Background
DeForest was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, and grew up in Titusville, Florida.
DeForest was born in Teaneck, New Jersey, and grew up in Titusville, Florida.
DeForest was named WVU Defensive Coordinator January 14, 2012. He was reassigned as associate head coach and special teams coordinator following the 2012 season. DeForest was brought in by WVU Head Coach Dana Holgorsen.
The pair previously worked together in 2010 at Oklahoma State University where Holgerson was the offensive coordinator.
Mr. DeForest"s contract with WVU was not renewed in January 2016. DeForest is a 1987 graduate of University of Southwest Louisiana with a bachelor’s degree in marketing.
He was a four-year starter and was twice named to the all-Southern and all-Louisiana independent teams. He also was a two-year lettermen as a pitcher on the Ragin" Cajuns baseball squad.
He received the inaugural President's Cup, signifying the University’s top male athlete.
DeForest served as an assistant coach at Duke (1994-2001) as linebackers coach and special teams coordinator. He was hired by Les Miles in 2001 at Oklahoma State University as the Special Teams Coordinator and secondary coach. He remained at Oklahoma State until 2012 and served as the Associate Head Coach, Special teams Coordinator, and safeties coach.
He also coached and recruited several NFL players including Darrent Williams (Denver Broncos), Jacob Lacey (Indianapolis Colts), Markelle Martin (Tennessee Titans), Dan Bailey (Dallas Cowboys), Ryan Fowler (Tennessee Titans), Patrick Mannelly (Chicago Bears) and Russell Okung, (Seattle Seahawks).
2012, In 2012, he was hired by Dana Holgorsen to serve as the defensive coordinator for the West Virginia University Mountaineers. He will be WVU"s Associate Head Coach and special teams coordinator for the 2013 season.
After a terrible stint as defensive coordinator at WVU, he was placed in charge of Special Teams for the 2014 campaign. On Friday, February 26, 2016 DeForest was hired as the new special teams coach at the University of Kansas.
