MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen might still be another hire away from assigning specific coaching duties on his West Virginia staff, but the employment contract signed by at least one of WVU's first two hires spells out a large part of those duties.
MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen might still be another hire away from assigning specific coaching duties on his West Virginia staff, but the employment contract signed by at least one of WVU's first two hires spells out a large part of those duties.
Joe DeForest, who was officially hired by the university Jan. 14, accepted his offer to become the team's associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. He will be paid $500,000, which certainly elevates him above mere position-coach status.
Those details were revealed in an e-mail from West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to DeForest offering him the position. The document was obtained by BlueGoldNews.com under a Freedom of Information request.
Holgorsen maintained after announcing the hiring of DeForest and then Mike Smith that he would not make specific coaching assignments until the staff was complete. He is still one coach short after the departure of three defensive coaches to Arizona, including coordinator Jeff Casteel.
As far as specific position assignments are concerned, that is probably true. But the e-mail to DeForest - which became his working contract when he signed it Jan. 14 and agreed to the terms - is very specific that DeForest will have the title of co-defensive coordinator.
DeForest's contract is also for a three-year period, expiring on Jan. 30, 2015.
DeForest's salary makes him even more well compensated than Casteel, who was believed to be the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big East. Casteel made $400,000 last season and was scheduled to make $450,000 next season and $575,000 the following season had he remained at the school.
DeForest came to WVU from Oklahoma State, where he worked for most of his 11 seasons there as the team's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. DeForest's salary in his final season at OSU was reportedly $400,000.
Holgorsen still must make at least one more hire to fill out his staff of nine assistant coaches, but it isn't clear if he intends to bring in another defensive coach. There exists the possibility that if he finds an offensive coach that he wants to bring onto the staff he could switch receivers coach Daron Roberts over to the defensive side.
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
DeForest will be WVU's co-defensive coordinator
Holgorsen hire also tabbed associate head coach
MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen might still be another hire away from assigning specific coaching duties on his West Virginia staff, but the employment contract signed by at least one of WVU's first two hires spells out a large part of those duties.
Joe DeForest, who was officially hired by the university Jan. 14, accepted his offer to become the team's associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. He will be paid $500,000, which certainly elevates him above mere position-coach status.
Those details were revealed in an e-mail from West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to DeForest offering him the position. The document was obtained by BlueGoldNews.com under a Freedom of Information request.
Holgorsen maintained after announcing the hiring of DeForest and then Mike Smith that he would not make specific coaching assignments until the staff was complete. He is still one coach short after the departure of three defensive coaches to Arizona, including coordinator Jeff Casteel.
As far as specific position assignments are concerned, that is probably true. But the e-mail to DeForest - which became his working contract when he signed it Jan. 14 and agreed to the terms - is very specific that DeForest will have the title of co-defensive coordinator.
DeForest's contract is also for a three-year period, expiring on Jan. 30, 2015.
DeForest's salary makes him even more well compensated than Casteel, who was believed to be the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big East. Casteel made $400,000 last season and was scheduled to make $450,000 next season and $575,000 the following season had he remained at the school.
DeForest came to WVU from Oklahoma State, where he worked for most of his 11 seasons there as the team's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. DeForest's salary in his final season at OSU was reportedly $400,000.
Holgorsen still must make at least one more hire to fill out his staff of nine assistant coaches, but it isn't clear if he intends to bring in another defensive coach. There exists the possibility that if he finds an offensive coach that he wants to bring onto the staff he could switch receivers coach Daron Roberts over to the defensive side.
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MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen might still be another hire away from assigning specific coaching duties on his West Virginia staff, but the employment contract signed by at least one of WVU's first two hires spells out a large part of those duties.
Joe DeForest, who was officially hired by the university Jan. 14, accepted his offer to become the team's associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. He will be paid $500,000, which certainly elevates him above mere position-coach status.
Those details were revealed in an e-mail from West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to DeForest offering him the position. The document was obtained by BlueGoldNews.com under a Freedom of Information request.
Holgorsen maintained after announcing the hiring of DeForest and then Mike Smith that he would not make specific coaching assignments until the staff was complete. He is still one coach short after the departure of three defensive coaches to Arizona, including coordinator Jeff Casteel.
As far as specific position assignments are concerned, that is probably true. But the e-mail to DeForest - which became his working contract when he signed it Jan. 14 and agreed to the terms - is very specific that DeForest will have the title of co-defensive coordinator.
DeForest's contract is also for a three-year period, expiring on Jan. 30, 2015.
DeForest's salary makes him even more well compensated than Casteel, who was believed to be the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big East. Casteel made $400,000 last season and was scheduled to make $450,000 next season and $575,000 the following season had he remained at the school.
DeForest came to WVU from Oklahoma State, where he worked for most of his 11 seasons there as the team's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. DeForest's salary in his final season at OSU was reportedly $400,000.
Holgorsen still must make at least one more hire to fill out his staff of nine assistant coaches, but it isn't clear if he intends to bring in another defensive coach. There exists the possibility that if he finds an offensive coach that he wants to bring onto the staff he could switch receivers coach Daron Roberts over to the defensive side.
This article is available only to our premium digital content subscribers.
DeForest will be WVU's co-defensive coordinator
Holgorsen hire also tabbed associate head coach
MORGANTOWN - Dana Holgorsen might still be another hire away from assigning specific coaching duties on his West Virginia staff, but the employment contract signed by at least one of WVU's first two hires spells out a large part of those duties.
Joe DeForest, who was officially hired by the university Jan. 14, accepted his offer to become the team's associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator. He will be paid $500,000, which certainly elevates him above mere position-coach status.
Those details were revealed in an e-mail from West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck to DeForest offering him the position. The document was obtained by BlueGoldNews.com under a Freedom of Information request.
Holgorsen maintained after announcing the hiring of DeForest and then Mike Smith that he would not make specific coaching assignments until the staff was complete. He is still one coach short after the departure of three defensive coaches to Arizona, including coordinator Jeff Casteel.
As far as specific position assignments are concerned, that is probably true. But the e-mail to DeForest - which became his working contract when he signed it Jan. 14 and agreed to the terms - is very specific that DeForest will have the title of co-defensive coordinator.
DeForest's contract is also for a three-year period, expiring on Jan. 30, 2015.
DeForest's salary makes him even more well compensated than Casteel, who was believed to be the highest-paid assistant coach in the Big East. Casteel made $400,000 last season and was scheduled to make $450,000 next season and $575,000 the following season had he remained at the school.
DeForest came to WVU from Oklahoma State, where he worked for most of his 11 seasons there as the team's safeties coach and special teams coordinator. DeForest's salary in his final season at OSU was reportedly $400,000.
Holgorsen still must make at least one more hire to fill out his staff of nine assistant coaches, but it isn't clear if he intends to bring in another defensive coach. There exists the possibility that if he finds an offensive coach that he wants to bring onto the staff he could switch receivers coach Daron Roberts over to the defensive side.
