WVU Football Names Andrew Warwick to Defensive Staff

The WVU football program announces Andrew Warwick has been hired as the Senior Defensive Analyst/Assistant Linebackers Coach.

“Andrew is a great addition to our coaching staff, bringing a wealth of knowledge and a proven track record of developing players at a high level,” WVU head coach Rich Rodriguez said as part of the press release. “I’m confident that his work ethic and leadership will make a significant impact on our team’s success moving forward.”

Warwick joins the Mountaineer football staff after spending the last three years as the co-defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Wofford.

Welcome to Almost Heaven, @CoachAWarwick!

🔗 https://t.co/a9KT84mrkZ#HailWV pic.twitter.com/4ckM6PEas4

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) January 10, 2025

During the 2024 season, the Terrier defense ranked No. 4 in the Southern Conference, which included a pass defense that led the league. In 2023, the defense reached No. 3 in the conference and inside linebacker David Powers earned All-Southern Conference Second Team honors under Warwick.

More background information on Warwick can be found below from the WVU press release: 

He spent the previous three seasons as the linebackers coach at Troy. His tenure showed one of the best turnarounds in the nation as the Trojans improved 38 spots nationally in total defense from 2019 to 2020. They led the country with four defensive scores and by 2021, they rose to No. 24 nationally in total defense.

Prior to his time at Troy, he was the defensive coordinator at Jacksonville State during the 2018 season. Warwick led the nation’s 15th-ranked defense in his lone season at Jacksonville State as the Gamecocks allowed just 311.3 yards per game and won their fifth-straight Ohio Valley Conference title. The Gamecocks ranked No. 7 nationally with four defensive touchdowns and finished No. 7 averaging 7.2 tackles for loss per game. Safety Marion Bridges earned All-America honors from five different organizations following the 2018 season and was a candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award.

Warwick joined the Gamecocks staff following six seasons in various roles at Clemson. During his tenure, the Tigers won the national championship in 2016, made the title game in 2015 and earned a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2017. Clemson posted a combined 72-11 record during his six seasons in Death Valley and won four major bowl games – 2012 Chick-fil-A Bowl over LSU, 2014 Orange Bowl over Ohio State, 2015 Orange Bowl over Oklahoma and the 2016 Fiesta Bowl over Ohio State – in addition to its title victory over Alabama.

Warwick served as the senior defensive analyst in 2017 in his final season under defensive coordinator Brent Venables when Clemson finished No. 2 in the nation allowing just 13.6 points per game and No. 4 allowing just 276.7 yards per game.

He was a defensive analyst on the 2016 National Championship squad that finished No. 8 nationally in total defense after two seasons as the defensive director of player development. Warwick began his Clemson career as a graduate assistant in 2012. Clemson led the nation in total defense in 2014 and in tackles for loss in 2015.

The native of Oklahoma City, Okla., began his coaching career in 2008, when he became the defensive backs coach at Thomas More College and helped lead the Saints to a league title. Warwick spent the 2009 and 2010 seasons at Central Oklahoma where he coached defensive backs including All-American Giorgio Durham. Prior to his stint at Clemson, Warwick spent one season at Coffeyville Community College in 2011.

Warwick earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Knox College in 2007 where he was a three-year starter at tight end and wide receiver. He won the Mike Cross Award as the team’s top receiver in 2006. He received his master’s degree in athletic leadership from Clemson in 2014.

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