Staff Directory
- Title:
- Defensive Ends/Edges
Lewis Powell is in his first year coaching the U-M defensive ends in 2026. He is in his 15th year coaching and his 18th year at the collegiate level, having worked almost exclusively with defensive linemen an defensive ends. Prior to joining the staff at Michigan, Powell spent the last 11 seasons (2015-25) at Utah, first as defensive line coach (2016-18) and then leading the defensive ends room (2019-25).
Under Powell's direction, eight former Utah players reached the NFL. That total includes six draft picks, four of which have come since 2020, highlighted by consensus All-American Jonah Elliss (third round, Denver Broncos, 2024). Elliss was a finalist for the Lombardi Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy, the Ted Hendricks Award, and the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year following a 12.0-sack, 16.0-TFL season despite his 2023 season being cut short by injury. Powell also coached Utah's all-time sack leader (30.0) in Bradlee Anae, who also earned consensus All-American honors. Anae was one of two Powell-coached Pac-12 Defensive Morris Trophy winners, given to the league's top defensive lineman, and he also mentored three Ted Hendricks Award finalists.
In 2025, John Henry Daley was a first-team Walter Camp All-American and a second-team pick by two other organizations. Three other players Powell coached were second- or fourth-team All-Americans by major organizations. Seven players achieved nine first-team all-league honors; at least one Utah defensive lineman was a first-team all-league choice in each season from 2021-2025.
During the time Powell worked with Utah's defensive line (2016-18) and defensive ends (2019-25), the Utes were consistently among the nation's top rushing defenses with a top-30 national rank in eight seasons, listing first (five times) or second in the Pac-12 in seven of those years. The group finished top-five in the FBS on three occasions and top-20 in each of its final six years in the league.
The Utes' 2019 defense was statistically the best conference unit of the school's Pac-12 history, allowing 269.2 yards, 81.8 rushing yards and 15.0 points per contest. It finished the season as the No. 2 total defense in the FBS and held six opponents to seven points or fewer. The year before in 2018, Utah was top-20 nationally in scoring defense and total defense and ranked second in the Pac-12 in both categories.
Powell's defensive lines also consistently put opponents behind the line of scrimmage. On five occasions, the Utes led the Pac-12 in tackles for loss with two years ranked in the top 12 across the FBS. Utah also led or finished second in its league in sacks four times while maintaining a top-25 national rank.
Powell's first season with the Utes (2015) was spent leading the tight end room, and the unit combined for 37 catches, 465 yards and six touchdowns. He began leading the defensive line room in 2016 and worked with the group for three seasons (2016-18). He began focusing on defensive ends in 2019, a position he held for his final seven seasons in Salt Lake City.
He began working in the college game as a graduate assistant for two years (2009-10) at Utah before filling an administrative assistant position in 2011. Powell earned his first assistant coaching assignment at Hawaii, leading the defensive line for three seasons (2012-14). Two Rainbow Warriors earned All-MWC recognition during his time on the staff, and in 2013, the defense averaged 8.3 tackles for loss per game, third-most across the FBS.
Following his playing career as a defensive lineman at Utah, Powell attended camp with the Cleveland Browns in 2004 and played four years as a two-way lineman in the Arena Football League for the Memphis Xplorers (2005) and Utah Blaze (2006-08).
He is married to the former Levalasi Key. The couple have four children: Alai, Levani, Lewis Jr. and Savai'i.
COACHING EXPERIENCE
| Year | Team | Position |
| 2009-10 | Utah | Graduate Assistant |
| 2011 | Administrative Assistant | |
| 2012-14 | Hawaii | Defensive Line |
| 2015 | Utah | Tight Ends |
| 2016-18 | Defensive Line | |
| 2019-25 | Defensive Ends | |
| 2026-present | Michigan | Defensive Ends, Edges |
The Powell File
Hometown: East Palo Alto, California
High School: Menlo-Atherton
College: Utah (sociology, 2004)
Family: Wife, Lavalesi, née Key; children Alai, Levani, Lewis Jr. and Savai'i
