By Michael Grimm
The Eagles are hiring Iowa State secondary coach D.K. McDonald for Nick Sirianni’s staff, according to FootballScoop.com.
McDonald is replacing the short-lived tenure of Jay Valai on the staff. Valai had been hired away from the University of Houston to join Sirianni’s staff. Valai then left the Eagles after only a few days to take a position with the coaching staff at Alabama under Nick Saban instead.
McDonald spent the last five years coaching cornerbacks under head coach Matt Campbell at Iowa State. But his relationship with Campbell extends out a further four years as he was a part of Campbell’s staff at Toledo before Campbell was hired for the 2016 season at Iowa State. He spent the 2011 season at William & Mary, five years at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and three years at his alma mater, Edinboro, when he first got into coaching beginning in 2003.
McDonald and Sirianni have a long-term friendship having previously lived together while coaching at Indiana (Pa.).
They also were participants in each other’s weddings, per Zach Berman of TheAthletic.com.
