West Virginia assistant football coach Noel Devine arrested on strangulation charge, records show

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — West Virginia assistant football coach Noel Devine was booked into jail on a felony strangulation charge Sunday, records show.

Devine, 38, was arrested by Morgantown police. A not guilty plea was entered and Devine was ordered held in lieu of $40,000 bail in the North Central Regional Jail.

Monongalia County Magistrate Court records didn’t provide details on the arrest and jail records didn’t indicate whether Devine has an attorney who could comment on the charges on his behalf.

Devine has been placed on leave from the team, West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez said in a statement Sunday night.

“Any future decision on his status will be determined after more information becomes available,” Rodriguez said.

Devine faces a preliminary hearing on Sept. 23.

He was a three-year starter at running back for the Mountaineers. He compiled 19 100-yard rushing games and had more than 1,000 all-purpose yards in all four seasons from 2007-10.

Devine was hired by Rodriguez in 2025 as an offensive analyst and assistant running backs coach.

West Virginia is 2-0 after beating UT Martin 52-7 on Saturday in Morgantown. The Mountaineers play No. 25 Virginia (2-0) in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday night.

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