The WVU Mountaineers defensive coordinator coached the UC Bearcats

West Virginia University Mountaineers head coach Neal Brown announced Tuesday that inside linebackers coach Jeff Koonz has replaced Jordan Lesley as defensive coordinator for the remainder of the season.

WVU's move comes ahead of a Big 12 game Saturday against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium. Koonz was on UC's coaching staff for three seasons, from 2014 to 2016.

WVU is 3-2 in the conference, with an overall record of 4-4. But the Mountaineers have lost two of their last three games and have scored 99 points in those games.

What you should know about Koonz, WVU's new defensive coordinator:

Koonz coached safeties at UC in 2014 and linebackers in 2015 and 2016.

Koonz, who also served as the Bearcats' co-defensive coordinator, was an assistant with the Bearcats on then-head coach Tommy Tuberville's staff. Koonz also worked under Tuberville at Auburn in 2004, when Koonz was an assistant coach coaching the Tigers' secondary.

Koonz graduated from Auburn earlier this year and earned his master's degree in educational administration from Texas two years later.

Koonz is in his fifth season on the WVU coaching staff.

Koonz has served as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the Mountaineers since 2020.

Koonz coached the LBs at Ole Miss for one season before coming to 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.

In the 42-21 loss to UC last November, WVU's defense was dominant for three quarters.

The Mountaineers led 42-7 at the end of the third quarter last season in Morgantown to secure the victory.

It will be the only time WVU has faced UC since Koonz was at WVU.

Koonz's WVU defense includes Josiah Jackson and Jordan Jackson, redshirt freshman defensive backs from Fairfield High School, and Zae Jennings, a freshman from Winton Woods.

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Koonz coached safeties at UC in 2014 and linebackers in 2015 and 2016.

Koonz is in his fifth season on the WVU coaching staff.

In the 42-21 loss to UC last November, WVU's defense was dominant for three quarters.

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