The Oakland Raiders had expressed interest in Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham for the same role, but Grantham is reportedly remaining in college.
According to a report, Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham intends to remain in his current post despite interest from the Oakland Raiders about adding him to new coach Jack Del Rio’s staff in the same post.
Louisville defensive coordinator Todd Grantham now intends to return to Louisville and bypass chance to become Raiders DC.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 28, 2015
Grantham, 48, took over a defense that was ranked No. 1 in the nation in 2013, allowing 251.5 yards per game in the American Athletic Conference, and shepherded it to a No. 6 ranking despite a jump in competition to the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Cardinals allowed 308.5 yards per game in 2014.
Grantham joined Bobby Petrino’s staff at Louisville last season after four years as defensive coordinator at Georgia.
He also has NFL experience as a defensive coordinator.
Grantham held that position for the Cleveland Browns from 2005-07, where his defense ranked 16th in the league in 2005, 27th in 2006 and 30th in 2007.
His coaching career began at Virginia Tech as a position coach, working with defensive ends and inside linebackers, in 1990.
He also coached defensive tackles from 1992-93 and the defensive line in 1994-95 while in Blacksburg.
Grantham moved on to Michigan State, coaching the defensive line from 1996-98, before jumping to the NFL.
He was defensive line coach for the Indianapolis Colts from 1999-2001 and with the Houston Texans from 2002-04 before going to Cleveland.
Grantham was defensive line coach for the Dallas Cowboys for two seasons, 2008-09, before taking the coordinator post at Georgia.
He was also a candidate to replace John L. Smith at Michigan State after the 2006 season, but the school wound up hiring then-Cincinnati head coach Mark Dantonio, who remains in East Lansing.
Grantham came to Louisville on a guaranteed five-year, $5 million contract in January of last year.
The Raiders fired interim head coach Tony Sparano along with coordinators Greg Olson (offense) and Jason Tarver (defense) following a 3-13 season.
Del Rio, the former coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, had most recently been the defensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos, and he has already brought in veteran NFL assistant Bill Musgrave as offensive coordinator.
Tarver landed on his feet with the San Francisco 49ers as the linebackers coach, while Olson is going to Jacksonville as offensive coordinator.
The Cardinals were 9-4 last season, including 5-3 in their first ACC campaign. Coincidentally enough, Louisville got smacked around by Grantham’s former team, Georgia, 37-14 in the Belk Bowl on Dec. 30.