UCF has confirmed the addition of Paul Ferraro as defensive coordinator for the 2014 season. George O’Leary announced the addition on Saturday. Ferraro joins the Golden Knights after a couple of years with Maine.
“I’m excited for the opportunity to join Coach O’Leary here at UCF, especially after the outstanding season they have had. It’s great to be back coaching with him, and I look forward to having continued success here,” Ferraro said in an emailed statement released by the football program. “With Coach O’Leary being at UCF, I’ve been following the program over the years, and I coached against the Knights while I was with Bowling Green.”
O’Leary and Ferraro have worked together a few times before this. Ferraro was a defensive backs coach for Georgia Tech when O’Leary was the head coach of the Yellow Jackets. Ferraro also served as a graduate assistant for Syracuse when O’Leary was a defensive line coach in 1983.
“I go back to the 1980s with Paul as far as a coach and he worked for me at Georgia Tech as a secondary coach for two years,” said O’Leary. “I’m very happy to have him on board. He’s on the trip right now but he is more to be seen not heard. Anything he sees or could help us on, of course I want some advice. He has a lot of experience.”
Ferraro is replacing Jim Flemming, who has accepted a head coaching offer at Rhode Island. Flemming will not coach the Knights in the Fiesta Bowl and although Ferraro will join the team in Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl he will not coach the game either.
Photo credit: Maine Athletics