Steve Dunlap, WVU’s special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach, was dismissed Saturday according to a source close to the program, the second postseason shakeup on Dana Holgorsen’s coaching staff.
A 35-year coaching veteran, Dunlap was a member of Don Nehlen’s staff from 1984-2000, serving as defensive coordinator the final 10 years. He then coached at Syracuse, N.C. State and Marshall before returning to West Virginia in 2008.
During the past five seasons, he also had a stint overseeing the Mountaineers’ safeties and served as assistant head coach this past season when WVU finished 7-6, including a 38-14 Pinstripe Bowl loss to Syracuse.
After WVU ranked among the worst defenses in the FBS, changes were anticipated. Holgorsen fired cornerbacks coach Daron Roberts after the regular season, a position yet to be backfilled, and he elevated Keith Patterson to defensive coordinator in place of Joe DeForest.
DeForest presumably will take over as WVU’s special-teams coordinator, a role he held during his 11-year tenure at Oklahoma State.