Derrick Ansley enters his second season as secondary coach of the Chargers in 2022. Prior to joining Los Angeles, Ansley spent the two years (2019-20) as the defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at the University of Tennessee.
In Ansley's first season directing the secondary group, safety Derwin James Jr., was selected to his second career Pro Bowl after becoming the first defensive back in the last 20 years to eclipse 100 tackles after missing the entirety of the previous season due to injury. James also finished the regular season as the only defensive back to amass over 100 tackles while collecting multiple sacks, multiple interceptions and at least three forced fumbles. Cornerback Michael Davis led the unit with 12 passes defensed, while rookie cornerback Asante Samuel Jr., was named NFL Rookie of the Month for the month of September after totaling two interceptions in his first three NFL games. As a unit, the Los Angeles defense ranked third in the NFL with a conference-best 19 forced fumbles.
At Tennessee, Ansley recruited and developed talent at one of the highest levels of college football. In his first season leading the Volunteers defense, Ansley's unit ranked top-25 nationally in total defense, passing defense and interceptions. His group featured 11 first-time defensive starters, including five freshmen. In his first season with the Volunteers, Ansley tutored defensive back Nigel Warrior to be a first-team All-Southeastern Conference selection from The Associated Press and linebacker Henry To'o To'o earn first-team Freshman All-America honors by The Athletic. That year, the passing defense improved by nearly 30 net yards per game over 2018, and, following the season, linebacker Darrell Taylor was a second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2020 NFL Draft. The 194.0 passing yards per game allowed in his first season as defensive coordinator was the second-best in a single season by a Tennessee defense in a decade.
Ansley's first NFL experience came in 2018 as the defensive backs coach for the Oakland Raiders. That season, the defensive unit increased their interception total from the year prior by nearly double digits (nine). Ansley worked directly with second-year cornerback Gareon Conley, who finished the 2018 season ranked fifth in the NFL with 15 passes defensed.
Before his time with the Raiders, Ansley directed the defensive backs group at the University of Alabama for two seasons (2016-17), helping the Crimson Tide rank No. 1 in the nation in total defense and scoring defense both years. He tutored Minkah Fitzpatrick to a pair of All-American seasons, including a unanimous selection following the 2017 season. That same year, Fitzpatrick was the recipient of the Jim Thorpe Award, which recognizes college football's best defensive back, and the Chuck Bednarik Award, which recognizes the best defensive player in college football, in a season that saw Alabama defeat second-ranked Clemson in the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship. That two-year stretch marked Ansley's second stint as a member of the Crimson Tide's coaching staff and saw the Alabama secondary feature six eventual NFL Draft selections.
Ansley returned to Tuscaloosa, Ala., after spending three seasons at the University of Kentucky (2013-15). He spent the first two seasons coaching the defensive back group, before adding co-defensive coordinator duties for the 2015 season. In his final season in Lexington, Ky., Ansley helped direct a defensive unit that recorded a school-record six defensive touchdowns and 23 total takeaways. As a unit, Kentucky's 2015 defense ranked No. 2 in the SEC in takeaways.
After two seasons (2010-11) as a defensive graduate assistant in his first stint at Alabama, Ansley's first opportunity as an SEC position coach came at Tennessee in 2012. In his position leading the Vols' secondary, Ansley tutored future NFL defensive backs Justin Coleman and Brian Randolph, as safety Byron Moore led the SEC with five interceptions.
Ansley broke into the coaching ranks at Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Ala., working with the defensive backs for five seasons (2005-09). During his time with the Hawks, Huntingdon recorded the program's first NCAA Division III playoff appearance and produced a winning record in four out of his five seasons, including two eight-win campaigns. Ansley recruited Keith Anthony to Huntingdon and coached the eventual Huntingdon Athletic Hall of Fame inductee to a record-setting sophomore season, which saw him rank tied for fifth in Division III with eight interceptions, helping Anthony earn 2010 Preseason All-American recognition by D3Football.com.
As a college safety, Ansley started 40 consecutive games for Troy from 2001-04, recording 19 career interceptions — the second-most by any player in program history. His junior season featured a career-high nine picks, which were the third-most by any player in college football in 2003. A first-team All-Sun Belt Conference selection as a senior in 2004, Ansley contributed significantly to a defensive unit that featured future NFL All-Pro pass-rushers Demarcus Ware and Osi Umenyiora.
Ansley, a native of Tallassee, Ala., and his wife, Alaea, have one daughter, Selena.
