WVU Sports Hall of Fame
Bill Kirelawich, the winningest assistant football coach in WVU history, spent 32 years at West Virginia from 1979-2011.
During that time, Kirelawich was part of 23 bowl appearances, including some of WVU’s top bowl wins and national championship appearances in school history, culminating with WVU’s win over Clemson in the 2012 Orange Bowl.
Kirelawich joined Frank Cignetti’s staff in 1979 before joining Don Nehlen’s staff in 1980 as a defensive line coach. He coached the defensive line from 1980-87, outside linebackers from 1988-90, the defensive line from 1991-00 and was an administrative assistant in 2001-02. Kirelawich was then the defensive line coach on Rich Rodriguez’s staff from 2003-07, Bill Stewart’s staff from 2008-10 and Dana Holgersen’s staff in 2011.
In 2010, Kirelawich was named the FootballScoop.com’s National Defensive Line Coach of the Year with Bruce Irvin finishing second in the country in sacks. In 1996, the Mountaineer defense ranked first nationally in total defense, second in rushing defense and fourth in scoring defense. The 2005 team ranked 13th in scoring defense, the 2006 team ranked 13th nationally in rushing defense, the 2007 team ranked seventh in total defense and eighth in scoring defense and the 2008 team ranked 11th in scoring defense.
His lines helped the Mountaineer defense lead the Big East in rushing defense and scoring defense four times. Kirelawich coached eight first-team All-Big East selections, including at least one each of the last four years and eight second-team honorees. He coached five All-Americans (Johnny Dingle, Bruce Irvin, Chris Neild, John Thornton and Henry Slay).
Kirelawich also coached numerous professional players: Todd Campbell, Johnny Dingle, Keilen Dykes, David Grant, Bruce Irvin, Pat Marlatt, Jim Merritts, Chris Neild, Henry Slay, Renaldo Turnbull and John Thornton, and recruited the likes of Anthony Becht, John Bertram, Aaron Beasley, Noel Devine, Rick Gilliam, Jake Kelchner, Irvin, Kurt Kehl, Chris Neild, Chris Parker, Lovett Purnell, Bo Orlando, Tom Robsock, Freddie Smalls, Steve Slaton, Thornton, Kevin White and Grant Wiley.
A native of Frackville, Pennsylvania, Kirelawich was a standout linebacker at Salem College under WVU Sports Hall of Fame member Donnie Young. The senior captain led the Tigers to an 8-1 record and a top 20 NAIA national ranking. His 89-yard interception return stands as a school record. He earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Salem in 1969 and was inducted into the Salem Hall of Fame in 2006.
Kirelawich began his coaching career, serving as the head coach at Cardinal Brennan (Pa.) High from 1970-78. He had nine players sign scholarships at Division I schools and his 1975 team was ranked No. 10 in Pennsylvania. Following his WVU career, he served as a defensive line coach for Rodriguez at Arizona.
Kirelawich and his wife, Maggie, have three children, Miki, Billy and Jake, and five grandchildren.
