Football
Hemphill, Lyle
Lyle Hemphill
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
- Email:
- hemphilj@wfu.edu
- Phone:
- 336-758-5846
Lyle Hemphill enters his fifth season on the Wake Forest football staff after spending the previous six seasons at Stony Brook. Hemphill, who worked primarily with safeties his first two seasons on campus, added defensive coordinator duties at Wake Forest during the 2018 season.
Since joining the Wake Forest staff prior to the 2017 season, Hemphill has made an immediate impact as the defensive coordinator while helping groom safeties for the NFL.
Over the past two seasons, Hemphill has helped turn the defense into one of the best ballhawking groups in the country as Wake Forest is one of just five FBS schools with 13 or more interceptions in 2019 and 2020. In 2017 working primarily with safeties, he helped develop 2018 second-round pick Jessie Bates. The Cincinnati Bengals safety was an All-ACC selection and finished third in program history with 195 interception return yards.
Before moving to Winston-Salem, Hemphill spent six seasons at Stony Brook including the last four as the 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.
Before moving into a coordinator role, he developed as one of the best defensive backs coaches at the FCS level, helping Delaware to the 2010 FCS Championship Game. He also had the nation’s fourth ranked pass defense in 2008.
His coaching career started at Delaware Valley University in 2002 coaching defensive backs and special teams before moving on to Delaware as a graduate assistant in 2004.
He and his wife, Christen, have four children, Izabella, Lyla, Georgia and Olivia.
Wake Forest (2017-present)
Postseason History
NFL Players (Round Drafted)
Since joining the Wake Forest staff prior to the 2017 season, Hemphill has made an immediate impact as the defensive coordinator while helping groom safeties for the NFL.
Over the past two seasons, Hemphill has helped turn the defense into one of the best ballhawking groups in the country as Wake Forest is one of just five FBS schools with 13 or more interceptions in 2019 and 2020. In 2017 working primarily with safeties, he helped develop 2018 second-round pick Jessie Bates. The Cincinnati Bengals safety was an All-ACC selection and finished third in program history with 195 interception return yards.
Before moving to Winston-Salem, Hemphill spent six seasons at Stony Brook including the last four as the 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.
Before moving into a coordinator role, he developed as one of the best defensive backs coaches at the FCS level, helping Delaware to the 2010 FCS Championship Game. He also had the nation’s fourth ranked pass defense in 2008.
His coaching career started at Delaware Valley University in 2002 coaching defensive backs and special teams before moving on to Delaware as a graduate assistant in 2004.
He and his wife, Christen, have four children, Izabella, Lyla, Georgia and Olivia.
Wake Forest (2017-present)
- During the 2020 campaign, Wake Forest had its highest turnover margin in the Dave Clawson era with a +10 margin on the season. The Deacs were one of just seven FBS schools to post a +10 or better margin in the country, tying for fourth in that category.
- A key reason for this success was turning the ball over on defense. The Demon Deacon defense recorded 13 interceptions on the season, coming from nine different players. Wake Forest is one of just five schools over the 2019 and 2020 to have 13 or more interceptions in both seasons.
- Freshman walk-on safety Nick Andersen's four interceptions tied for the ACC lead and tied for eighth nationally, trailing the nation's leaders by just two.
- Three picks came in the Deacons win over No. 18 Virginia Tech. He is just the third player in the Dave Clawson era (Amari Henderson, 4 in 2019; Jesse Bates , 5 in 2016) to record four picks in a season and is just the ninth Demon Deacon to do so since the turn of the century.
- For his efforts in that performance against the Hokies, Andersen earned multiple ACC and National awards. Additionally, he became the first player to have three in a single game since A.J. Greene (Nov. 21, 1987 at Georgia Tech).
- Wake Forest also turned the interceptions into instant points, as Ja'Sir Taylor, Zion Keith and Gavin Holmes each had an intercpetion returned for touchdown. The three defensive touchdowns tied for seventh nationally and ranked first in the ACC.
- 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 |
| 2020 | Duke's Mayo Bowl (Wake Forest) | Wisconsin | L, 42-28 |
| 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 |
- DL Carlos "Boogie" Basham Jr. - Wake Forest '21 - Buffalo Bills
- LB Justin Strnad (5th) - Wake Forest '20 - Denver Broncos
- 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.
Football Media Availability (9/3/25)
Wednesday, September 03
Football Media Availability (9/2/25)
Tuesday, September 02
Coach Jake Dickert Weekly Press Conference (Sept. 1, 2025)
Monday, September 01
Wake Forest Head Coach Jake Dickert Press Conference
Monday, September 01
