Sources say West Virginia assistants Keith Patterson and Joe DeForest are exchanging titles, with Patterson taking over the defensive playcalling as coordinator and DeForest shifting to co-coordinator.
The move was first reported by Tom Dienhart of The Big Ten Network.
Even after showing late-season improvement, West Virginia heads into the Pinstripe Bowl ranked 119th in pass efficiency defense, 119th in pass defense, 114th in scoring defense and 108th in scoring defense.
Head coach Dana Holgorsen already made one defensive staff change, firing cornerbacks coach Daron Roberts on Saturday. An athletic department spokesman said Holgorsen, currently away from campus recruiting, plans to address the staff changes Monday when he meets with the media.
This was DeForest’s first season as a defensive coordinator, whereas Patterson spent the 2011 season as Pitt’s coordinator and previously served as co-defensive coordinator at Tulsa from 2006-2010. Patterson coached linebackers this season and DeForest focused on safeties.
After seven games on the sideline this season, DeForest relocated to the coaches’ booth — and Patterson moved down to the field — during a 39-38 double-overtime loss to TCU. That arrangement, suggested by Holgorsen, carried on through the final five games of the regular season.