Report: Brian VanGorder to Take Louisville Defensive Coordinator Job

Brian VanGorder, as it turns out, is a mystery man. There has been much chatter about him over the last few weeks since Glenn Spencer was let go by Oklahoma State as defensive coordinator.

For a while, we thought there was a chance VanGorder, who served as an analyst last year, would take over for Spencer. Then it seemed likely that he would become OSU’s 10th assistant coach.

Now? Well, now it seems he’s headed to Louisville to become Bobby Petrino’s defensive coordinator. This according to report by FootballScoop. Louisville’s former DC, Peter Sirmon, resigned a week ago to take a job at California.

Brian VanGorder, who spent last season as a defensive analyst at Oklahoma State and was expected to be promoted to the 10th assistant spot on Mike Gundy’s staff, is expected to become the next defensive coordinator at Louisville, sources tell FootballScoop. VanGorder is the former defensive coordinator at Auburn and Notre Dame. [FootballScoop]

According to a source, at least some of OSU’s defensive players were hoping VanGorder would be promoted to defensive coordinator. That doesn’t appear to be likely anymore, and it seems as if he will no longer be affiliated with the program altogether.

It sort of struck me as odd that someone who served as the DC for teams like Auburn, Georgia, Notre Dame and even the Atlanta Falcons would spend multiple years as an analyst or even a position coach for a school like Oklahoma State. So this move isn’t super surprising, even if the timing is intriguing.

If the report is true and the VanGorder hire is announced, that will again leave OSU with two coaching slots to fill. One will be an assistant position and one will be its defensive coordinator position for 2018.