WSU hired former University of Minnesota Defensive Line Coach Jeff Phelps to the same coaching position for the Cougars, the team announced on Friday evening.

Phelps coached the Minnesota defensive line from 2011-16, and helped the Gophers beat the Cougars 17-12 in the 2016 Holiday Bowl. Phelps’ unit held the Cougars to 51 rushing yards on 14 attempts while sacking redshirt junior quarterback Luke Falk five times.

“If you’re going to hire someone, hire the guy that beat you,” WSU Athletic Director Bill Moos said during a radio interview with KXLY 920 FM in Spokane.

Phelps was relieved of his duties in December along with most of the Gophers staff after an alleged gang rape involving numerous Gopher football players.

During Phelps’ tenure with the Gophers, Minnesota made five bowl games, including a (9-4) record this season. Minnesota ranked in the top 20 this season in total defense and rushing yards per game.

Moos also addressed coordinators leaving for the same position within the conference, following the departure of former WSU Defensive Line coach Joe Salave’a to Oregon.

Coaches that leave a school to assume the same position at another school may face repercussions.

“If Alex Grinch (WSU defensive coordinator) wanted to leave and be the defensive coordinator for UCLA, he’s going to pay us a chunk of money,” Moos said.

Moos went on to say that it is welcomed when coaches leave a program for a better opportunity.

‘“If he (Alex Grinch) wants to leave and be the head coach at UCLA, we’re going to applaud that and say ‘Hey, look at what we are producing at Washington State,”’ Moos said.

Salave’a, an American Samoan, specialized in getting defensive line talent with Polynesian roots. It remains to be seen whether Phelps can continue recruiting talented players from American Somoa or if he must find a new approach to recruiting.

Phelps, a Chicago native, has spent his entire career in the Midwest. He started out playing linebacker at Ball State from 1994-97 and began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant. He then made stops at DePauw University and Hillsdale College before landing at Northern Illinois to coach the defensive line from 2006-2010.

At Northern Illinois, Phelps coached defensive end Larry English, who won MAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and was drafted 16th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2009 NFL Draft. Phelps also coached All-Big-Ten First Team Selection and 2014 second round pick Ra’Shede Hageman at Minnesota.

Four defensive line prospects are currently committed under Phelps including Dallas Hobbs, the 6-foot-6, 240-pounder from Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts.

“Washington State is a destination,” Moos said. “Not a stepping stone.”

Salave’a’s departure to conference foe Oregon leaves Phelps a little over a week to recruit before National Letter of Intent Signing Day on Feb. 1.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated