Jeff Koonz, the current special team coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the Mountaineers, will take over as defensive coordinator following Jordan Lesley’s recent firing.

Koonz has spent five years with West Virginia as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach. He joined the program after serving a year as the inside linebackers coach at Ole Miss in 2019. His previous experience includes three years at Cincinnati coaching safeties and linebackers, four years coaching linebackers at Louisiana Tech and a role as a defensive quality control assistant at Texas. His most prominent position was as an assistant coach at Iowa State from 2007 to 2008.

If there has been one strong suit for West Virginia in the last half-decade, it has been special teams. Last season, the punt defense ranked fifth nationally and the team was among the top 10 in blocked field goals, with three. Preston Fox ranked 28th nationally in punt return average last year, and WVU kicker Michael Hayes, who has been with the team for the past two seasons, has converted 26 of 31 field goal attempts (83%).

The bottom line is that the defense needed change and a move was made. Defensively, the Mountaineers have allowed an average of 254.6 passing yards per game, ranking 105th in the nation. They average less than one turnover per game (0.9), tying them for 110th in the nation and ranking last in the Big 12. They also sit 115th in opponent third-down conversions and 130th in opponent fourth-down conversions, with teams converting on 81.82% of fourth downs against West Virginia.

The change occurs during WVU’s bye week, providing the coaching staff and players with extra time to adapt to the new situation. West Virginia improved to .500 on the season with a win on the road against the Arizona Wildcats last week. The team will prepare for another road matchup against a 5-3 Cincinnati team on November 9.