Dec. 11, 2007

LAS VEGAS - UNLV head football coach Mike Sanford on Tuesday named linebackers coach Dennis Therrell as the program's new defensive coordinator.

"Dennis is an experienced defensive coordinator and he will bring great knowledge and ability to the position," Sanford said. "He did a great job as our linebackers coach during his first year on the staff, including helping make Beau Bell a more complete player."

Bell, who led the conference in tackles and forced fumbles along with pacing UNLV with four interceptions, was named the 2007 Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year and is generally expected to be a first-day selection in the next NFL Draft.

Bringing more than 25 years of experience to the Rebels, Therrell joined the program after spending the 2006 season as a volunteer coach in the Southeastern Conference with Auburn. He spent two seasons as defensive coordinator at Murray State from 2004-05 after serving the previous four years at Army under current UNLV offensive coordinator Todd Berry, who was head coach of the Black Knights.

Prior to that, Therrell was the defensive coordinator at Illinois State from 1997-99, helping the Redbirds to the 1999 NCAA Division I-AA semifinals. He also was the head coach at Division-II Lock Haven University from 1990-1995 after serving as the school's defensive coordinator from 1987-89.

Therrell spent two seasons at Middle Tennessee coaching defensive ends and he served as a graduate assistant at Tennessee in 1983-84. A native of Pikeville, Tenn., Therrell played at Tennessee Tech, helping lead the Golden Eagles to the 1975 Ohio Valley Conference championship. He earned his bachelor's degree in education from the school in 1978 and then his master's in education from Tennessee in 1985.