Pitt promotes Matt House to defensive coordinator

Paul Chryst (above) promoted secondary coach Matt House to defensive coordinator at Pittsburgh.

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PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Pittsburgh coach Paul Chryst has promoted Matt House to defensive coordinator and hired John Palermo and former NFL player Hank Poteat as defensive assistants.

House spent last season as the secondary coach for the Panthers, who ranked in the top 30 nationally in passing yards allowed, pass efficiency defense and interceptions.

Palermo, who will coach defensive ends and linebackers, spent 2012 at the University of Tennessee. The 38-year coaching veteran spent 15 years as an assistant at Wisconsin and also has coached with the NFL's Washington Redskins.

Poteat played cornerback at Pitt from 1996-99 and returns to his alma mater as a graduate assistant and secondary coach. Poteat spent a decade in the NFL with five teams, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in 2004.

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