Editor's Note: A version of this story was originally published Sunday. It was updated Tuesday with the official announcement of Loren Landow's hiring.
The Denver Broncos decided to go a different direction with their strength and conditioning program when head coach Sean Payton was hired to start the year.
That left Loren Landow, who held that role for the Broncos since 2018, looking for a new opportunity. Notre Dame would like his next role to be leading its football strength and conditioning program. The Irish are working to finalize a deal to hire Landow, a source confirmed Sunday with Inside ND Sports. FootballScoop’s John Brice first reported the news.
Notre Dame formally announced the hiring of Landow as director of football performance on Tuesday.
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Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has been evaluating potential hires to replace interim director of football performance Fred Hale. Hale was promoted to replace Matt Balis, who abruptly resigned from the position in late July. Freeman said earlier this month that he hoped to make a decision “sooner rather than later.”
“When we sat down to evaluate what exactly we wanted from this role, we identified several characteristics as being critical to the success of the position,” Freeman said in a release from the athletic department. “We need someone who can reinforce the vision of the head coach and uphold the standards in discipline that it takes to create a championship environment. We need someone who has a background in group training, yet the expertise to individualize training to meet specific individual’s needs and goals. We need someone who can enhance our approach in regards to power, explosion and speed development.
"Loren Landow is all of these things. He has demonstrated incredible expertise in the strength and conditioning field and will truly help us advance our sports performance program and our sports science knowledge. Loren has worked both in a team setting and in the private sports performance industry, and his ability to elevate his athletes’ production is impressive, particularly when it comes to speed and explosiveness. He is an authentic and commanding leader, with an alpha personality and those are the traits I was looking for when it comes to fulfilling such a vital position on our staff.”
Landow’s work in sports performance long predates his time with the Broncos. The University of Northern Colorado graduate founded Landow Performance in 2007 and has worked with thousands of athletes across numerous sports, including professional football, baseball and hockey players, professional mixed martial artists and Olympic swimmers and skiers.
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The list of NFL players Landow has worked with includes All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, All-Pro outside linebacker Von Miller and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. He’s also worked with former Notre Dame players Brady Quinn and Ryan Harris.
"Loren is a world-renowned movement and sports performance coach," Quinn said in Notre Dame's press release. "I can attest from personal experience, there is no one better suited to fulfill the role and help Notre Dame be the preeminent leader in sports performance. Coach Freeman knocked this one out of the park!”
Landow helped McCaffrey, Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler, Jacksonville Jaguars linebacker Foyesade Oluokun and Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Taven Bryan during their pre-draft training.
Landow has worked as a consultant with the U.S. national teams in women's soccer, bobsled and swimming, the MLB's Texas Rangers and Philadelphia Phillies, the NFL's Carolina Panthers and the NWSL's Washington Spirit. He's also done consultant work with the strength and conditioning programs at Stanford, Colorado and Kansas.
The Landow Performance website describes Landow’s training philosophy as one to “maximize human performance efficiently and effectively, while decreasing the likelihood of injury.” Landow has continued his work with Landow Performance in Centennial, Colo., since being released by the Broncos.
“You can’t look around the football strength and conditioning space and not have Loren’s name among the best in the world," John Wagle, Notre Dame's associate athletic director of sports performance, said in the press release. "He uses an interdisciplinary approach, bringing his strength and conditioning leadership alongside our Sports Performance team, which includes athletic trainers, dietitians, psychologists, and medical professionals. Together, they will continue to raise the standard of support we provide in preparing our student-athletes to perform at a championship level.
"Loren’s experience with individualization, better than anyone in the field, allows him to tailor training to each student-athlete to help him reach his full potential. The breadth of elite athletes with whom he has worked will help us open our perspective to provide new and innovative ways to support our student-athletes.”
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