Report: Todd Grantham to accept defensive coordinator position at Mississippi State

Todd Grantham, who has spent the past three seasons as Louisville's defensive coordinator, is reportedly set to leave and accept the same position at Mississippi State.

Grantham's aggressive style helped rank the Cardinal defense No. 2 in the country against the run over the last three seasons, trailing only Alabama. His 2014 unit led the country in interceptions with 26, and ranked sixth in the nation in total defense.

Grantham, who is currently the fifth highest-paid assistant coach in the FBS, drew criticism from Cardinal fans in 2016, especially after the U of L defense allowed Kentucky to rack up 41 points in a 41-38 loss in the regular season finale. In January of 2015, he spurned an offer from the Oakland Raiders in favor of returning to Louisville.

If Grantham does wind up heading to Starkville, he'll become the second U of L coach in as many seasons to leave the Derby City for Mississippi State. Terrell Buckley, a Mississippi native who had served as Louisville's secondary coach, made the same move last year.

Here's the only commentary I'm willing to serve up at this time ...

1) I don't think this news is a surprise to anyone with the Louisville football program. In fact (regardless of what winds up being said publicly), I know it isn't.

2) The next steps in this process have already been taken.

3) If the Mississippi State thing hadn't worked out, Todd Grantham still wouldn't have been Louisville's defensive coordinator in 2017.

Best of luck to Todd moving forward, but I think after the way that Louisville's 2016 season ended, some staff shakeup is far from the worst thing in the world.