Wake Forest Athletics
Hemphill Helping Groom Deacs Defense and Defensive Backs
4/21/2020 9:00:00 AM | Football, Les Johns
Defensive Coordinator Lyle Hemphill enters his third season at the direction of the Wake Forest defense
Under the direction of Lyle Hemphill, Wake Forest has continued to improve on the defensive side of the ball while grooming talent for the next level.
After rising through the ranks, Hemphill enters his third season as the defensive coordinator for the Demon Deacons and the fourth overall on Dave Clawson's coaching staff.
Hemphill came to Wake Forest after six successful seasons at Stony Brook including the final four as defensive coordinator. He was recognized as the 2015 FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop. The Seawolves had one of the most dominant defenses in the country that season allowing an FCS low 250.1 yards per game while also having a nation low 4.10 yards per play allowed.
Since Hemphill's arrival on campus ahead of the 2016 season, Wake Forest has recorded 125 sacks, the most in any four-year period in school history.
Before transitioning into his role as defensive coordinator, he arrived in Winston-Salem to work with the defensive backfield.
In his first season, he helped mentor Jessie Bates III into a 2018 second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. Bates, who was a 2017 All-ACC selection, finished third in school history with 195 interception return yards. Since arriving in Cincinnati, Bates has been one of the best players in the league. He is the only player in the NFL to record 100-plus tackles and record 3-pluis interceptions in 2018 and 2019.
Over the last three seasons, 11 players on the Deacs' defense have earned All-ACC recognition. This includes Boogie Basham who led the ACC with 18.0 tackles for loss while also tying for 14th nationally with 11.0 sacks.
This offseason Wake Forest added some more familiarity to Hemphill's defense. As a graduate assistant at Delaware in 2004 and 2005, Hemphill coached alongside cornerbacks coach Paul Williams.
Hemphill then moved on to work under Demon Deacons current assistant head coach and defensive line coach Dave Cohen from 2006 to 2009 at Hofstra.
Learn more about defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill:
Wake Forest (2017-present)
Postseason History
NFL Players (Round Drafted)
After rising through the ranks, Hemphill enters his third season as the defensive coordinator for the Demon Deacons and the fourth overall on Dave Clawson's coaching staff.
Hemphill came to Wake Forest after six successful seasons at Stony Brook including the final four as defensive coordinator. He was recognized as the 2015 FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop. The Seawolves had one of the most dominant defenses in the country that season allowing an FCS low 250.1 yards per game while also having a nation low 4.10 yards per play allowed.
Since Hemphill's arrival on campus ahead of the 2016 season, Wake Forest has recorded 125 sacks, the most in any four-year period in school history.
Before transitioning into his role as defensive coordinator, he arrived in Winston-Salem to work with the defensive backfield.
In his first season, he helped mentor Jessie Bates III into a 2018 second-round pick by the Cincinnati Bengals. Bates, who was a 2017 All-ACC selection, finished third in school history with 195 interception return yards. Since arriving in Cincinnati, Bates has been one of the best players in the league. He is the only player in the NFL to record 100-plus tackles and record 3-pluis interceptions in 2018 and 2019.
Over the last three seasons, 11 players on the Deacs' defense have earned All-ACC recognition. This includes Boogie Basham who led the ACC with 18.0 tackles for loss while also tying for 14th nationally with 11.0 sacks.
This offseason Wake Forest added some more familiarity to Hemphill's defense. As a graduate assistant at Delaware in 2004 and 2005, Hemphill coached alongside cornerbacks coach Paul Williams.
Hemphill then moved on to work under Demon Deacons current assistant head coach and defensive line coach Dave Cohen from 2006 to 2009 at Hofstra.
Learn more about defensive coordinator Lyle Hemphill:
Wake Forest (2017-present)
- The 2019 Wake Forest defense finished 16th in the nation in third down defense, a program best. The Deacons also ended the season 15th in fumbles recovered and 17th in passes intercepted among all FBS schools. Nationally, the Deacons finished the 2019 campaign 12th with 25 turnovers gained.
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In Hemphill's first full-season as defensive coordinator, Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr. had one of the best single-seasons for an edge defender in school history. He was the ACC leader with 18.0 tackles for loss while tying for 14th nationally with 11.0 sacks.
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At the cornerback position, Essang Bassey and Amari Henderson finished their Demon Deacon careers as No. 2 and No. 3 in passes defended among all active FBS players. Bassey recorded 50 over his career while Henderson had 48.
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Henderson finished with a team-high four interceptions and was one of 10 Wake Forest players to intercept a pass. The Demon Deacons were one of just six FBS programs to have 10 or more players intercept a pass.
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- Over the last three years the Deacons defense have had 11 players earn All-ACC recognition.
- Hemphill mentored safety Jessie Bates, III who was taken in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
- Bates was an honorable mention All-ACC pick in 2017 and finished his career third in school history with 195 interception return yards.
- He also worked closely with second team All-ACC honoree Cameron Glenn, who finished second on the team with 98 tackles.
- Since Hemphill's arrival on campus ahead of the 2016 season, Wake Forest has recorded 125 sacks, the most in any four-year period in school history.
- Hemphill was named the 2015 FCS Defensive Coordinator of the Year by FootballScoop.
- He directed Stony Brook to be one of the FCS' top defenses; leading the subdivision in both total defense (250.1 yards per game allowed) and 4.10 yards per play allowed.
- The Seawolves' 250-yard average was 17 ahead of the next best FCS outfit and was good enough to lead all of Division I.
- Under Hemphill's guidance, Cedrick Moore, Dominick Reyes, Davonte Anderson, Christian Ricard, Victor Ochi, Tyrice Beverette and Aaron Thompson each earned all-conference honors.
- Anderson became the Seawolves' Division I career leader in interceptions and Ochi is Stony Brook's career sacks leader.
- Hemphill moved back to Delaware for the 2010 season, this time as a full-time coach working with cornerbacks.
- Worked with Anthony Bratton, an All-CAA safety who led the conference's defensive backs with 99 tackles.
- He helped the Blue Hens get back to the FCS Championship as Delaware finished the season with a 12-3 record including six top-25 wins.
- After two seasons at Delaware, Hemphill accepted a position to work with secondary and special teams for four seasons.
- Coached under head coach Dave Cohen, the Demon Deacons current assistant head coach and defensive line coach.
- Hofstra ranked fourth in the nation in pass defense in 2008 and ranked second in the league in interceptions with 12 in 2007.
- In his first stop in Newark, Delaware, Hemphill served as a graduate assistant, working primarily with the secondary.
- He helped coach the secondary alongside current Wake Forest cornerbacks coach Paul Williams in 2004, helping the Blue Hens advance to the quarterfinals of the DI-AA playoffs.
- Hemphill immediately entered the college coaching ranks after graduating from Ursinus College, joining the Delaware Valley staff as a defensive backs and special teams coach.
- A 2002 graduate of Ursinus College in Pennsylvania, Hemphill was a four-year letterman at strong safety and wrestled one season for the Bears..
- In 2005, he went on to earn his graduate degree from Delaware while coaching.
- After graduating from college, he was a volunteer assistant wrestling coach at his alma mater, St. Elizabeth High School in Wilmington. His father, Joe, is one of the most successful football coaches in Delaware high school history.
- He and his wife, Christen, have four children, Izabella, Lyla, Georgia and Olivia.
| Seasons | School/Team | Title/Position Coached |
| 2018-present | Wake Forest | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2017-18 | Wake Forest | Safeties |
| 2013-16 | Stony Brook | Defensive Coordinator/Safeties |
| 2011-12 | Stony Brook | Safeties |
| 2010 | Delaware | Cornerbacks |
| 2006-09 | Hofstra | Special Teams/Defensive Backs |
| 2004-05 | Delaware | Graduate Assistant/Secondary |
| 2002-04 | Delaware Valley | Defensive Backs/Special Teams |
Postseason History
| Season | Bowl Game/Postseason | Opponent | Result |
| 2019 | Pinstripe Bowl (Wake Forest) | Michigan State | L, 27-21 |
| 2018 | Birmingham Bowl (Wake Forest) | Memphis | W, 31-34 |
| 2017 | Belk Bowl (Wake Forest) | Texas A&M | W, 51-52 |
| 2012 | FCS Playoffs Second Round (Stony Brook) | Montana State | L, 10-16 |
| 2012 | FCS Playoffs First Round (Stony Brook) | Villanova | W, 20-10 |
| 2011 | FCS Playoffs Second Round (Stony Brook) | Sam Houston State | L, 27-34 |
| 2011 | FCS Playoffs First Round (Stony Brook) | Albany | W, 31-28 |
| 2010 | FCS Playoffs Championship (Delaware) | Eastern Washington | L, 19-20 |
| 2010 | FCS Playoffs Semifinals (Delaware) | Georgia Southern | W, 27-10 |
| 2010 | FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals (Delaware) | New Hampshire | W, 16-9 |
| 2010 | FCS Playoffs Second Round (Delaware) | Lehigh | W, 42-20 |
| 2004 | DI-AA Quarterfinals (Delaware) | William & Mary | L, 38-44 |
| 2004 | DI-AA First Round (Delaware) | Lafayette | W, 28-14 |
NFL Players (Round Drafted)
- DB Jessie Bates (2nd) - Wake Forest '18 – Cincinnati Bengals
- DB Kyle Arrington (UDFA) – Hofstra '08 – Philadelphia Eagles
- Birthday: Jan. 10 1980
- Education: 2002 -- Bachelor's from Ursinus College, 2005 -- Master's from Delaware
- Wife: Christen
- Children: Izabella, Lyla, Georgia and Olivia.
Players Mentioned
DB
/ Football
DB
/ FootballSebastian Akins Tough
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