Bryan Brown, Wesley McGriff Collaborating to Advance Louisville's Defensive Scheme
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the Louisville football program saw a dramatic decrease in their overall defensive efficiency.
In 2020, the Cardinals ranked 39th in FBS in terms of total defense, allowing just 369.1 yards per game. Not only was it a massive uptick from their 2019 season, where they ranked 102nd after allowing 439.9 yards per game, but it was Louisville's best defensive season since 2016. With all the turnover issues the offense had, it was the defense that was keeping the Cards in games.
Last season, a lot of that momentum on the defensive side of the ball came to a screeching halt. Louisville wound up allowing 403.3 yards per game, which placed them at 84th in all of FBS. While fourth quarter/second half collapses were an issue that plagued both sides of the ball in 2021, it was the defense that played the biggest role in it.
Head coach Scott Satterfield recognized the regression that Louisville had on defense, and made a huge hire over the offseason. Satterfield hired former Florida secondaries coach Wesley McGriff to be the Cardinals' secondary coach and co-defensive coordinator alongside current DC Bryan Brown.
Affectionately known as "Coach Crime" in reference to McGruff the Crime Dog, McGriff brings a wealth of football knowledge and experience to Louisville. During his lone season at Florida last season, the Gators ranked 25th in FBS in passing defense at 203.9 yards per game. He also has recent stints at Auburn, Ole Miss and in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.
Ever since he was hired by Louisville back in January, that experience and leadership from McGriff has clear and present in spring ball and in fall camp.
"He's done a tremendous job not only with our players, but with the staff in general," Brown said during Louisville's Media Day last month. "Not just the defensive staff, but offensive staff as well. He's came in and fit perfectly for what we actually need. That's holding guys accountable, being very disciplined, helping us be a little bit more disciplined, not only as coaches but also as players."
A large reason that McGriff was brought on staff was to not only help improve the defense as a whole, but to advance their play-calling acumen and execution in situational football. Last season, Louisville was abysmal in some of the most crucial situations of the game. Out of 130 FBS teams, they ranked 115th in first downs allowed at 292, and were 110th in red zone defense at 89.8 percent. Brown himself even drew criticism from fans for his propensity to use the three-man rush in 2021, something he didn't start to change until halfway through the season.
Brown says that McGriff's addition to the coaching staff has greatly improved his own play-calling tendencies, and his overall approach to situational football.
"I think situational wise, he's seen a lot, and he's done a lot," Brown said. "He's already helped me from a play-calling standpoint of, 'hey, think about this in this situation,' or 'hey, think about that,' or 'I think you got to continue to do this in this situation, so keep doing what you're doing here.' He's done a tremendous job in helping me, and the staff and also the players. We're lucky to have 'ole Crime Dog with us."
Of course, it's a two-way street in terms of having open discussions regarding Louisville's defensive scheme. Not only has McGriff aided Brown in his overall approach to the defense, Brown has assisted McGriff in how he operates. The end result means a lot more flexibility in what to expect out of the Cardinals from a play-calling standpoint, especially with how versatile a lot of the players are.
"We have a lot of great dialogue about schemes, about different scenarios," McGriff said Tuesday. "When the opportunity presents itself, I share ideas with him that enhance what we're doing, and it makes sure that we're solid."
McGriff also thinks the other position coaches greatly help their overall goal to be a more efficient defense, and that the chemistry between the coaches is extremely high.
"He has a really good scheme, and we have a really good coaching staff," he said. "(ILB coach) Derek Nicholson, (OLB coach) Greg Gasparato, (DL coach) Mark Ivey. When you're in that meeting room, the dialogue that goes on, the exchange that goes on, is unbelievable. Coach Brown has been a tremendous leader in that room, he's very smart.
"We work well together in terms of furthering the scheme along, and the biggest thing is just doing what the players can do. We always say, 'let's make sure we get them songs they know by heart, and they'll go out and play.' We'll get them to go play, we're getting this thing to our goal."
Louisville will begin the 2022 season when they travel to upstate New York to face Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 3.
(Photo of Wesley McGriff via the Courier Journal)
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