Jan. 19, 2012
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF head football coach George O'Leary announced the hiring of Allen Mogridge as the Knights' special teams and tight ends coach as well as Tyson Summers as defensive assistant coach. Current linebackers coach Jim Fleming also takes the reigns as UCF's defensive coordinator.
Mogridge spent the previous three seasons as special teams and tight ends coach with North Carolina where the Tar Heels advanced to a bowl game each year from 2009-11. Meanwhile, Summers had been on UAB's staff since December 2006 as the Blazers' linebackers coach and most recently as their safeties coach and co-special teams coordinator. And Fleming was added to UCF's staff in December 2011 after working at Kent State in 2010 and as Akron's defensive coordinator from 2004-09.
More on Allen Mogridge
Also working as UNC's recruiting coordinator, Mogridge helped guide the Tar Heels to the 2009 Meineke Car Care Bowl, a double-overtime victory over Tennessee in the 2010 Music City Bowl and a berth in the Independence Bowl this past season.
A 1999 graduate of North Carolina, Mogridge's 2011 tight ends combined for 33 receptions for 488 yards and two touchdowns. In 2010, they led the ACC with 85 catches, highlighted by Ryan Taylor's 36 and Zack Pianalto's 30. At UCF, both of those numbers would rank in the top four as only two tight ends for the Knights have registered at least 30 receptions in a single-season (Don Grayson with 50 in 1987 and John Osborne with 31 in 1988). Pianalto holds UNC's career record with 94 catches by a tight end and played in 13 games for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2011, while Taylor was picked in the seventh round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers.
On special teams in 2011, North Carolina ranked 11th in the nation by allowing just 4.63 yards per punt return, and 23rd in the FBS by permitting opposing kick returners to average only 19.54 yards per attempt. In Mogridge's first year, the Tar Heels were 19th in the country in punt returns and 18th in punt return defense.
Mogridge was on the coaching staff at the University at Buffalo from 2004-08 where he led the running backs before ending his stint leading the offensive line and serving as the Bulls' recruiting coordinator. Current UCF running backs coach Danny Barrett was at Buffalo from 2007-09 as an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach.
While in Buffalo, Mogridge coached freshman running back James Starks to the All-MAC Second Team in 2006 - the first time a UB freshman earned all-league honors. Starks went on to become the school's first 1,000-yard rusher (in the FBS era) a year later. During that 2007 season, the offensive line paved the way for a school FBS record 291 points and 258 completions by quarterback Drew Willy. On the O-line was center Jamey Richard, who was an All-MAC honoree and eventually taken in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.
In Mogridge's final season, Buffalo claimed the 2008 MAC title with a victory over heavily-favored Ball State and earned the school's second bowl berth.
Mogridge spent one year as a strength and conditioning coach at UNC while pursuing his master's degree. He also worked in the Carolina Panthers 2000 training camp before playing for one year in the Arena Football League with the Carolina Cobras. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant on defense at Buffalo from 2001-02, helping the Bulls jump from near the bottom of total defense to 45th in the nation in 2001. He then helped lead Western Carolina as its defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator in 2003.
Mogridge lettered at North Carolina from 1996-99 while playing four different positions - tight end, fullback, offensive tackle and defensive end. He earned the Kenan Award for Leadership as a senior, and went to four bowl games highlighted by the 1996 and 1997 Gator Bowls. UNC was a combined 21-3 over those two seasons and finished No. 4 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll in 1997.
A native of Maryville, Tenn., Mogridge earned his bachelor's degree in history in 1999, and married the former Jennifer Carpenter. The couple has two daughters, Livi and Izzy, and is expecting their third this weekend, Lola Sofia.
Allen Mogridge at a GlanceHometown - Maryville, Tenn.Wife - JenniferChildren - Daughters Livi, Izzy, Lola SofiaCollege - North Carolina (1999)Playing Experience - North Carolina - tight end, fullback, offensive tackle, defensive end from 1996-99Coaching Experience:2001-02 - Buffalo, graduate assistant coach/defense2003 - Western Carolina, defensive ends/recruiting coordinator2004-05 - Buffalo, running backs2006-08 - Buffalo, offensive line/recruiting coordinator2009-11 - North Carolina, tight ends/special teams/recruiting coordinator="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMore%20on%20%3Ca%20href="http://www.ucfathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/summers_tyson00.html">Tyson Summers
In his first year working with the UAB safeties in 2011, Summers helped mentor Jamie Bender in his senior season as he led the Blazers with 119 tackles while also posting 7.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, six break-ups and four forced fumbles. Bender would be voted onto the All-C-USA Second Team for that performance. And on special teams, UAB ranked 17th in the nation by allowing just 4.71 yards per punt return, while freshman kicker Ty Long was named a 2011 Freshman All-American by Phil Steele's College Football Preview.
| Tyson Summers is very familiar with C-USA after working at UAB from 2007-11. |
Summers took over UAB's linebackers in 2007, where Joe Henderson was named to the All-C-USA Second Team. In 2008, Henderson climbed up to the first team thanks to a team-high 87 tackles as well as 12.5 tackles for loss, and went on to play for the BC Lions of the CFL from 2010-11. With a new wave of linebackers under Summers' control in 2010, Marvin Burdette paced the Blazers with 114 tackles en route to All-C-USA Honorable Mention accolades. While Summers was with UAB, kicker Swayze Waters was an All-C-USA First Team pick in 2007 and 2008, and has appeared in NFL preseason games highlighted by a stint with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011.
Hailing from Tifton, Ga., Summers coached the safeties at Georgia Southern in 2006 a year after serving as a graduate assistant for Georgia in 2005. That season the Bulldogs won the SEC title and earned a berth in the Sugar Bowl. Summers worked with the secondary and witnessed three UGA defensive backs get selected in the NFL Draft: Tim Jennings (second round, First-Team All-SEC), DeMario Minter (fifth round, First-Team All-SEC) and Greg Blue (fifth round, First-Team All-American).
During the 2004 season Summers was a graduate assistant at Troy, which reached the postseason and the Silicon Valley Classic, and in 2003 he helped guide the defensive backs at Presbyterian. Summers earned his first coaching position at Tift County High School in Georgia where he was taking care of the defensive backs in 2002.
A four-year letterwinner at Presbyterian, Summers earned All-South Atlantic honors as a linebacker in 1999 and was selected as team captain as a senior. He received his bachelor's degree in political science from Presbyterian in 2002.
Summers is married to the former Beth King, and the couple has two sons, Jake and Walker. Summers' father was a running back at the University of Florida.
Tyson Summers at a GlanceHometown - Tifton, Ga.Wife - BethChildren - Sons Jake and WalkerCollege - Presbyterian (2002)Playing Experience - Presbyterian - linebacker from 1998-01Coaching Experience:2002 - Tift County High School (Ga.), assistant coach/defensive backs2003 - Presbyterian, defensive backs2004 - Troy, graduate assistant/wide receivers2005 - Georgia, graduate assistant/defensive backs2006 - Georgia Southern, safeties2007-10 - UAB, linebackers2011 - UAB, safeties/co-special teams coordinator="https://ucfknights.com/http:%3E%3C/pre%3E%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMore%20on%20%3Ca%20href="http://www.ucfathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/fleming_jim00.html">Jim Fleming
Fleming, who played against UCF while with the University of the South during the Knights' inaugural season in 1979, has 15 years of experience as a defensive coordinator and will be entering his 26th season overall as a collegiate coach.
| Jim Fleming was hired by the Knights in December 2011. |
Fleming's linebackers at Kent State prospered all season long in 2010. Middle linebacker Cobrani Mixon earned a spot on the All-Mid-American Conference First Team by collecting 11.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles and 82 overall tackles, while All-MAC Third Team selection Dorian Wood led the Golden Flashes with 96 tackles and had 11.5 tackles for loss. And Luke Batton delivered 68 tackles at the other outside linebacker position.
Fleming ventured to Kent State following six campaigns at Akron, and along with serving as the Zips' defensive coordinator, he also mentored the safeties. Under Fleming, the defense produced four All-MAC honorees, including the league's second-leading tackler in freshman Brian Wagner and just the program's second three-time All-MAC selection in Almondo Sewell. Fleming's defenses at Akron consistently performed among the nation's best, ranking 32nd in total defense in 2005 when the Zips claimed their first MAC Championship and bowl bid, and 31st in passing defense in 2009.
Prior to Akron, Fleming spent two years (2002-03) as the defensive backs coach at North Carolina. That stint came after two seasons as the head coach of Sacred Heart where he led the Pioneers to a 21-1 record, including a perfect 11-0 mark in 2001 that earned the Sports Network's Division I-AA mid-major national championship. During their championship run, the Pioneers ranked second in the nation in scoring, pass efficiency and turnover margin, fourth in total defense and seventh in scoring defense and passing yards allowed. Fleming was named the Northeast Conference Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2001 after Sacred Heart won only two games in the season prior to his arrival. In his first season at the school he led a turnaround from 2-9 in 1999, to 10-1 and a No. 5 national ranking in 2000.
A native of New York, N.Y., Fleming also spent two years as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Villanova (1998-99) and four years (1994-97) coaching linebackers (1994) and defensive backs (1995-97) at East Carolina. His 1997 squad ranked second in Conference USA in pass defense, while in 1995, the Pirates finished 9-3 and earned a berth in the Liberty Bowl where they defeated Stanford, 19-13. That season, the ECU defense ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense, producing 33 takeaways and 19 interceptions.
Fleming spent the 1993 campaign as the defensive coordinator at Brown where the team went from 0-10 and last place in the Ivy League, to 4-6 and a tie for fourth place in the conference. From 1987-92, he had a successful six-year stretch at Boise State, including the final three seasons as defensive coordinator. His 1991 Broncos' defense led the nation in rushing defense and was third in turnover margin, and led the Big Sky Conference in every statistical category. In 1990, BSU finished 10-4 and advanced to the semifinals of the Division I-AA playoffs, leading the conference in scoring defense.
Fleming is a 1982 graduate of the University of the South with a degree in English. While there, he was a four-year starter in football and baseball, earning all-conference honors as a tight end in 1981. Fleming began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at South Carolina in 1985.
He and his wife, Leslie, have four children, Jimmy, Will, Kate and Meg. Will is currently a tight end for Akron where he posted four receptions for 51 yards in his redshirt sophomore season in 2011.
Jim Fleming at a GlanceHometown - New York, N.Y.Wife - LeslieChildren - Jimmy, Will, Kate and MegCollege - University of the South (1982)Playing Experience - University of the South - tight end from 1978-81Coaching Experience:1985-86 - South Carolina, graduate assistant1987-88 - Boise State, tight ends/wide receivers1989 - Boise State, defensive backs1990-92 - Boise State, defensive coordinator1993 - Brown, defensive coordinator1994-97 - East Carolina, linebackers (1994) & defensive backs (1995-97)1998-99 - Villanova, defensive coordinator/defensive backs2000-01 - Sacred Heart, head coach2002-03 - North Carolina, defensive backs2004-09 - Akron, defensive coordinator/secondary2010 - Kent State, linebackers="http:>