Todd Grantham Hired as Defensive Coordinator; Tony Grantham to Coach LBs & Special Teams

Mark BlankenbakerJanuary 16, 2014

Widely regarded as one of the best defensive coordinators in the country, Todd Grantham was tabbed by University of Louisville head football coach Bobby Petrino to become the school’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach on Thursday.

Todd’s brother, Tony, was named the inside linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Louisville also on Thursday after spending the last six seasons at the Naval Academy.

Todd comes to Louisville after four seasons as Georgia’s defensive coordinator, including two seasons as the associate head coach. During his time with Georgia, the Bulldogs advanced to four-consecutive bowl games and compiled a 36-18-1 record with Grantham at the helm of the defense.

“To get a coach like Todd Grantham on our staff says a lot about our program,” Petrino said. “I’ve had the opportunity to compete against Todd’s defenses over the years and have been very impressed with his scheme and how hard his players compete. Todd will be a great addition to lead our defense.”

Under Todd Grantham’s leadership, the Georgia defense put up solid numbers. Last season, with a young and injury depleted unit, the Bulldogs ended the year 8-5 and finished eighth in the country in tackles for loss and 28th in sacks.

The 2012 season saw the Bulldogs finish with a 12-2 record, which included a loss to Alabama, the eventual national champion, in the SEC title game. Georgia, which won the Capital One Bowl, ended the campaign 18th in the country in scoring defense, holding five opponents to 10 or fewer points, and eighth nationally in pass defense.

In his second season at Georgia, the defense showed a dramatic jump in the national statistics. The group finished the year fifth nationally in total defense (11th versus rushing, 10th versus passing), third in third-down defense, fifth in interceptions, and seventh in turnovers gained (32), which ranked first in the SEC.

His resume includes an 11-year NFL career, lastly as the Dallas Cowboys defensive line coach.

He was with the Cowboys for two years after spending three seasons as defensive coordinator with the Cleveland Browns (2005-07), and six years as defensive line coach for both the Houston Texans (2002-04) and Indianapolis Colts (1999-01). He helped the Browns to a 10-win season in 2007.

The Cowboys’ defensive unit was one of the best in the league, ranking second in scoring defense (15.6 points per game), fourth in rushing defense (90.5 yards per game), seventh in sacks (42.0 per game), and ninth in total defense (315.9 yards per game). Dallas finished eighth in the NFL in total defense in 2008 and led the league with 59 sacks, with 13.5 coming from the defensive linemen.

In addition, Dallas nose guard Jay Ratliff, a sixth round draft choice, was named to consecutive Pro Bowls under Todd Grantham and All-Pro Demarcus Ware recorded a career-high 20 sacks in 2008.

Prior to his tenure with the Colts, Todd Grantham made his name in the collegiate ranks, when he served for three seasons as Michigan State’s defensive line coach and one as assistant head coach at Michigan State. Grantham also spent six years (1990-95) at his alma mater, Virginia Tech, coaching defensive ends and inside linebackers (1990-91) and defensive tackles (1992-93).

In 1995, the Hokies ranked first nationally in rushing defense, fifth in scoring defense, and 10th in total defense. Virginia Tech totaled 50 sacks en route to the BIG EAST title and a Sugar Bowl triumph over Texas in 1995.

During his career, Todd Grantham has worked under several successful head coaches and defensive coordinators on both the pro and college levels, including Frank Beamer and Bud Foster at Virginia Tech, Nick Saban at Michigan State, Romeo Crennel at Cleveland, Dom Capers at Houston, and Wade Phillips at Dallas.

Todd Grantham played guard and tackle for the Hokies from 1984-88. He earned second-team All-South and honorable mention All-America honors as a senior.

Tony Grantham, in addition to serving the past six seasons as Navy’s outside linebackers coach, has been with the Naval Academy for 10 years overall.

He was influential in guiding Navy to a 9-4 record last season and a win over Middle Tennessee State in the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl. The 2013 Navy team was just the fifth in Navy’s 132-year history of playing football to win at least nine games, beat Army, and win a bowl game. The Navy defense held eight of its 13 opponents below their scoring average for the season.

“Tony is a great young coach,” said head coach Bobby Petrino. “I like what he did at Navy and am excited for him to bring his knowledge and enthusiasm to Louisville. Tony is a great addition to our defensive staff.”

In 2012, Tony Grantham helped lead Navy to an 8-5 record and a berth in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. Navy defeated Air Force, 28-21, in overtime, and Army, 17-13, to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy.

Under Tony Grantham’s tutelage, outside linebacker Keegan Wetzel was named a first-team Academic All-American and was named to the All-Independent team by a nationwide media panel.

The 2009 season was one of the program’s best, as Navy tied a school record with 10 wins, while appearing in a seventh-consecutive bowl game, a school best. The defense finished 18th in the country in scoring defense (19.4 points per game) and sixth in red zone defense.

Tony Grantham returned to the Naval Academy in the spring of 2008 after spending one year at Campbell, where he served as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.

He served four years at the Naval Academy, training the defensive line and outside linebackers from 2003-06. Navy posted a 35-15 record in Grantham’s four years in Annapolis, winning four-straight Commander-In-Chief’s trophies and appearing in four-straight bowl games.

Tony Grantham joined the Naval Academy staff after two seasons as a graduate assistant at LSU under current Alabama head coach Saban. While in Baton Rouge, Grantham spent one year working on the offensive side of the ball and one year working on the defensive side.

In 2001, the Tigers went 10-3 and won the SEC Championship game over No. 2 Tennessee, knocking the Vols out of the BCS title game. LSU went on to win the Sugar Bowl. In 2002, LSU, which finished the season fifth nationally in total defense, shared the SEC Western Division title and played in the Cotton Bowl.

He began his collegiate coaching career at Eastern Illinois, where he oversaw the Panthers outside linebackers and special teams. EIU, behind the play of quarterback Tony Romo, advanced to the NCAA I-AA Playoffs, and finished the season ranked 15th nationally.

Grantham, a 2000 graduate of Radford University, received his degree in physical education.