Jeff Casteel Retires After Decorated Defensive Coaching Career at West Virginia

West Virginia University head football coach Rich Rodriguez announced the retirement of longtime defensive assistant and coordinator Jeff Casteel, bringing to a close a distinguished coaching career that spanned more than three decades.

“I have worked with Jeff for years, and there are very few coaches who have built a better defensive resume,” Rodriguez said. “From his start at Shepherd College, to coordinating the defense here at West Virginia during one of our most successful periods of time and then as we built the program at Arizona, he has been a valuable member of our staff and a good friend. I, along with my staff and players, want to thank him and wish him and his family the best in retirement.”

Casteel most recently returned to Morgantown in 2025, reuniting with Rodriguez as the bandits coach. His history with the WVU program and Rodriguez runs deep, having served as defensive line coach in 2001, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2002, and defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2003–07. He later joined Rodriguez again at Arizona from 2012–16 as the Wildcats’ defensive coordinator.

Beyond his time with Rodriguez, Casteel held multiple roles at West Virginia across different coaching staffs. He served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach from 2008–10 under Bill Stewart and in 2011 under Dana Holgorsen. He later returned as outside linebackers coach in 2020 and worked as senior defensive analyst and director of high school relations from 2021–23 under Neal Brown.

Over a 36-year coaching career — including 27 seasons as a defensive coordinator — Casteel helped guide teams to 14 conference championships and 15 bowl appearances while mentoring numerous All-Americans and professional players. His individual accolades include Rivals Defensive Coordinator of the Year (2007), Big East Defensive Coordinator of the Year (2008), five Broyles Award nominations, and Football Scoop Linebacker Coach of the Year honors in 2014.

During his tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers enjoyed one of the most successful stretches in program history, highlighted by three BCS bowl victories — the 2006 Sugar Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl, and 2012 Orange Bowl. WVU defenses under Casteel helped secure six Big East Conference championships and produced four All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans, nine all-conference selections, and 23 professional players. The Mountaineers ranked No. 3 nationally in total defense in 2010, No. 7 in 2007, and No. 15 in 2005.

Casteel also spent three seasons as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Nevada from 2017–19. In 2019, the Wolf Pack finished 7–6 and earned a berth in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Five starters earned All-Mountain West honors in 2018, and the defense made significant year-over-year improvements, cutting rushing yards allowed from 208.2 to 142 per game and reducing total defense from 471.3 yards to 378.3 yards per contest. Four players earned All-Mountain West Conference recognition during his tenure.

At Arizona, Casteel helped lead the Wildcats to the 2014 Pac-12 South championship and four bowl appearances, including the 2014 Fiesta Bowl, while contributing to a school record for most wins over a four-year span.

His coaching résumé also includes stops at UTEP as defensive ends coach in 2000 and a lengthy tenure at Shepherd University, where he served as defensive line and strength coach from 1988–90 and assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1991–2000.

Casteel earned both his bachelor’s degree (1984) and master’s degree (1986) from California University of Pennsylvania. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 1984–86 before serving as defensive coordinator at Palmetto High School in Miami, Florida, and working as a training camp assistant with the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League in 1989.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI