Former MN coach Tracy Claeys to become defensive coordinator at WSU - Spokane paper
UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 8, 2018, 7:01 p.m.:
Alex Grinch officially left his post at Washington State Monday morning, but the Cougars may have already found his replacement.
According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, former Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach Tracy Claeys has been hired by Mike Leach to become the Cougars’ new defensive coordinator.
The Star Tribune report states that Claeys agreed to a two-year contract to join Leach in Pullman. Grinch, who held the DC title at WSU for the last three years, was hired by Ohio State as an assistant Monday morning.
WSU media relations didn’t immediately respond to a phone call seeking comment, but The Seattle Times also confirmed the Star Tribune report.
Claeys, a 24-year coaching veteran, is a face plenty familiar for WSU fans. In his final game as Minnesota’s coach, he led the Golden Gophers to a 17-12 win over the Cougars in the 2016 Holiday Bowl, holding Leach’s offense to just 303 yards and a single touchdown...
This isn’t the first time Leach has gone to the 2016 Minnesota staff for help on the defensive side of the ball. Weeks after the Holiday Bowl loss to the Golden Gophers, WSU hired ex-Minnesota defensive line coach Jeff Phelps to lead the same position group in Pullman. Phelps’ first season in charge of the Cougars’ D-line was a major success. WSU finished 20th in the FBS with 2.85 sacks per game and the Cougars were tied for ninth nationally with 7.9 tackles-for-loss per game. Phelps worked under Claeys for six years at Minnesota and was Claeys’ D-line coach at Northern Illinois for two years before that..