MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Bruce Tall, the former West Virginia assistant who served as defensive coordinator at UNC Charlotte the past four seasons, reportedly has agreed to return to the Mountaineers.
FootballScoop.com reported the hire, which likely means a current West Virginia assistant won’t be returning. Cornerbacks coach Brian Mitchell and special teams/safeties coach Joe DeForest are the only two with expiring contracts.
Tall has history with Mountaineers defensive coordinator Tony Gibson. He coached safeties at West Virginia from 2003-2007 and joined the Rich Rodriguez staff at Michigan for three seasons, where he coached defensive line. Tall is expected to work with the line at WVU, a unit that Tom Bradley and Damon Cogdell coached this season.
Tall’s addition could allow Bradley to refocus on the linebackers, the primary position where he made his name as a longtime coach at Penn State.
Before Bradley’s surprising hire last February, Tall was a candidate to rejoin the West Virginia staff. A year later, that move has come to fruition.
West Virginia continues to search for an offensive coordinator as well, following the departure of Shannon Dawson to Kentucky.