Rodriguez Announces Casteel Retirement
January 23, 2026 01:36 PM | Football
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University football coach Rich Rodriguez has announced that longtime defensive assistant coach and coordinator Jeff Casteel has retired.
"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 reunited with Rodriguez at WVU in 2025 as bandits coach after previously serving as his defensive line coach in 2001, his co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2002 and defensive coordinator and linebackers
coach from 2003-07 at West Virginia. He was with Rodriguez from 2012-16 as the defensive coordinator at Arizona.
Casteel also was on the football staff at WVU from 2008-11 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under Bill Stewart from 2008-10 and in 2011 under Dana Holgorsen. He was the outside linebackers coach in 2020 and the senior defensive analyst and director of high school relations at WVU under Neal Brown from 2021-23.
Over his 36-year career, including 27 years as a defensive coordinator, Casteel helped guide teams to 14 conference championships and 15 bowl appearances and coached numerous All-Americans and professional players. He was named the Rivals Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2007, Big East Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2008, a Broyles Award nominee (five times) and the Football Scoop Linebacker Coach of the Year in 2014.
During his tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers experienced one of their greatest periods of success, including winning three BCS bowl games - 2006 Sugar Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl and the 2012 Orange Bowl.
The defense helped the WVU football program win six Big East Conference championships and produced four All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans, nine all-conference honorees and 23 professional players. The Mountaineers finished No. 3 in the nation in total defense in 2010, No. 7 in 2007 and No. 15 in 2005.
Casteel served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Nevada for three years (2017-19). In 2019, the Wolfpack finished 7-6 and earned a spot in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In 2018, five of his starters earned All-Mountain West honors. From his first year to his second year, the Nevada defense improved from allowing 208.2 yards per game rushing to 142 and dropped the total defense from allowing 471.3 yards to 378.3 yards per game. Four of his players earned All-Mountain West Conference honors.
At Arizona, Casteel helped lead the Wildcats to the 2014 Pac-12 South championship and four bowl appearances, including the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The defense aided in setting a school record for most wins over a four-year period.
He also spent time at UTEP as the defensive ends coach (2000) and at Shepherd University, first as the defensive line and strength coach from 1988-90 and as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1991-2000.
Casteel earned his bachelor's (1984) and master's degrees (1986) from California University of Pennsylvania. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 1984-86, before becoming the defensive coordinator at Palmetto High School in Miami, Florida, and was a training camp assistant with the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League in 1989.
Casteel, and his wife, Rosemary, have two children, Jake, who was recently named the head football coach at Glenville State in December, and Sarah, a WVU graduate.
"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 reunited with Rodriguez at WVU in 2025 as bandits coach after previously serving as his defensive line coach in 2001, his co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2002 and defensive coordinator and linebackers
coach from 2003-07 at West Virginia. He was with Rodriguez from 2012-16 as the defensive coordinator at Arizona.
Casteel also was on the football staff at WVU from 2008-11 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach under Bill Stewart from 2008-10 and in 2011 under Dana Holgorsen. He was the outside linebackers coach in 2020 and the senior defensive analyst and director of high school relations at WVU under Neal Brown from 2021-23.
Over his 36-year career, including 27 years as a defensive coordinator, Casteel helped guide teams to 14 conference championships and 15 bowl appearances and coached numerous All-Americans and professional players. He was named the Rivals Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2007, Big East Defensive Coordinator of the Year in 2008, a Broyles Award nominee (five times) and the Football Scoop Linebacker Coach of the Year in 2014.
During his tenure at WVU, the Mountaineers experienced one of their greatest periods of success, including winning three BCS bowl games - 2006 Sugar Bowl, 2008 Fiesta Bowl and the 2012 Orange Bowl.
The defense helped the WVU football program win six Big East Conference championships and produced four All-Americans, three Academic All-Americans, nine all-conference honorees and 23 professional players. The Mountaineers finished No. 3 in the nation in total defense in 2010, No. 7 in 2007 and No. 15 in 2005.
Casteel served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Nevada for three years (2017-19). In 2019, the Wolfpack finished 7-6 and earned a spot in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. In 2018, five of his starters earned All-Mountain West honors. From his first year to his second year, the Nevada defense improved from allowing 208.2 yards per game rushing to 142 and dropped the total defense from allowing 471.3 yards to 378.3 yards per game. Four of his players earned All-Mountain West Conference honors.
At Arizona, Casteel helped lead the Wildcats to the 2014 Pac-12 South championship and four bowl appearances, including the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The defense aided in setting a school record for most wins over a four-year period.
He also spent time at UTEP as the defensive ends coach (2000) and at Shepherd University, first as the defensive line and strength coach from 1988-90 and as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator from 1991-2000.
Casteel earned his bachelor's (1984) and master's degrees (1986) from California University of Pennsylvania. He started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater from 1984-86, before becoming the defensive coordinator at Palmetto High School in Miami, Florida, and was a training camp assistant with the Baltimore Stallions of the Canadian Football League in 1989.
Casteel, and his wife, Rosemary, have two children, Jake, who was recently named the head football coach at Glenville State in December, and Sarah, a WVU graduate.
Rich Rodriguez | Dec. 3
Wednesday, December 03
Reid Carrico | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Jeff Weimer | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
Rich Rodriguez | Nov. 29
Saturday, November 29
