Luke Butts

"The best part about Lake Forest College is the small town, family feel of the campus community. As a former student-athlete at the college, I know the benefits of growing in this setting. As a coach, Lake Forest offers opportunities to develop players athletically, personally, and academically. With an emphasis on excellence on the field as well as in the classroom, our players mature into well-rounded individuals.."

The 2022 season will be the 10th for Associate Head Coach Luke Butts on the staff at his alma mater and 11th at the collegiate level. It will also be his sixth year as the Foresters' defensive coordinator and fifth as linebackers coach after directing the cornerbacks for the previous five seasons. In addition, Butts was Lake Forest's special teams coordinator for five years and continues to serve as the Foresters' recruting coordinator.

Under the direction of Butts, Lake Forest surrendered just 11.5 points and 233.7 yards per game in 2021, the program's best marks in more than 35 years. His defense ranked among the top 25 in the nation in scoring, rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed, total yards allowed, pass efficiency, fumble recoveries, interceptions, turnovers, sacks, 3rd down conversion percentage, red zone defense, and defensive touchdowns. Cornerback Dante Esposito, who tied for third in the country and matched the program record with eight interceptions, was named Midwest Conference Defensive Skill MVP and earned Second Team All-American honors from D3football.com.

The Foresters have boasted the top scoring defense in the conference each of the last two full seasons and allowed just 8.3 points per league game in 2021. Four players on the team earned All-MWC honors and the unit had at least one First Team selection at all three levels for the fourth year in a row. Defensive players at the College have now been listed among the league's best 19 times since Butts took over as coordinator.

Lake Forest excelled on special teams when Butts coordinated that unit. Returner Alex Pasiewicz was named First Team All-American in 2016 after tying for the national lead with three kickoff return touchdowns and two scores bringing back punts. He was also in the top 20 in the country in combined kick return yards, yards per kickoff return, and yards per punt return. Lake Forest blocked eight punts, eight field goals, and a pair of extra points from 2016-18, twice ranking among the top 30 in the nation in total blocks.

Before returning to Lake Forest, Butts spent the fall of 2012 as the outside linebackers coach at Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky. The Raiders’ outside linebackers combined for 135 tackles on the season, including 22 tackles for loss and four sacks. They also had an interception and forced and recovered three fumbles.

A 2012 graduate of Lake Forest College, Butts started every game at safety each of his four years and finished his career with 329 tackles, the fourth-highest total in program history. His 10 career interceptions also rank seventh in team annals. Butts earned All-MWC honors three times, including first team accolades as a senior. He also served as a team captain and was named Third Team All-West Region by D3football.com his final season.

Butts was also successful in the classroom, earning Academic All-MWC honors each year he was eligible for the distinction, and was selected by Lake Forest’s head coaches as the recipient of the Nick Wasylik Senior Athletic Award.

He and his wife Danielle, a 2012 graduate of the College, reside in nearby Gurnee with their daughters Sydney and Lainey.