John Lovett (American football)

John Lovett
California Golden Bears
Position: Cornerbacks coach
Personal information
Date of birth: (1950-12-01) December 1, 1950
Place of birth: Nyack, New York
Career information
College: C.W. Post College
Career history
As coach:
As executive:

John Lovett (born December 1, 1950) is an American football coach who currently works as the cornerbacks coach for the California Golden Bears football team. He was the defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL) from 2013−2014. He was the defensive coordinator for Maine in 1994, Auburn from 1999−2001, Clemson from 2002−2004, Bowling Green from 2005−2006, and Miami from 2009−2010.

Lovett has coached in nine bowl games: the 1997 Motor City Bowl, 1998 Independence Bowl, 2000 Citrus Bowl, 2001 Peach Bowl, 2002 Tangerine Bowl, 2004 Peach Bowl, 2008 Meineke Car Care Bowl, 2009 Champs Sports Bowl, the 2010 Sun Bowl, and the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas.

Playing career

Lovett graduated from C.W. Post College in December 1973 and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in fall 2008. Joining the team as a walk-on linebacker, Lovett quickly earned a scholarship and served as the team's co-captain his senior season. He played for Dom Anile, who is now a Consultant to Player Personnel for the Indianapolis Colts. At the completion of his career, Lovett enrolled in graduate school at the University of Denver, earning his Master's Degree in 1975.

Coaching career

Early career

Upon graduation, Lovett began his career in coaching at Saint Joseph Regional High School in 1976. After two seasons as a prep school coach, he took his first collegiate coaching position as an assistant at Union College in 1978, where he was paid only $500 per year.[1] In 1983, Lovett spent a season in the Ivy League at Brown University before moving back to New York to work under Joe Walton as the defensive quality control coach for the New York Jets of the National Football League in 1984.

Maine and Cincinnati (Tim Murphy)

The following season, Lovett was hired by Buddy Teevens as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for the University of Maine Black Bears. In 1987, Tim Murphy took over as head coach and the team went on to win the conference championship and qualified for the Division I-AA playoffs.

When Murphy was hired as the new head coach of Cincinnati in 1989, Lovett joined him as the defensive coordinator for the Cincinnati Bearcats. He stayed at the school until 1993, when he was hired as the secondary coach for the UNLV Rebels.

In 1994, head coach Jack Cosgrove brought Lovett back to Maine to again serve as the school's defensive coordinator. Cosgrove had work alongside Lovett when he was offensive coordinator of the Black Bears before being named the head coach.

Ole Miss and Auburn (Tuberville)

In 1995, he joined new head coach Tommy Tuberville's staff at Ole Miss to coach the secondary.[2] Four seasons later when Tuberville took the head coaching position at Auburn, Lovett followed him to the school, where he was named the defensive coordinator. Tuberville fired Lovett following the 2001 season.

Clemson

Lovett was hired by Tommy Bowden to serve as the defensive coordinator at Clemson from 2002–04, where he helped develop one of the ACC's top defenses. In 2004, Clemson was 11th in the nation in pass defense efficiency (103.4) and 26th in total defense (327.3 yds/g). In 2003, his defense allowed just 19.2 points per game as Clemson finished the year with nine wins and a top 25 national ranking.

Bowling Green

Lovett served as the defensive coordinator at Bowling Green from 2005-06. In addition to coordinating the defense at Bowling Green, Lovett coached linebackers in 2005 and defensive backs in 2006. In his first year with the Falcons, Lovett's defense ranked 20th in the country in turnover margin.

North Carolina

Lovett spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons as the special teams coordinator and a defensive assistant at North Carolina, where the kickoff coverage unit ranked among the nation's top 15 and the Tar Heels blocked six kicks in 2008. He coached the NCAA all-time leader in combined kick return yards in Brandon Tate, who also established the ACC career mark for kickoff return yards.

Miami

On February 12, 2009, Lovett was hired by coach Randy Shannon as the new defensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes.[3] He served at the position for two seasons until being let go with the rest of the coaching staff following the firing of Randy Shannon at the end of the 2010 season.

Texas Tech

Lovett was hired by his former employer at Auburn, Tommy Tuberville, to serve as the Defensive backs coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders.[4]

Cincinnati

Following head coach Tommy Tuberville's departure to Cincinnati, Lovett remained a member of the Texas Tech staff through the 2012 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas. Following the game, it was announced on January 4, 2013 that Lovett would be following Tuberville to Cincinnati to accept the defensive backs coach position.[5]

Philadelphia Eagles

On February 8, 2013, Lovett was named the defensive backs coach for the Philadelphia Eagles.[6] On January 19, 2015, it was announced that Lovett would move to a job in the Eagles pro personnel department.

California

Lovett was named the cornerbacks coach for the California Golden Bears football team on July 27, 2015.[7]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/content/sports/epaper/2009/09/16/0916um_football.html
  2. ↑ Williams, Don (12 December 2011). "Texas Tech announces Price, Lovett hires". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  3. ↑ Bunch, Matthew (2009-02-12). "John Lovett named as Miami’s new defensive coordinator". MiamiHurricane.com. Retrieved 2009-11-10.
  4. ↑ "Football Coaching Staff Changes Announced". Texas Tech University. Retrieved 12 December 2011.
  5. ↑ Adelson, Andrea. "Cincinnati announces staff additions". ESPN. Retrieved 7 January 2013.
  6. ↑ Mosher, Geoff (8 February 2013). "Eagles Hire Cincy DB Coah John Lovett". CSN Philly. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
  7. ↑ Evans, Thayer (July 27, 2015). "Cal hires veteran assistant John Lovett as cornerbacks coach". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 2015-08-04.

External links

Sporting positions
Preceded by
Bill Oliver		 Auburn University Defensive Coordinator
1999-2001 		Succeeded by
Gene Chizik
Preceded by
Bill Young		 Miami Hurricanes Defensive Coordinator
2009-2010 		Succeeded by
Mark D'Onofrio
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