After a 3-0 start to the season, the UCF Knights were riding high as their second season in the Big 12 was set to get underway.
Unfortunately the team, the bottom fell out. After closing nonconference play with a loss to in-state rival Florida Gators, UCF started Big 12 play by losing their first four games (and counting) to fall to 3-5 on the season.
The latest loss came in a 37-24 drubbing at the hands of the BYU Cougars on Saturday in Orlando, after which fans chanted for the firing of head coach Gus Malzahn.
While Malzahn’s job is safe for now, UCF did make a coaching change Monday morning.
On3’s Pete Nakos reported that UCF would be parting ways with defensive coordinator Ted Roof.
UCF is firing defensive coordinator Ted Roof, a source tells @On3sports.
The Knights have lost five straight games and are allowing 30.6 points per game, which ranks 107th in the nation. Roof was hired in January.
More: https://t.co/jj0KnYFZh2 pic.twitter.com/4aLiKclcx4
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos_) October 28, 2024
Roof had been with the Knights since the beginning of the 2024 season, and it was his second stint as UCF’s defensive coordinator. He also served in the role during the 2011 season, before leaving to take the same job with Penn State.
Roof has made ten different stops as defensive coordinator since 1999 and was the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils from midway through the 2003 season until 2007, where he went 6-45 and didn’t win an ACC game in his final three seasons.
UCF returns to action on November 2 when they host the Arizona Wildcats.
