University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights Football Coaching Staff: A Comprehensive Overview

The University of Central Florida (UCF) Knights football program has a rich history, evolving from its humble beginnings in 1979 to its current status as a member of the Big 12 Conference. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the UCF Knights football coaching staff, highlighting recent changes and key personnel.

A Program on the Rise: From Division III to the Big 12

UCF first established a varsity football team in 1979 as an NCAA Division III program. The Knights subsequently ascended to Division I-A, now known as the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), in 1996, becoming the first program in NCAA history to have played in all four divisions of football. As a Division I-AA program, the Knights made the 1990 and 1993 playoffs. The Knights have made 15 postseason appearances since joining the FBS, including winning the 2014 Fiesta Bowl and the 2018 Peach Bowl.

The Genesis of Knights Football

The UCF football program can be traced back to a speech given by the university's second president, Dr. Trevor Colbourn, in January 1979. Colbourn believed that a successful athletics program would bring the university greater renown. UCF played its first game on September 22, 1979, against St. Leo University, winning with a 21-0 shutout.

Coaching Staff Evolution: A Historical Perspective

Over the years, the UCF Knights have seen a number of changes in their coaching staff. George O'Leary unveiled the template for uniforms of "The Fighting Knights": black jerseys, gold pants and gold helmets. McDowell led the Knights to their first winning season since 1979, with a 6-5 record in 1986. Also that year, Ted Wilson became the first UCF player to be selected in the 1987 NFL draft, being picked by the Washington Redskins in the 10th round. Following an 8-3 regular season record in 1987, the Knights earned their first trip to the Division II playoffs, where they earned a 1-1 record. In their first year in the division, the Knights earned a 10-4 record, a program best, and a trip to the I-AA playoffs. UCF would make it to the semifinals, and became the first school in history to qualify for the I-AA playoffs in its first season of eligibility.

In 1992, Dr. John Hitt, UCF's fourth president, announced that the program would make the move to Division I-A in 1996, and he hired Steve Sloan as the university's new athletic director. Earning their eighth winning season in 1993, the Knights would again make the playoffs. During the season, the team won their first game over a Division I-A team, a 38-16 victory at Louisiana Tech.

Scott Frost's Return: A New Chapter

After an unforgettable two-year run that saw the UCF football program rise to national prominence, Scott Frost is back in Orlando. Frost originally served as UCF’s head coach from 2016 to 2017, culminating in a historic 13-0 season, an American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship and a national championship that captured the nation’s attention. In his final game, Frost guided UCF to a victory over No. “I’m deeply honored to return to UCF, a school that has always held a special place in my heart,” Frost says. “The foundation we built here has only grown stronger, and I am thrilled to continue shaping this program’s legacy. Frost went a combined 19-7 in two seasons at UCF, helping turn an 0-12 team into a 13-0 squad in just two years. In Frost’s first season, he took the Knights to a bowl game and finished with a 6-7 record. The turnaround was historic, as Frost became the only first-year coach in FBS history to make a bowl game with a team that was winless the previous season. UCF led the nation with a six-win improvement in 2016 and exceeded that mark in 2017 as the nation’s only undefeated team. UCF was led by its high-powered offense and improved defense under Frost. The Knights led the nation in scoring at 48.2 points per game and were the only FBS team to score at least 30 points in every game in 2017.

Current Coaching Staff: A Detailed Look

Here's a detailed breakdown of the UCF Knights coaching staff:

Head Coach: Scott Frost
Offensive Coordinator: Steve Cooper
Defensive Coordinator: Alex Grinch

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Special Teams Coordinator/Senior Analyst: Pete Alamar
Quarterbacks Coach: McKenzie Milton
Running Backs Coach: Jimmy Beal
Associate Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach: Sean Beckton
Offensive Line Coach: Shawn Clark

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Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Edge Coach: Mike Dawson
Defensive Tackles Coach: Kenny Martin
Linebackers Coach: Mark D'Onofrio
Defensive Backs Coach: Brandon Harris
Director of Sports Performance for Football: Zach Duval

Key Coaching Hires and Changes

Steve Cooper, Offensive Coordinator: Frost found his offensive coordinator in former Boise State assistant QB Coach Steve Cooper. It will be the first time Cooper has held the role since the 2010 season at Portland State.

Alex Grinch, Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Coach: The hire of defensive coordinator Alex Grinch marks the first member of Frost’s new coaching staff who has not previously worked with him. Grinch arrives in Orlando after spending the 2024 season in Wisconsin as a co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach under Luke Fickell. Before that, he served as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for Lincoln Riley from 2019-2023, following him from Oklahoma to USC.

Pete Alamar, Special Teams Coordinator/Senior Analyst: UCF named Pete Alamar as its new Special Teams Coordinator and Senior Analyst. Alamar is a coaching veteran who has led various position groups over his decades-long career, including offensive linemen, running backs, tight ends, and linebackers. Alamar is coming off a two-year tenure at Rice that saw him take over as the interim head coach for the final four games of the 2024 season, leading the Owls to a 2-2 record.

Jimmy Beal, Running Backs Coach: UCF officially announced Beal as its new running backs coach. It will be Beal’s first coaching job east of the Mississippi River, following stops at Northern Arizona (2010-2018), South Dakota State (2019), Montana State (2020-2022) and San Diego State (2023) before ending up with the Aggies.

Mark D’Onofrio, Linebackers Coach: UCF officially announced D’Onofrio as its new linebackers coach. D’Onofrio has defensive coordinator experience, having served in the role at Temple (2006-2010), Miami (FL) (2011-2015) and Houston (2017-2018), but has been just an inside linebackers coach at Wisconsin (2022) and Stanford (2023-2024).

Brandon Harris, Defensive Backs Coach: UCF officially announced Harris as its new defensive backs coach. The former NFL cornerback is coming off a three-season stint at Florida Atlantic, where he served as a cornerbacks coach in 2022 before being elevated to co-defensive coordinator and CB coach for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Shawn Clark, Offensive Line Coach: UCF officially announced Clark as its new offensive line coach. Clark’s arrival in Orlando will herald a return to his O-line roots, as it’s his first job since being fired as Appalachian State’s head coach following the 2024 season.

Mike Dawson, Defensive Run Game Coordinator/Edge Coach: Frost’s former defensive line coach from his first tenure at UCF will instead hold the new title of Defensive Run Game Coordinator and Edge Coach.

Kenny Martin, Defensive Tackles Coach: Kenny Martin marks the first member of Gus Malzahn’s staff to be retained by Frost, returning as defensive tackles coach.

Sean Beckton, Associate HC & WR Coach: Another UCF legend is re-teaming with Scott Frost for his second stint in Orlando. Just as he is once again assuming the title of UCF’s head coach, Sean Beckton is returning once again as UCF’s wide receiver coach, this time with an associate head coach title to go with it.

Gus Malzahn's Tenure

As Gus Malzahn enters his third year as head coach of the UCF Knights, the pressure is on. Now in their second year in the Big 12, the program had their first losing season under Malzahn in 2023. Malzahn is best known as an offensive guru and head coach with the Auburn Tigers, where he served from 2013-2020. As part of several staff changes in 2024, Tim Harris Jr. Coaching veteran Ted Roof joins Malzahn after previously coaching with him at Auburn from 2009-2011. Addison Williams was a standout corner for South Carolina in the late 2000s and worked his way up through the ranks before becoming a special assistant for Malzahn at Auburn in 2019. Like Harris, Darin Hinshaw returned to UCF after a year away, spending the 2022 season with UAB as offensive coordinator. Herb Hand has been the offensive line coach at numerous Power Five schools while holding the run game coordinator title at Penn State and Vanderbilt under James Franklin. Brian Blackmon coached at Opelika High School in Alabama for 20 years before joining the college ranks. He held several titles at Troy from 2018-2020 and worked as an offensive analyst under Malzahn in 2017. A defensive line guru and former Western Kentucky standout, Kenny Martin also started in the high school ranks, coaching in Florida and Kentucky. Kenny Ingram began as a high school coach at Melrose (TN) before joining the college ranks in 2005. He started at Division II Incarnate Word, where his running backs set the program’s single-season rushing record in 2022, earning him a job at Texas State. Trovon Reed is entering his first season as an on-field coach in 2024. He was part of the National Championship teams in 2010 and 2014 with Auburn and played four years in the NFL. Gus Malzahn announced a defensive coaching addition and a change to his 2024 staff. Veteran coach Ted Roof joined the staff as defensive coordinator and Addison Williams now serves as associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator.

Looking Ahead: The 2025 Season

The 2025 UCF Knights football team represents the University of Central Florida (UCF) as a member of the Big 12 Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights are led by third-year head coach Scott Frost in the first-year of his second stint. Shawn Clark, previously the head coach of Appalachian State, joined the coaching staff as offensive line coach.

2025 Season Overview

The Knights hosted defending Conference USA champions Jacksonville State on Thursday night. It marked the first game of Scott Frost's second tenure as head coach. On August 25, head coach Scott Frost named former Marshall and FAU transfer Cam Fancher as the starting quarterback for Week 1. The Knights defense had one interception and one fumble recovery, and both turnovers led to points. The Knights hosted North Carolina, the first meeting between the two teams. For the third time in as many games, the Knights defense held their opponent scoreless on the opening possession. They also kept alive their streak by not allowing a touchdown in the first half. UCF traveled to Kansas State for their Big 12 conference opener. The Knights jumped out to a 14-0 lead with two Myles Montgomery touchdown runs in the first half.

Traditions and Game Day Experience

Tailgating before Knights football games is one of the most celebrated traditions at UCF. It offers a special time for reunions of family, friends and alumni. UCF is pleased to host these gatherings and welcome all of our guests to campus. We expect all fans to celebrate responsibly and adhere to the rules while on campus. Whether you’re attending your first Knights game or have been a longtime season ticket holder, there’s a lot to know about game day on campus. Protecting campus is the UCF Police Department’s top priority, so if you see activity that looks suspicious, say something. From the first kickoff on a converted cow pasture to buzzer-beater shots, grand slams and championship cheer routines, UCF Knights have been building momentum on the field and the court since our athletic debut. And whether we were underdogs or the overwhelming favorites, you’ve been cheering us on every step of the way. The Charge On Fund is your way to provide unrestricted charitable support for UCF Athletics and maintain the significant momentum built over the past years. Embrace the electric atmosphere with several official tailgating spots around campus - Memory Mall being the most iconic. Celebrate responsibly. Let’s pack the Bounce House! A fan favorite since debuting in 2017, this matchup honors UCF’s origin story as SpaceU - founded to fuel our nation’s space program and help put humans on the moon.

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