CHARLOTTESVILLE – Bob Pruett won’t be the last assistant to leave Al Groh’s staff this winter, based on what I’m hearing.

An official announcement may not come until tomorrow, but Bob Diaco, who in early December was named Virginia’s defensive coordinator, appears headed to the University of Cincinnati, where he’ll hold that same position.

Diaco will be reunited at Cincinnati with Brian Kelly, under whom he worked as an assistant at Central Michigan in 2005.  Kelly guided Cincinnati to the Big East title in 2008.

Pruett retired last week, citing family reasons.  That continued a tumultuous offseason for Groh, who in early December announced that three assistants – his son Mike, Levern Belin and Steve Bernstein – would not remain on the U.Va. staff.

Diaco, who turns 36 on Thursday, came to U.Va. from Central Michigan after the 2005 season.  He coached linebackers (along with Al Groh) and coordinated Virginia’s special teams in 2006, ’07 and ’08. 

Pruett was Virginia’s defensive coordinator in 2008, but his title was changed to assistant head coach for defense in early December, at which time Groh promoted Diaco to coordinator.

At Cincinnati, Diaco will replace Joe Trosey, whom Kelly fired last week.  The Bearcats closed last season by losing to Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.

With Diaco gone, don’t be shocked if Groh, who has worked closely with the defense throughout his tenure at his alma mater, takes over as coordinator. 

He’d still have two vacancies on his staff, and it’s likely that Ron Prince, a Groh protégé, might fill one of them.

Prince, of course, spent five seasons as a Virginia assistant before leaving to become Kansas State’s head coach in December 2005.  He coached the offensive line and, for the final three seasons, served as offensive coordinator at U.Va., but those slots on Groh’s staff are taken by Dave Borbely and newcomer Gregg Brandon, respectively.  Prince could take over as special-teams coordinator.

In November, K-State announced that Prince would not return as coach in 2009.

—30—

  The Bob Diaco era as U.Va.‘s defensive coordinator is short-lived.