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Wayne State University Athletics

Lou West

Lou West

Updated January 6, 2022
  • Concluded his fifth season with the Warriors in 2021
  • Tutored seven All-GLIAC honorees in his first three years (2017-18-19) at WSU
  • Mentored 20 Academic All-GLIAC recipients in his five seasons at WSU
  • Coached collegiately since 1977

Lou West, who was hired in March of 2017 as the co-defensive coordinator, secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator retired from the Warriors coaching staff in December of 2021.

He mentored two Honorable Mention All-GLIAC performers in cornerbacks Dalen Peeks and Drake Reid in 2021.  Peeks played in all 11 games, starting nine times, while Reid led the Warrior secondary with 53 tackles and seven pass break-ups in his first collegiate season.

In addition, four student-athletes (Shavez Hawkins, Jr., Hayden Loya, Drake Reid and Brayden Vredeveld) were named to the 2021 GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5, while four others (David Green, Myles Harris, Martell Hill and Joe Wright) earned GLIAC All-Academic honors.

Despite attending school during a pandemic, three of his defensive backs earned Academic All-GLIAC recognition for the 2020-21 academic year, including Drake Reid who received GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recognition.

During the 2019 season, West helped mentor three GLIAC All-Academic honorees, including one (Kyle Toth), who was a First Team CoSIDA Academic All-American, a GLIAC Commissioner's Award recipient, and the WSU Football Scholar-Athlete.

Three of his defensive backs earned All-GLIAC recognition in 2019, as Greg McDade (2nd Team), Myron Riley-Brown (Honorable Mention) and Toth (Honorable Mention) were recognized for their on-the-field performance.

WSU led the GLIAC in interceptions returned for a touchdown (4) in 2019, ranked second in interception return yards (161), finished tied-for-second in interceptions (10) and was third in fewest points allowed (21.9), while compiling a 7-1 league record.

Nationally, WSU was 13th in defensive touchdowns (4), 18th in sacks (3.0 per game), 21st in third-down defense (30.6% - 44-of-144), and 23rd in red zone defense (69.2%).

In 2018, he helped tutor three All-GLIAC honorees in Second Team selection Greg McDade, and Honorable Mention recipients Tieler Houston and Kyle Toth.  Houston was also voted WSU's Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Toth was a CoSIDA Academic All-American.  The Warriors ranked seventh nationally in fewest passing yards allowed per game (148.5).

In his first season with the Warriors, West helped mentor three Academic All-GLIAC honorees, including Toth who received GLIAC All-Academic Excellence recognition.  In addition, cornerback James Howard was voted to the All-GLIAC Second Team, and junior cornerback Myron Riley-Brown, a junior college transfer, was voted WSU's Defensive Rookie of the Year.

West spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Alabama State.  The Hornets defense finished second in the SWAC in scoring defense (24.8 ppg) in 2015 and again in 2016 (27.4).  ASU was second in the SWAC allowing 365.2 yards per game in 2015, while leading the league in rushing defense (142.4 ypg).  The Hornets were second in pass defense efficiency (124.2 rating) in 2015, and second in rush defense (132.0 ypg) the following year.  In addition, ASU was third in the conference in turnovers gained with 22 (11 interceptions plus 11 fumbles) in 2016.

Prior to his appointment at ASU, West coached the defensive backs and linemen at Mississippi Delta Junior College (2013-14).  He spent 2011 and 2012 as the defensive coordinator at Garden City Community College where they won the Mississippi Bowl over Copiah-Lincoln.  He coached the defensive line and special teams at Rose-Hulman in 2009 and 2010.

West spent three seasons (2005-07) as the head coach at Indiana State.  During that time, he tutored five different All-Gateway Football Conference selections and seven others who earned Academic All-Conference recognition.  Defensive back Bryan Jackson received CoSIDA Academic All-District honors in 2006.

He served as defensive coordinator at the University of Toledo for four seasons (2001-04) before becoming head coach for the Sycamores.  During his tenure with the Rockets, West helped UT to a 36-14 record, three MAC West titles, two MAC Championship game victories and three bowl appearances.

Prior to joining the Rockets staff, West worked as the safeties coach at the University of Notre Dame for two seasons (1999-2000).  In his first year, A-Jani Sanders led the team in tackles for loss and was named to the All-Independent squad.  Sanders, along with fellow safety Deke Cooper signed free agent contracts with NFL teams.  During West's second season (2000) in South Bend, Ind., the Fighting Irish went 9-3 and made an appearance in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.  Tony Driver, a free safety for the Irish, was drafted in the sixth round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills after earning All-Independent squad honors.

From 1995-98, West served as the defensive backs coach at Virginia Tech. In 1998, the Hokies ranked second nationally in interceptions (23), fourth in scoring defense (12.9), seventh in total defense (284.9), and 11th in pass efficiency defense (103.4 rating).  Virginia Tech also led the Big East in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and passing defense during the 1998 campaign. The Hokies picked off three passes en route to a 38-7 win over Alabama in the Music City Bowl that season.

During his four years at Virginia Tech, the Hokies appeared in four consecutive bowl games and posted a combined win-loss mark of 36-12 (.750). In 1995 (Sugar) and 1996 (Orange) the Hokies participated in New Year's Day Bowl games under the Bowl Alliance. VT ranked in the Top 25 in three of his four years on staff. Under his tutelage, five Hokies garnered First Team All-Big East honors, while one player earned second team accolades. Two players (Torrian Gray and Antonio Banks) were selected in the first four rounds of the 1997 National Football League Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, while Pierson Prioleau was a fourth-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers in 1999.

West spent one season as the secondary coach at Kent State (1994) after six seasons (1988-93) as defensive backs, outside linebackers, and tight ends coach at Cincinnati. He began his career as a graduate assistant with Arizona in 1977 before working as the defensive backs coach at Arizona Western JC in 1979 and 1980. West took over as defensive backs coach at Middle Tennessee State for two seasons (1981-82) before spending the 1983 season with the University of Minnesota. From 1984-85, he worked at Western Michigan University as defensive backs coach.

He graduated from McKinley High School before attending the University of Cincinnati (1973-76), where he played defensive back. West earned three letters and recorded four interceptions and six fumble recoveries during his career. Following his senior campaign, he played in the Blue-Gray Classic and the North-South Shrine Bowl.

A native of Niles, Ohio, West earned his bachelor's degree in Education from the University of Cincinnati in 1977 and a master's degree in secondary education from the University of Arizona in 1980.  

West and his wife Gail, are the parents of four children – Andre, Adrian, Alexandria West and Orenthal -- and eight grandchildren.