John Lovett Position: Defensive Coordinator Experience: 3rd year at Clemson

John Lovett is in his third year as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach with the Tiger program. He came to Clemson after serving as defensive coordinator with the Auburn program for three seasons (1999-01).

Lovett has been an assistant coach at the college level for 25 years, including 15 seasons as a defensive coordinator. He has experience working with all levels of the defense, but has spent most of his seasons in the game coaching the secondary and outside linebacker position.

In 2003, his defense was a major reason Clemson finished the year with nine wins and a top-25 ranking. The defense allowed just 19.2 points per game, one of the top-25 figures in the nation. The pass defense ranked second in the ACC, while the rush defense allowed just 78 yards per game over the last four games of the season, all Tiger victories. Top-six ranked teams Florida State and Tennessee gained just 49 combined rushing yards against Clemson in Tiger wins.

Lovett accomplished those figures with an all underclass secondary. All four return in 2004, and it is a reason the unit is ranked among the best in the nation entering this season.

In his first year at Clemson, the program made a strong improvement in terms of pass defense. The Tigers picked off 21 passes overall, the 15th-best total in the nation. Two of Lovett's players, Justin Miller (5th) and Brian Mance (15th), ranked in the top 15 in the nation and held the top-two spots in the ACC in interceptions.

Mance was named an All-American by The Sporting News, while Miller was a consensus freshman All-American. Clemson's defense showed improvement of over 40 yards per game in total defense and forced 66.7 percent more turnovers than the previous season.

Lovett helped Auburn to bowl games each of his last two years. His 2000 defense ranked 14th in the nation in total defense and 15th in rushing defense, helping the Tigers to a 9-4 record and a berth in the Citrus Bowl against Michigan. Auburn won the Western Division of the Southeastern Conference that season.

In 2001, his defense had a lot to do with Auburn's berth in the Peach Bowl. One of Auburn's victories was a 23-20 triumph over then #1 ranked Florida. Lovett's defense held the Gators to 20 points, -36 yards rushing, and 328 yards of total offense, season lows in all three categories for Steve Spurrier's team that finished the season ranked third in the nation. The Tigers also forced five turnovers in the game, including four interceptions of passes thrown by Heisman Trophy finalist Rex Grossman. Lovett's defense also held Georgia's high-powered attack to but 17 points in a 24-17 Auburn triumph. His unit held Georgia to 203 yards in 2002, the fewest yards gained by the Bulldogs that season.

The 53-year-old coach, who was born in Nyack, NY, worked under Tommy Tuberville for seven years, four at Mississippi (1995-98) and three at Auburn (1999-01). He coached the secondary all four years he was at Mississippi, including the 1997 season when the Rebels had an 8-4 overall record, including a victory in the Ford Motor City Bowl.

Prior to coming to Mississippi in 1995, Lovett worked as defensive coordinator at the University of Maine for two stints. He first went to Orono in 1985 and served as defensive coordinator and secondary coach from 1985-88. He also served as defensive coordinator for the Black Bears in 1994. The 1987 team won the conference championship and qualified for the Division I-AA playoffs.

Lovett began his career in coaching at Saint Joseph's Regional High School in Montvale, NJ in 1976. He worked at that school for two years, also serving as a track coach. He started his college career in 1978 at Union College in New York. He served as a part-time coach from 1978-80, then was elevated to full-time status in 1980. He worked with the inside linebackers in the 1980 and 1981 seasons, then was elevated to defensive coordinator status in 1982.

Lovett spent the 1983 season in the Ivy League at Brown, then moved back to New York to work under Joe Walton as the New York Jets' defensive quality control coach in 1984. The 1985 season brought him to Maine as defensive coordinator. In 1989, he joined Head Coach Tim Murphy in his move to the University of Cincinnati. He remained at Cincinnati with Murphy, now the head coach at Harvard, through the 1992 season. In 1993, he coached at Nevada-Las Vegas as the secondary coach.

Lovett graduated from C.W. Post College in December of 1973. He came to the school as a walk-on, but quickly earned a scholarship and served as the team's co-captain as a senior in 1973. He played for Dom Anile, who is now the Director of Football Operations for the Indianapolis Colts. At the completion of his career, he enrolled in graduate school at the University of Denver and he earned his Master's Degree in 1975. The next year he entered the coaching profession.

Lovett is married to the former Carol O'Connor.