Ole Miss hires NFL vet, college defensive coordinator Lou Spanos as analyst
Lane Kiffin and Ole Miss just started spring practice on Tuesday. But the Rebels are also making moves in the coaching industry as well, naming former NFL coach and college defensive coordinator Lou Spanos an analyst. On3’s Matt Zenitz first reported the news on Wednesday.
Spanos most recently served as Jim Mora’s defensive coordinator at UConn and has 27 years of coaching experience in the NFL and college.
During his time in the NFL, he worked with the Steelers, Commanders and Titans. He coached nine different Steeler linebackers who combined for 19 Pro Bowl appearances. Kevin Greene (2), Greg Lloyd (2), Chad Brown (1), Levon Kirkland (2), Jason Gildon (3), Kendrell Bell (1), Joey Porter (3), James Farrior (2) and James Harrison (3).
Additionally, Harrison earned the Associated Press NFL Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2008, while Bell was the Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2001.
(Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Spanos was one of only three assistants to be with the Steelers for Super Bowl XXX, Super Bowl XL and Super Bowl XLIII. During his 15 seasons in Pittsburgh, the defense ranked among the top 10 in the NFL 13 times, including four top-ranked units.
Spanos spent the 2018 season on staff for the Alabama Crimson Tide as an analyst after serving as the linebackers coach for the Tennessee Titans from 2014-2018. During his time with the Titans, Spanos worked with a linebacker group which posted the second-highest number of sacks in the NFL over the 2016 and 2017 seasons and a player which led the squad in tackles in each of his seasons in Nashville.
Brian Orakpo earned a spot in the Pro Bowl in 2016 and also earned the honor following the 2010 season during Spanos’ stint as the linebackers coach with the Commanders. Derrick Morgan had one of his campaigns working with Spanos in 2016. He made a team-high 56 quarterback pressures and career-high nine sacks.
Lou Spanos quickly turned the UCLA defense around when he was hired in Westwood.
In 2012, the defense ranked among the nation’s best in sacks and was headlined by All-American linebacker Anthony Barr (13.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for loss) and defensive end Datone Jones (6.5 sacks, 19.0 tackles for loss). Jones went on to be a first round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.
The team finished the season eighth in the nation in sacks, while Barr also ranked eighth in the country in sack average and second in total sacks.
Once he got to Storrs, Conn., Spanos helped turn around the UConn unit. In 2022, the defense was Top 100 in SP+ but were disruptive in specific areas. The Huskies were 5th in the country in fourth-down conversion rate, 20th in turnovers, 41st in passing yards per game, 42nd in opponents turnover margin and 54th in yards per pass.
The post Ole Miss hires NFL vet, college defensive coordinator Lou Spanos as analyst appeared first on On3.
