Louisville football continues to reshape its coaching staff this offseason, and head coach Jeff Brohm is turning to familiar, trusted faces to help keep the momentum going. After a successful stretch that saw the Cardinals rise under Brohm’s leadership, the program is bringing in two more names with deep ties to the head coach and a track record of defensive development: Derrick Jackson and Me’Leick Miles.
Let’s break down what these hires mean for the Cardinals and why they matter.
A Veteran Voice Returns: Derrick Jackson
Derrick Jackson is coming to Louisville as a senior defensive assistant, but this isn’t his first time working with Brohm. The two go back to their Purdue days, where Jackson served as the Boilermakers’ secondary coach in 2017 and 2018.
That 2017 season was especially telling - Purdue went from 3-9 the year before to 7-6, with the defense finishing in the top 25 in multiple statistical categories. It was a clear sign that the unit was buying into the system, and Jackson’s work with the secondary played a big part in that turnaround.
But Jackson’s résumé goes well beyond his Purdue stint. He’s a seasoned coach with more than 25 years of experience at the college level, having made stops at programs like Wake Forest, Syracuse, Michigan State, Army, and Northern Illinois.
Most recently, he was the defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach at Bowling Green. In his first season with the Falcons, the defense was opportunistic and aggressive - they finished with 17 interceptions, fourth-most in the country, and led the nation with 28 total takeaways.
That kind of ball-hawking mentality is exactly what Brohm is looking to bring to Louisville’s defense.
Jackson’s familiarity with Brohm’s system, combined with his ability to develop defensive backs and generate turnovers, makes him a strong addition to a Cardinals staff that’s already seen some significant reshuffling this offseason.
A Rising Name in the Coaching Ranks: Me’Leick Miles
Joining Jackson on the defensive side is Me’Leick Miles, who takes on a defensive quality control and recruiting role. While Miles is still early in his coaching career, his path has already crossed with Brohm multiple times - and that consistency matters.
Miles spent the last two seasons at Murray State coaching the defensive line, but before that, he was a defensive graduate assistant at Louisville in 2023. During that time, he worked closely with a standout defensive line group that included future NFL talent like Ashton Gillotte. That unit set the tone up front all season long, and Miles played a key role behind the scenes in their development.
His connection to Brohm goes back even further, to their time together at Purdue. Miles served as a graduate assistant there from 2021 to 2023, during a stretch when the Boilermakers posted back-to-back winning seasons - including a 9-4 finish in 2021. He’s already shown he can help develop talent and contribute to winning programs, and now he’ll take on a bigger role in both defensive prep and recruiting.
Building Continuity with Familiar Faces
What stands out about these hires isn’t just the experience or the stats - it’s the continuity. Brohm is surrounding himself with coaches who know his system, understand his expectations, and have been part of successful runs with him before. That’s especially important during a transition-heavy offseason, where keeping the culture intact can be just as critical as Xs and Os.
With Mark Ivey and Steve Ellis already promoted to co-defensive coordinators, the additions of Jackson and Miles give the Cardinals a deeper bench of defensive minds who can help maintain - and build on - the defensive identity that’s taken shape under Brohm.
These aren’t flashy hires, but they’re smart ones. They bring experience, familiarity, and a clear understanding of what it takes to win in Brohm’s system. And as Louisville gears up for the next phase of its climb, these are the kind of moves that could quietly pay big dividends down the road.