In mid-December, Dave Huxtable left his job as Pittsburgh’s defensive coordinator for the same position at North Carolina State. Two months later, Paul Chryst looked within for a replacement.
As part of a release on staff assignments, Pitt announced Monday that Matt House has been named as the Panthers’ new defensive coordinator. House spent last season as Chryst’s secondary coach.
“I was very impressed by Matt’s work last year in the secondary,” Chryst said. “He has been a great fit for our program as a coach, recruiter and teacher of the game. His experiences and work ethic have more than prepared him for this opportunity to be a coordinator.”
This will mark House’s first stint at the collegiate level as a coordinator.
In addition to House’s promotion, Chryst also announced the hiring of John Palermo as defensive ends/linebackers coach. Palermo is a 38-year coaching veteran whose stops include 15 years at Wisconsin (1991-2005), two seasons with the Washington Redskins and this past season with Tennessee.
He was also a defensive assistant at Notre Dame in the late eighties.
“John quite simply is a great football coach,” Chryst said. “I feel really fortunate to have the opportunity to work with him again. J.P.’s wealth of experience is going to benefit our entire program, both coaches and players alike.”
And, finally on the Pitt coaching front, former Panthers defensive back Hank Poteat has been brought on as a grad assistant and will work specifically with cornerbacks. Poteat was a two-time first-team All-Big East selection prior to a 10-year career in the NFL. He spent the past two years as defensive backs coach at Kentucky Christian University.