The University of Louisville football program has added a seasoned veteran to its coaching staff in the form of Mark Hagen, who has been named the defensive line coach. Hagen brings over 30 years of collegiate coaching experience to the table and has been praised by head coach Jeff Brohm for his passion, attention to detail, and ability to maximize his personnel.
In addition to Hagen, Brohm has also named Ron English as the secondary coach and Mark Ivey as the linebackers coach. English and Hagen will also serve as co-defensive coordinators, with English handling the defensive play-calling duties. This is a role that the two coaches filled last season while at Purdue.
Hagen previously worked at Purdue as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach and made an immediate impact on the Boilermakers’ defense. During his tenue, the team appeared in seven bowl games, including the 2001 Rose Bowl and the 2004 Capital One Bowl. Hagen’s expertise and leadership helped guide 18 Purdue players to be selected in the National Football League draft, including first-round picks Ryan Kerrigan and Anthony Spencer.
Hagen’s coaching career began at Northern Illinois, where he spent three seasons from 1996-99. He then spent three years at Texas A&M, working with the Aggies’ linebackers and defensive tackles, before moving on to Indiana for four seasons from 2015-18, where he served as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach.
Hagen himself is a former Indiana football player, where he was a four-year letterwinner, a two-time Second Team All-Big Ten selection, and a three-time Academic All-Big Ten winner. He was also named the team’s Balfour Award recipient in 1991 for bringing distinction and honor to the university and is tied for fifth in Hoosiers’ history with 336 career tackles.
The University of Louisville football program has made a great addition in Mark Hagen, who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the defensive line and the defense as a whole. With Hagen and English co-leading the defense, the Cardinals are sure to see improvement and success in the upcoming season.
