja’Quan McMillian to a breakout season. McMillian led the nation in passes defended (1.75 per game), earned five Second-Team All-America honors, and was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award.
A Deep Coaching Résumé
Ellis brings nearly two decades of experience at the Division I level. He’s held roles at South Florida, Middle Tennessee State, and Nicholls State - his alma mater. At MTSU, he wore multiple hats as cornerbacks coach, defensive coordinator, and recruiting coordinator, helping the Blue Raiders reach seven bowl games.
His work as defensive coordinator in 2012 stands out. That season, he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround, improving the team’s national rankings by 48 spots in scoring defense, 29 in rush defense, and 10 in total defense.
Ellis got his start in coaching at Nicholls State in 2003, working with safeties before moving up to linebackers and eventually defensive coordinator. It’s been a steady climb ever since.
What This Means for Louisville
By naming Ivey and Ellis as co-defensive coordinators, Louisville is leaning into what’s already working - and doing so with two coaches who have earned their stripes. Ivey brings trench toughness and a proven ability to develop front-seven talent. Ellis adds schematic versatility and a knack for turning defensive backs into playmakers.
Together, they helped build a top-20 defense in 2025. Now, they’ll look to raise the bar even higher. And if the past is any indication, the Cardinals’ defense is in very capable hands.