Tamarion McDonald Stepping Up in New Role on Louisville's Defense

The transfer from Tennessee is taking on an enhanced leadership role, and adjusted to a slightly difference position in the Cardinals' secondary.

The Louisville football coaching staff gave instruction to DB Tamarion McDonald (12) during spring practice at the Trager practice facility / Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - As has been noted many times up to this point, the Louisville football program did a fantastic job of injecting quality depth into their roster for the upcoming 2024 season via the transfer portal. The Cardinals' portal class ranks No. 1 in all of the FBS, according to On3, and many of these transfer newcomers are expected to play massive roles this season.

One of these newcomers is Tamarion McDonald, a defensive back who spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Tennessee, and was a multi-year starter with the Volunteers. With his extensive experience in the SEC, he is sure to be a valuable asset for the Cardinals for the 2024 season.

But in addition to his play on the practice field during fall camp, something else has stood out to Louisville's camp during their preseason: his leadership.

"He's such a good person, the guy is a good man," defensive coordinator Ron English said. "He cares about the players, he cares about helping the players. He doesn't come across as arrogant, or pompous, or any of that. He's smart, and he's been exposed to a lot of football.

"I encouraged him just a month ago, saying, 'Look man, your play is going to dictate them listening to you. So just be a leader. You know how to lead, so lead.' I think he's done a great job."

It says a lot about McDonald's leadership for that to stand out the most to coaches so far considering the kind of player he was on Rocky Top. Starting the first 10 games of the 2023 regular season before missing the final two due to injury, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound defensive back finished with 40 tackles (23 solo), 3.5 for loss, a sack, an interception and four pass breakups.

The Memphis, Tenn. native also put together a great junior year in 2022, starting all 13 games and logging 55 tackles (38 solo), 4.0 for loss, two interceptions and six pass breakups. Add in his freshman and sophomore years, where he served as a key reserve for the Vols, and McDonald logged 95 tackles, 8.5 for loss, a sack, four interceptions and 12 pass breakups during his time in Knoxville.

Admittedly, McDonald says he is still coming along as a more vocal leader in his new home, as he prefers to lead and provide guidance in more private one-on-one settings with his teammates. He credits English, as well head strength and conditioning coach Dominic Reno, as those who have helped slowly become more vocal.

Even still, he is already starting to cement himself as a leader in the locker room.

"The coaches look at me as a leader," McDonald said. "The team, the guys in the locker look at me as a leader. I try to lead by example, and I try to pull guys to the side. I don't yell and I'm not a vocal leader, I try to lead by example, show them first, and if they do it wrong, then I correct them."

Taking on a role as a leader is coming while McDonald is also having to learn a new position. While Tennessee ran a 4-2-5 defensive system that is very similar to what Louisville and English runs, McDonald played as the STAR while with the Vols.

In spring ball and fall camp for Louisville, he has been taking the majority of his reps back deep at free safety. McDonald says that while there was a bit of an adjustment, he's slowly gotten comfortable with the on-field role.

"It's been a lot different being back deep, but I'm getting the hang of it," he said. "I'm learning a lot from Coach English, like the smaller things such staying square in the post, not letting the quarterback's eyes effect me as much."

Louisville is likely going to go with M.J. Griffin as their starting free safety when they take on Austin Peay at L&N Stadium for their season opener on Saturday, Aug. 31. But take it from Griffin himself - McDonald can get the job done on the back end as much as he can, and he feels "comfortable" whenever McDonald step onto the field regardless of his exact alignment.

"You can tell that he has a playing time," Griffin said. "I don't know what they ran at his old school, but I am comfortable him in there, because I feel like he knows what he's doing."

(Photo of Tamarion McDonald: Sam Upshaw Jr. - Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK)

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