Louisville Officially Names Mark Hagen as Defensive Line Coach
Press Release from the University of Louisville:
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - A veteran with over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience, Mark Hagen has been named the defensive line coach at the University of Louisville, UofL head coach Jeff Brohm announced on Tuesday.
"I'm thrilled to have someone with Coach Hagen’s experience join our staff," said Brohm. "He's an innovative, veteran coach that will bring a wealth of knowledge to our football program. Mark is a passionate and detail-oriented defensive line technician who consistently finds ways to maximize his personnel.”
In addition, Brohm announced that Ron English will serve as the secondary coach, while Mark Ivey will be the linebackers coach. Previously announced special teams coordinator, Karl Maslowski, will also serve as an assistant linebackers coach, and tight ends coach Ryan Wallace will have the additional role of special teams assistant.
English and Hagen will also both serve as co-defensive coordinators, with English handling the defensive play-calling duties. These are roles that both English and Hagen filled on the Purdue staff last season.
"We believe in a collaborative approach to both our offensive and defensive staffs where everyone has input and their contribution is valued. Ron and Mark have demonstrated a great ability to work together to put our players in the best position to succeed. We are excited to have them both in positions of leadership for our defense."
Before joining the Louisville staff, Hagen was the co-defensive coordinator, along with English, for a Purdue defense the last two seasons that showed consistent and steady improvement. The 2022 team finished in the top 20 in interceptions with 15. Against the run, Purdue allowed 142.5 yards per game and held four opponents to less than 100 yards on the ground.
Returning to West Lafayette in 2021, Hagen made an immediate impact on the Purdue defense. The Boilermakers surrendered 22.4 points per game, ranking 34th in the country, to improve upon their No. 67 ranking from the 2020 campaign (29.8 ppg). Purdue’s defense also found the top 25 in red zone defense (23rd - .756). Focusing on the defensive line, Hagen guided George Karlaftis to All-America and First Team All-Big Ten honors.
In Hagen's first stint at Purdue, the Boilermakers appeared in seven bowl games during his tenue, including the 2001 Rose Bowl and the 2004 Capital One Bowl.
During his former time in West Lafayette, Purdue's defense saw 18 members selected in the National Football League Draft over the years – including first-round picks Ryan Kerrigan (2011) and Anthony Spencer (2007), second-round selections Kawann Short (2013), Mike Neal (2010) and Bernard Pollard (2006) and third-round draftees Alex Magee (2009), Cliff Avril (2008), Stuart Schweigert (2004), Gilbert Gardner (2004) and Landon Johnson (2004).
Hagen served as associate head coach for the defense and defensive line coach at Texas during the 2020 season.
Prior to Texas, Hagen coached four seasons at Indiana (2015-18), most recently as the Hoosiers' co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. It was his third stint in Bloomington, having served as an assistant for two seasons (2011-12) and getting his collegiate coaching career start there as a graduate assistant and administrative assistant (1992-95).
Hagen also spent three years (2013-15) at Texas A&M, working for two seasons with Aggies' linebackers and the final year with the defensive tackles. His first full-time coach job was at Northern Illinois from 1996-99.
A native of Carmel, Indiana, Hagen was a four-year letterwinner at Indiana (1987, 1989-91), two-time Second Team All-Big Ten selection, three-time Academic All-Big Ten winner, 1992 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient and a captain at linebacker.
As linebacker with the Hoosiers, Hagen led the team in tackles for three straight years (1989-91) and was the team's Balfour Award recipient in 1991 for bringing distinction and honor to the university. He is tied for fifth in Hoosiers’ history with 336 career tackles. While with the Hoosiers, Hagen played in four bowl games, including the 1991 Copper Bowl, where he was named the game’s Most Valuable Defensive Player. He graduated from Indiana with a bachelor's degree in marketing in 1991 and earned a master's in sport marketing and management in 1995.
Hagen and his wife, Denise, have four daughters – Abby, Emma, Ellie and Ava.
(Photo of Mark Hagen: Nikos Frazier / Journal & Courier via Imagn Content Services, LLC)
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