Memphis hires Mike MacIntyre as defensive coordinator
Published 2:25 pm Thursday, January 9, 2020
- Former Ole Miss defensive coordinator Mike MacIntyre was hired for the same job at Memphis on Thursday. (Ole Miss Athletics)
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Memphis has hired Mike MacIntyre as defensive coordinator after he filled the same role at Ole Miss this past season.
New Memphis coach Ryan Silverfield announced the hire Thursday and called MacIntyre “the perfect fit to lead our defense.” The move is pending completion of state hiring protocols.
MacIntyre went 30-44 as Colorado’s head coach from 2013-18, including a 10-4 season in 2016 that included a Pac-12 South Division title. Before coaching at Colorado, MacIntyre went 16-21 at San Jose State from 2010-12 and posted a 10-2 record his final year.
He was hired as Ole Miss’ defensive coordinator before the 2019 season, but was not retained after Matt Luke was fired and replaced by Lane Kiffin as head coach.
Ole Miss improved to 59th in the Football Bowl Subdivision in points allowed per game (26.5), 85th in yards allowed per game (416.8), and tied for 83rd in yards allowed per play (5.82) under MacIntyre.
In 2018, the Rebels ranked 113th in points allowed per game (36.2), 121st in yards allowed per game (483.4) and tied for 113th in yards allowed per play (6.32).
MacIntyre also has been a defensive coordinator at Temple (1997-98) and Duke (2008-09) and spent a few years as an NFL assistant.
The MacIntyre hire comes one day after Memphis quarterback Brady White tweeted that he was returning to the Tigers for his final year of eligibility. White helped Memphis go 12-2 and win the American Athletic Conference before losing to Penn State in the Cotton Bowl.