Report: Louisville to Hire Josh Stepp as Tight Ends Coach

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - One week after a spot on their offensive coaching staff surprisingly opened up, the Louisville football program has reportedly already filled it.

Head coach Scott Satterfield is “working to finalize a deal” with Georgia State offensive coordinator Josh Stepp to be the Cardinals’ next tight ends coach, according to Football Scoop’s John Brice.

Louisville hired App State’s Nic Cardwell to be their tight ends coach in mid-February, but just one day after the start of spring practice last week, it was reported that offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. would be on the move to the same position at North Carolina.

Cardwell previously served as the Mountaineers’ offensive line coach, so it is expected that he will coach that position moving forward with the hiring of Stepp.

Stepp has been with the Panthers as their tight ends coach since the 2017 season, and was recently promoted to offensive coordinator ahead of the 2022 season. He was a key component of unprecedented offensive success for Georgia State, helping them set several records on that side of the ball.

During his tenure, the Panthers set school records for scoring (33.3 ppg in 2020), touchdowns (53 in 2019), total offense (439.8 ypg in 2019) and rushing offense (241.6 ypg).

Under Stepp, tight ends Roger Carter and Aubry Payne combined for five All-Sun Belt Conference Awards. Carter is the Panthers’ career leader in receptions and receiving yards by a tight end, while Payne has the tight end record for touchdown catches.

Stepp was formerly the head football coach and athletic director at Lexington (S.C.) High School. Inheriting a program that had gone 3-8 the year before he arrived, he posted a 36-17 record from 2013-16, including reaching at least the second round of the playoffs in each of his four seasons.

This will be the fourth addition amongst the assistant coaching staff this offseason. Following the departures of Bicknell, Gunter Brewer, Stu Holt and Cort Dennison, Satterfield hired Stepp, Cardwell, Notre Dame's Lance Taylor to be the offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach and Florida's Wesley McGriff as co-defensive coordinator/secondary coach.

Louisville finished the 2021 season with a mark of 6-7 (4-4 in ACC), including a 31-28 loss in the First Responder Bowl against Air Force. The Cardinals will kickoff the 2022 season at Syracuse on Saturday, Sept. 3.

(Photo of Josh Stepp via Georgia State Athletics)

You can follow Louisville Report for future coverage by liking us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram:

Facebook - @LouisvilleOnSI
Twitter - @LouisvilleOnSI
Instagram - @louisville_report

You can also follow Deputy Editor Matthew McGavic at @Matt_McGavic on Twitter