GOLDEN, Colo. - Colorado School of Mines football head coach Gregg Brandon has announced a number of staff additions and promotions on the defensive side of the ball.

Brandon Moore will be the program's defensive coordinator after serving as co-coordinator for the past two seasons; Tripp Thomas has been promoted to defensive line coach, while Miles Kochevar has been hired as the team's defensive backs coach and recent Mines graduate Anthony Makransky will be the defensive assistant.

Moore, who also works with the linebackers, takes over sole direction of the defense after sharing coordinator duties with Mike McGlinchey, who was recently named the head coach at William Jewell. Moore helped mold one of the region and nation's top defenses in 2019, when the Orediggers ranked in the national top-25 in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense, and defensive touchdowns, as well as producing NCAA D-II's #1 third-down defense. Primarily working with linebackers, Moore had five all-RMAC selections in 2019 including first-teamer Jimmy Bauer and 2020 returners Mack Minnehan and Nolan Reeve. 

Kochevar was most recently on staff at Northern Colorado in 2019 as a defensive assistant primarily working with passing defense strategy. He has a long and established career in Division II, including a two-year stay as the defensive coordinator at West Texas A&M and the same position prior to that at Humboldt State in the 2015 and 2016 seasons. From 2012 to 2014 he was a defensive graduate assistant at Colorado State, and he also spent five seasons as the defensive backs coach and pass defense coordinator at Colorado Mesa starting in 2007. Kochevar is a two-time graduate of Colorado State, where he was a team captain in 2005; he was an all-Colorado prep at Fruita Monument High School.

Thomas, who was the program's defensive assistant last year, fills the defensive line position held by McGlinchey. In 2019, the Mines defensive line was one of the nation's best as they produced the #6 rushing defense in NCAA Division II. The line had four all-RMAC selections, returning two in 2020 in  defensive end Luke Jeter and nose tackle Scott Adams.

Makransky recently earned his master's degree in mineral and energy economics at Mines as he wrapped up his playing career. The cornerback was a two-time all-RMAC selection after transferring from Wyoming and made 68 tackles with 24 pass break-ups and two interceptions in his two years at Mines.