WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Wake Forest head football coach Dave Clawson today announced a pair of promotions within the football staff.

Lyle Hemphill, Wake Forest's safeties coach for the last two seasons, has been named defensive coordinator. Dave Cohen, who has coached Wake Forest's defensive line for the past five seasons, has been named the assistant head coach for defense.

"Under Lyle's and Dave's leadership, I saw improvement in all phases of our defense," said Clawson. "These promotions are well-earned and are the best decision for Wake Forest as we move forward and into our bowl game."

Hemphill came to Wake Forest prior to the 2017 season after having served as the defensive coordinator at Stony Brook where he was named the FCS defensive coordinator of the year in 2015. In his first year at Wake Forest, Hemphill mentored safety Jessie Bates III who was a second round draft choice of the Cincinnati Bengals in 2018.

Cohen has served as a defensive coordinator at Fordham, Delaware, Western Michigan and Rutgers and as the head coach at Hofstra. Cohen was the national defensive coordinator of the year in 2003 as he helped Delaware to the FCS national championship. At Wake Forest, Cohen has mentored four players who have gone onto the NFL including DE Duke Ejiofor who was drafted by Houston in 2018.