| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Special assistant to the head coach |
| Team | Clemson Tigers |
| Conference | ACC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | (1967-04-26)April 26, 1967 (age 58) Greensboro, Alabama, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1986–1989 | Alabama |
| Positions | Strong safety,linebacker |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 1991 | Alabama (GA) |
| 1994–1998 | Chattanooga (DB) |
| 1999–2005 | Virginia Tech (DB) |
| 2006–2007 | Oakland Raiders (ST/assistant DB) |
| 2008 | Arkansas (DB) |
| 2009–2010 | South Carolina (DB) |
| 2011 | South Carolina (CB) |
| 2012–2015 | South Carolina (DC) |
| 2016 | Fresno State (DC) |
| 2017–2018 | Louisville (AHC/DB) |
| 2018 | Louisville (interim HC) |
| 2019–2023 | Chattanooga (DC) |
| 2024–present | Clemson (special assistant) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 0–2 |
Lorenzo Ward (born April 26, 1967) is an Americancollege football coach who serves as a special assistant to the head coach for theClemson Tigers. Ward served as the interim head football coach at theUniversity of Louisville for the final two games of the 2018 season following the firing ofBobby Petrino. Ward playedcollege football at theUniversity of Alabama from 1986 to 1989.
Ward was born and raised inGreensboro, Alabama. A 1991 graduate of theUniversity of Alabama, Ward played for theCrimson Tide from 1986 to 1989 under head coachesRay Perkins (1986) andBill Curry (1987-89).
Ward's first job was at his alma mater as a graduate assistant during the Tide's1991 season. Ward then worked for theUniversity of Tennessee, Chattanooga from 1994 to 1998.
In 1999, Ward was hired byFrank Beamer to joinVirginia Tech's coach staff. Here, Ward coached the secondary and had five all-Big East players and one all-ACC player, includingDeAngelo Hall. During his last year, the Hokies led the nation in total defense, allowing just 247.6 yards per game.[1]
Ward then joined theOakland Raiders for the 2006 before rejoining the college ranks atArkansas (2008) and then asdefensive coordinator atSouth Carolina from 2012 to 2015 underSteve Spurrier.[2]
Ward spent the 2016 season as the defensive coordinator atFresno State before being hired byLouisville in 2017 as secondary coach.
On November 11, 2018, Louisville firedBobby Petrino after the team's 2–8 start. Ward was named interim head coach and coached his first game in this role againstN.C. State on November 17, 2018.[3]
On June 4, 2019, theChattanooga re-hired him to be the defensive coordinator.[4]
On May 9, 2024,Clemson announced the hiring of Ward as the special assistant to the head coach forDabo Swinney.[5]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville Cardinals(Atlantic Coast Conference)(2018) | |||||||||
| 2018 | Louisville | 0–2 | 0–1 | 7th(Atlantic) | |||||
| Louisville: | 0–2 | 0–1 | |||||||
| Total: | 0–2 | ||||||||