Last week, news surfaced that the Michigan Wolverines had selected Lou Esposito to fill their vacant defensive line coach position. Sherrone Moore swiftly made the decision following the resignation of Greg Scruggs, who stepped down eight days earlier due to an OWI arrest.
Esposito joins Michigan after a brief stint at Memphis, where he held the roles of co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach for approximately two months. Prior to that, he spent seven years as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Western Michigan. Esposito also boasts experience at two other smaller football programs in Michigan, having worked at Ferris State and Davenport.
Despite his background primarily in smaller football programs, Esposito has proven to be an adept recruiter. He has demonstrated a keen eye for talent on the recruiting trail, contributing to the recruitment of numerous players who were initially overlooked coming out of high school but later developed into prospects of professional caliber.
One such example is Braden Fiske, whom Esposito evaluated and recruited during his tenure in Kalamazoo. Fiske was ranked a modest No. 1,590 overall on 247Sports’ composite rankings and received his only other offer from Illinois State. However, he emerged as a standout in the MAC at WMU, accumulating impressive statistics including 148 total tackles, 27.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and one blocked kick.
Fiske’s subsequent transfer to Florida State for his final college football season further elevated his draft stock, earning him recognition as a third-team AP All-American and second-team All-ACC player. However, none of this would have been possible without Esposito’s initial recruitment of him.
Another notable player is Andre Carter, who initially committed to WMU but later transferred to Indiana this past season. Hailing from Michigan, Carter attended Cass Tech in high school and held a ranking of No. 1,406 overall. He played a pivotal role for the Hoosiers, starting in every game and earning recognition as an All-Big Ten honorable mention. Carter’s contributions included 49 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, and two sacks.
Before achieving success in the Big Ten, Carter delivered impressive performances at WMU, tallying 68 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception, and one safety in his final year. His standout display garnered national attention, leading to his transfer to the Big Ten. It is hoped that his accomplishments will culminate in being selected in the upcoming NFL Draft at the end of the month.
