UCF fires defensive coordinator Ted Roof

UCF is firing defensive coordinator Ted Roof with four games remaining in the season, a source tells On3. The Knights have lost five straight games and are allowing 30.6 points per game, which ranks 107th in the nation. UCF is 1-4 in the Big 12 this season and ranks in the bottom half of the conference in total defense.

UCF informed players at a meeting at roughly 9 a.m. ET on Monday, a source told On3. The former Oklahoma defensive coordinator joined Gus Malzahn’s coaching staff in January 2024 as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. UCF has allowed 75 points in its last two games.

The Knights allowed just 196.7 passing yards per game in 2023, the fewest in the Big 12. Roof was fired by Oklahoma in January and hired by Malzahn a week later. The UCF defense is allowing 5.6 yards per play this season.

A three-time nominee for the Broyles Award, Roof was previously the head coach at Duke and has made stops at Georgia Tech, Minnesota, Auburn, Penn State and Clemson. The 60-year-old defensive coordinator was in his second stint at UCF after spending the 2011 season in Orlando.

UCF has dropped 12 of its last 18 and is on a five-game losing streak for the second time in the last two seasons. The Knights are coming off a 37-24 loss to No. 9 BYU, where they allowed scoring drives of 75, 72, 69 and 92 yards.

“Yeah, we’ve got to get off the field. I mean, they had two 90-yard drives,” Malzahn said after the BYU loss. “You go first time, it’s a fourth and about a yard, maybe a yard and a half early in the game, and you’ve got a chance. Hey, do you go for it, or do you try to pin them? We pinned them, and then they drove the field and scored a touchdown. I mean, we’ve got to correct that. I mean, we’ve got to correct that. Got to get off the field.”

UCF hosts Arizona on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The Knights are 3-5 on the year and still seeking bowl eligibility.