Army promotes safeties coach John Loose to defensive coordinator

Jeff Monken didn’t stray too far from West Point to find his pick for defensive coordinator.

Previously the safeties coach, John Loose will now serve full-time as the Black Knights full-time defensive coordinator, taking over for Jay Bateman, who left West Point for the same job on Mack Brown’s staff at UNC.

You might recall, Loose served as the interim defensive coordinator during the Armed Forces Bowl, where Army crushed Houston — 70-14 — while racking up a record 10 sacks.

In this position, Loose brings with him a wealth of experience. As defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Lafayette for 14 seasons, from 2000 to 2013, the Leopards remained a top-25 defensive team in the Football Championship Subdivision. Before arriving at West Point, he also held the defensive coordinator and secondary coach positions at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Loose, however, isn’t a stranger to Army football. Prior to this promotion, he coached both linebackers and the secondary, most recently having served as the safeties coach from 2014 up until this past season. Loose’s unit in the secondary helped Army hold opponents to an average of 188.8 passing yards per-game, good enough for 21st in the country.

Last season, Army ranked eighth nationally in total defense allowing 295.5 yards per game and possessed a third down conversion percentage defense that ranked fourth in the country.

2019 will be Loose’s overall 13th season at West Point.