DeForest leaving Oklahoma St, reportedly for WVU

Published Jan. 12, 2012 3:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

Longtime assistant coach Joe DeForest is leaving Oklahoma State and reportedly taking a job with former colleague Dana Holgorsen at West Virginia.

An Oklahoma State spokesman confirmed Thursday that DeForest is leaving after 11 years with the Cowboys, serving as an associate head coach, special teams coordinator and defensive assistant.

DeForest told the Tulsa World (http://tinyurl.com/83cpxtn ) that he felt he had to leave to advance his career and that he intended to join West Virginia's staff. West Virginia football spokesman Mike Montoro said: ''Nobody has been hired at this point.''

DeForest was one of Les Miles' assistants for four years and then stayed on the Cowboys' staff under Mike Gundy. He worked alongside then-offensive coordinator Holgorsen, who is now the Mountaineers' head coach.