West Virginia University Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown announced Tuesday that inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz replaced Jordan Lesley as defensive coordinator for the remainder of the season.
WVU’s decision comes ahead of a Big 12 game Saturday against Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium. Koonz was on the UC coaching staff for three seasons, from 2014-16.
WVU is 3-2 in the conference, with a 4-4 overall record. But the Mountaineers have lost two of their last three games, allowing 99 points in those games.
What you need to know about Koonz, WVU’s new defensive coordinator:
Koonz coached the safeties at UC in 2014 and the linebackers in 2015 and 2016.
Koonz, who also served as the Bearcats’ co-defensive coordinator, was a Bearcats assistant on then-head coach Tommy Tuberville’s staff. Koonz also worked under Tuberville at Auburn in 2004, when Koonz was a graduate assistant coaching the Tigers’ secondary.
Koonz graduated from Auburn earlier that year and earned his master’s degree in educational administration two years later in Texas.
Koonz is in his fifth season on the WVU coaching staff.
Koonz has been the Mountaineers’ special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach since 2020.
Koonz was a LB coach at Ole Mademoiselle for a season before arriving in Morgantown, and was the LBs coach at North Texas for two seasons before that.
Prior to his three seasons at UC, Koonz was an assistant at Louisiana Tech, Texas and Iowa State.
WVU’s defense was dominant for three quarters in a 42-21 loss to UC last November.
The Mountaineers led 42-7 late in the third quarter last season in Morgantown to earn the victory.
This is the only time WVU has played UC since Koonz arrived at WVU.
Koonz’s WVU defense includes Josiah Jackson And Jordan Jacksonredshirt freshman defensive backs from Fairfield High School, and Zae Jenningsa freshman from Winton Woods.
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This article originally appeared on the Cincinnati Enquirer: Jeff Koonz: WVU Mountaineers defensive coordinator coached UC Bearcats
