Virginia Tech is on the cusp of hiring a new defensive coordinator, as the school is targeting Arizona Cardinals linebackers coach Sam Siefkes to be the school’s new defensive coordinator. The hire is expected to come together in the near future, per sources.
Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry went outside-the-box for the move, as Siefkes’ expected arrival at Tech will come with significant NFL experience that was attractive to the Hokies’ staff. He just finished his second season as the Cardinals’ linebackers coach and spent two prior seasons in various roles with the Minnesota Vikings.
Siefkes’ exposure to the Cardinals’ scheme under defensive coordinator Nick Rallis, which is regarded as one of the most innovative in the NFL, loomed large in the hire. Arizona finished in the top 10 in the NFL this year in both yards per play allowed and yards per rush allowed. Siefkes’ experience in that Arizona defense was attractive to the Tech staff, and Pry’s background is on the defensive side of the ball as he came to the school after a stint as Penn State’s defensive coordinator.
Siefkes also brings college defensive coordinator experience from his time at Wofford and UW-Platteville, which gives him familiarity in calling defenses and in the recruiting world. Siefkes spent from 2018 to 2020 at Wofford, where in 2019 the school finished with the No. 20 overall FCS defense and the top defense in the Southern Conference.
He worked at UW-Platteville for two seasons from 2016-17 prior to Wofford, and his there gave up only 18.9 points per game in 2017.
Siefkes is a former Wisconsin graduate assistant, where he learned under current Baylor coach Dave Aranda in 2015 when Aranda was the defensive coordinator in Madison.
Siefkes is expected to replace Chris Marve as Tech’s defensive coordinator. Tech finished No. 57 nationally in total defense last year.