Jeff Casteel

College coach infobox


Name = Jeff Casteel
| DateOfBirth = N/A
Birthplace = Paden City, West Virginia
DateOfDeath =
Sport = Football
College = West Virginia
Title = Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers coach
CurrentRecord =
OverallRecord =
Conf Record =
Awards = 2007 Defensive Coordinator of the Year
Championships =
CFbDWID =
Player =
Years =
Team =
Position =
Coach = Y
CoachYears = 1984-1986
1987
1988-1990
2000
2001-present
CoachTeams = California University (assistant)
Palmetto High (assistant)
Shepherd College (assistant)
UTEP (assistant)
West Virginia (assistant)

Jeff Casteel (born in Paden City, West Virginia) is the current defensive coordinator for the West Virginia Mountaineers football team. Casteel also is the linebackers coach for the Mountaineers.

Early Life and Coaching

Casteel earned bachelor's and master's degrees from California University (Pa.). After graduation, he served as a graduate assistant for his alma mater from 1984 to 1986 and also served in the training camp for the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL. However in 1987, Casteel was defensive coordinator at Palmetto High School in Miami, Florida. He then served as defensive line and strength coach for Shepherd College from 1988 to 1990. He was then moved to assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1991 to 1999. During that time period of being assistant head coach, Shepherd won six WVIAC championships.

After his tenure at Shepherd, Casteel traveled to UTEP and coached the defensive ends for 2000. During that season, Texas El-Paso won the WAC title and a berth to the Humanitarian Bowl.

West Virginia

After his one season at UTEP, Casteel traveled to West Virginia University to head coach Rich Rodriguez to coach the defensive line for the 2001 season. He was elevated to co-defensive coordinator in 2002, and eventually became the full-time defensive coordinator and linebacker coach.

In 2005, the Mountaineers defense ranked 15th in the nation in total defense and 13th in points allowed under Casteel. In 2006, the Mountaineers pass defense ranked #109 out of the nation, 119 teams. The next season, 2007, the acquisitions of safety Ryan Mundy and freshman defensive backs helped the Mountaineer defense to a top 10 defensive ranking. [http://web1.ncaa.org/d1mfb/natlRank.jsp?year=2007&div=4&rpt=IA_teampassdef&site=org] His 2007 defense also ranked in the top 30 in eight categories. The Mountaineers finished seventh in the nation in total defense, eighth in scoring defense and 14th in pass efficiency defense. Following the season, Casteel was named the Defensive Coordinator of the Year. [ [http://westvirginia.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=766548 WVSports.com - Rivals.com coordinators of the year ] ]

When former head coach Rich Rodriguez departed West Virginia University, before their Fiesta Bowl matchup against the University of Oklahoma, to accept the head coaching job at the University of Michigan, Casteel originally followed Rodriguez. But after interim head coach Bill Stewart was promoted to head coach after the 48-28 victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl, Casteel decided to stay at West Virginia. [ [http://www.wvmetronews.com/sports.cfm?func=displayfullstory&storyid=22919 West Virginia Sports News, Scores and Coverage ] ]

References

In 2005, the Mountaineers defense ranked 15th in the nation in total defense and 13th in points allowed under Casteel. In 2006, the Mountaineers rushing defense ranked 13th in the nation. The next season, 2007, scheme adjustments and the acquisition of safety Ryan Mundy helped the Mountaineer defense to a top 10 defensive ranking. [1] His 2007 defense also ranked in the top 30 in eight categories. The Mountaineers finished seventh in the nation in total defense, eighth in scoring defense and 14th in pass efficiency defense. Following the season, Casteel was named the Defensive Coordinator of the Year. [2]

External links

* [http://www.msnsportsnet.com/page.cfm?sport=football&show=64 WVU Coaching Staff]