It didn’t take long for Jason Candle to fill the University of Toledo’s defensive line coach vacancy, and he didn’t have to look far for Frank Okam’s replacement.

The Rockets hired LaTroy Lewis, who has worked the past three seasons as a graduate assistant and defensive analyst at Michigan. Okam left for a job with the Houston Texans.

“Frank got an awesome opportunity to go back to the NFL, and it’s an opportunity he had to take for him and his family,” Candle said. “We’re constantly trying to have a next-up list of young coaches that can come in and make an impact, and we really thought LaTroy’s energy and how he approaches each and every day [was a match for Toledo]. He’s really detailed in his teaching progression.

“There are a lot of drills and things that show up in the game tape when I watch Michigan play. Obviously, he coached some great players there. I’m really excited about what he brings to the table and really looking forward to him ingraining in our culture here and see where this thing can go.”

The 31-year-old Lewis was an All-Ohio defensive end at Akron Hoban and played at the University of Tennessee from 2012-2016. He spent two seasons in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans, and one season with the XFL’s Houston Roughnecks.

Lewis was a graduate assistant at Akron and South Alabama and a special teams analyst at Wake Forest before his stint at Michigan. During the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season, Lewis was credited with taking on added responsibility after linebackers coach Chris Partridge was fired midway through the season for breach of policy regarding the Connor Stalions investigation.

First Published February 24, 2025, 6:36 p.m.