CHAPEL HILL — Ron West has joined the football coaching staff at North Carolina as a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers, the university announced today.

West most recently was the co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State, where he spent last season. He previously coached at Illinois and spent 10 seasons (from 1999 through 2008) as an assistant coach at Clemson. West graduated from Clemson in 1979.

West has ties to UNC’s coaching staff. He coached with Larry Fedora, the Heels’ second-year head coach, at Baylor. West worked with UNC defensive coaches Vic Koenning and Dan Disch at Illinois.

“Ron is familiar with our staff and he brings a great deal of success and experience from his previous coaching stops,” Fedora said in a statement. “He’s an excellent teacher of defensive fundamentals who gets the most out of his players. His knowledge of the ACC and ability to recruit in this area of the country will help our program.”

West’s hiring completes UNC’s defensive staff. The university last week announced the hiring of Keith Gilmore, who will coach the defensive line. Koenning, the Tar Heels’ associate head coach for defense, will also coach safeties. Disch, the co-defensive coordinator, will coach cornerbacks.

Randy Jordan, UNC’s running backs coach, will now also serve as the team’s special teams coordinator.