Michigan football has lost a major piece of its coaching staff.
Lou Esposito, one of just two holdovers from the 2025 regular season, is on his way to the NFL, where he has agreed to become defensive line coach for the Baltimore Ravens.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementCBS Sports was first to report the move.
Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator at Michigan for two seasons (2022-23) under Jim Harbaugh, was hired last month as Baltimore head coach this offseason, replacing Harbaugh's brother John..
This is the first time the pipeline connecting Baltimore and Ann Arbor has flowed east. Previously, Michigan brought Minter, Mike Macdonald and Wink Martindale west from John Harbaugh's coaching tree to U-M.
Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito talks to players after a play against New Mexicoduring the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, August 30, 2025.Esposito was on staff the past two seasons, hired from Memphis after U-M's initial choice for the job, Greg Scruggs, was arrested for driving while intoxicated. He was one of the best position coaches in Ann Arbor the past two seasons, helping develop several NFL players during his time, including first-round NFL draft picks Mason Graham, Kenneth Grant and third-round pick Josaiah Stewart.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementEsposito was ranked as the No. 3 recruiter in the nation, per 247 Sports, thanks to his heater over the summer, finishing with a top-10 class per 247's composite rankings.
“I feel like the biggest thing here is, once you get a guy to come here and see this place and be around the people, it doesn’t compare to anywhere else,” Esposito said last summer. “That’s the truth. There are great places everywhere, but it’s just different here. The 'Block M’ is different. Michigan is different. The people we surround you with are different. The opportunities you’re going to have after football are different here.
“Some places might have really, really good football, really, really good academics, and people who will help you in your career afterward. But the combination of all three − there aren’t many schools that do that, and we’re one of them.”
Esposito was expected to coach the defensive line in tandem with Lewis Powell, who joined the staff after having worked for new coach Kyle Whittingham in Utah. It's unknown whether Michigan will bring somebody else in to coach with Powell, or if he will take over the entire unit.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRunning backs coach Tony Alford is now the only coach remaining from last year's regular-season staff in Ann Arbor. (Special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs was hired in December and coached the Wolverines during their Citrus Bowl loss to Texas.)
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football DL coach Lou Esposito headed to NFL per reports
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