Ledell Love

LeDell Love

As LeDell Love enters the third season of his second coaching tenure at his alma mater, he continues to build the Demon defensive line in his image.

As the Demons moved into a new scheme, Love’s D-line stayed productive. 

Senior tackle O’Shea Jackson tied for the team lead with four sacks and added seven tackles for loss while freshman nose tackle Ja’Bralen Yarber made an instant impact with 6.5 tackles for loss, a fumble recovery, a forced fumble and a key interception that helped key NSU’s upset of Sam Houston State. 

In his first season back at his alma mater in 2018, LeDell Love tutored Northwestern State’s defensive linemen to become part of a sack-heavy Purple Swarm unit.

Love’s linemen recorded 12 of Northwestern State’s 32 sacks, which was the Demons’ highest total since tying a school record with 43 in 2002. 

Even when the Demons’ linemen couldn’t get to the quarterback, they were effective, collecting 13 quarterback hurries and contributing three fumble recoveries to the Purple Swarm’s collection of 26 forced turnovers. 

Before returning to Natchitoches, Love spent the past three seasons at North Carolina-Pembroke as the defensive line coach, helping the Braves post a 10-2 record in 2016. 

During his stint at UNCP, Love helped the Braves record 92 sacks and post winning seasons in two of his three years. En route to their 10-win campaign in 2016, the Braves recorded 35 sacks and produced 30 turnovers.

While at UNCP, Love coached both the school’s single-season (Mike Keck) and career (Tyler Hinton) sack leaders. Keck’s 11 sacks in 2015 established the single-season mark while Hinton finished his career with 20.5 sacks and was named an All-American in 2017. 

Love, who earned his undergraduate degree from NSU in 2010 (business administration) and a master’s degree in sport administration in 2014, spent three seasons as a graduate assistant and a volunteer coach, working with the defensive line.

His tutelage helped JeMarcus Marshall earn Freshman All-American honors in 2013 when Northwestern State ranked second in the Southland Conference in sacks and total defense. 

In 2014, Love helped the Purple Swarm defense rank among the top 20 in the nation in turnovers (30, 5th), turnover margin (plus-0.83, 11th) and interceptions (15, 20th). Five defensive linemen earned All-Southland Conference honors during Love’s first tenure in Natchitoches.

As a player, Love was a four-year letterman for the Demons, playing two seasons (2009-10) for Laird when the current NSU head coach was its defensive coordinator.

A three-year starter and two-time All-Southland Conference pick, Love finished his career with 138 tackles (80 solo), with 21.5 tackles for loss, 14 quarterback hurries, seven forced fumbles, six sacks and four pass breakups. 

Love was named the Joe Delaney Leadership Award winner as a permanent team captain following his senior season. A second-team All-Louisiana selection as a sophomore in 2008, Love recorded 50 tackles, including 11 for a loss, and had a key pass breakup to aid a fourth-quarter defensive stand that sealed a win against Grambling that season.

A graduate of Dallas Skyline High School, Love is married to former Northwestern State volleyball player Zanny Love and resides in Natchitoches. The couple welcomed their first daughter, Skylar, in August 2019.Â