Wally Burnham, the defensive coordinator at the University of South Florida, has accepted the defensive coordinator job at Iowa State, according to USF’s Web site.

The ISU athletics department confirmed the hire.

“We are truly getting one of the nation’s premier defensive minds in Wally Burnham,” ISU head coach Paul Rhoads said in a press release. “He has four decades of experience as a coordinator, including successful stops at Florida State and South Carolina. He has sent a long list of former players to the National Football League.”

Burnham coached nine seasons at USF, with his defenses ranking in the top-30 in six of his last seven seasons. His 2008 defense ranked No. 10.

“Wally did a great job for us; we will sorely miss him and his wife, Barbara,” said USF head coach Jim Leavitt in a press release. “I am absolutely proud of everything he has done here and the success he has brought to USF. We wish him luck at Iowa State, and I know that he will always be successful because of his tremendous character.”

When Burnham’s hiring was announced in 2000, Leavitt drew an analogy to a “recruiting coup.” Rhodes said, “Wally knows the Florida high schools like no other man.”

Burnham coached nine years (1985-’93) with Bobby Bowden at Florida State, and spent five years (1994-’98) as an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at South Carolina. He coached NFL Pro-Bowl linebacker Derrick Brooks while he was the linebackers coach at FSU. Burnham also played college football for Bear Bryant at Alabama during the 1960 and 1961 seasons.

“The number one reason I am coming to Iowa State is Paul Rhoads,” Burnham said in the press release. “Paul is great teacher and motivator. I am looking forward to building up the Iowa State football program. It is a great opportunity for me.”