Former UCF Offensive Coordinator Charlie Taaffe Dies

Former UCF offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Charlie Taaffe--who spent six years in that role from 2009-14 and helped the Knights to three conference titles (2010-13-14)—has died in Orlando after a battle with cancer. He was 69.
 
Previously head coach at The Citadel for 10 years (1987-96), Taaffe helped the Knights win 55 combined contests and claim three bowl victories in five postseason games in his half-dozen years in Orlando. He played a key role in building the Knights' offensive fortunes under head coach George O'Leary while also mentoring all-star UCF quarterback Blake Bortles.
 
"Charlie was a very close and respected dear friend," said O'Leary. "When I think about him, I think job well done as a husband to his wife Jan, job well done as a parent to his son Brian and job well done as a professional in the sport of football.
 
"He always had a sharp pencil. He could always dissect any offense. He was a good human being who will be sorely missed by a lot of people."
 
After retiring from UCF, Taaffe spent the 2015 season serving as Marc Daniels' analyst on UCF football radio broadcasts. Added Daniels, "He was a great friend and a great coach, someone I always respected a great deal. I always enjoyed the football conversations I had with him over the years, both on and off the air."
 
Taaffe's work helped the Knights finish 11-3 and win the 2010 Conference USA title to go with a Liberty Bowl victory over Georgia in the first bowl win in UCF history. In UCF's final year in Conference USA in 2012, he and the Knights (10-4) claimed a division title and a Beef O'Brady's Bowl triumph over Ball State.
 
In 2013, Taaffe and UCF finished 12-1, won the first of successive American Athletic Conference crowns and knocked off fifth-rated Baylor 52-42 in the Fiesta Bowl. That season saw UCF ranked in the final polls for the first time (10th by Associated Press). Adding another feather to Taaffe's offensive cap, Knights' signal-caller Bortles would go on to be drafted third overall in the 2014 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
 
The Knights won the AAC crown again in 2014 and appeared in the St Petersburg Bowl, finishing 9-4. Taaffe's first season at UCF in 2009 also featured a St. Petersburg Bowl berth and an 8-5 record.
 
Taaffe came to Orlando after spending two seasons (2007-08) in the Canadian Football League where he served as the head coach of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He also was head coach of the CFL Montreal Alouettes from 1999-00.
While serving as Montreal's head coach, Taaffe was the CFL Coach of the Year in both 1999 and 2000. Montreal advanced to the CFL East Division title game in 1999. In his final campaign with the Alouettes, Taaffe guided the squad to the 2000 Grey Cup final. Taaffe also worked as the team's offensive coordinator from 1997-98 before taking over as head coach.
 
Taaffe also coached full-time on the college level from 2001-05, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Maryland. In his first campaign with the Terrapins, he helped guide the program to the 2001 Atlantic Coast Conference title and a spot in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Taaffe spent the 2006 season at Pittsburgh as an offensive assistant.
 
From 1987-96, he posted a 55-47-1 mark as head coach at The Citadel, winning more games than any other head coach at the college. His best year came in 1992 when the Bulldogs went 11-2, advancing to the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals. That year, The Citadel concluded the regular season ranked No. 1 in the nation and Taaffe was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. Four of his squads were ranked in the final FCS poll. In both 1988 and 1990 Taaffe was named both the Southern Conference Coach of the Year and the Kodak Region II Coach of the Year.
 
Taaffe was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and running backs coach at various points in his tenure at Army from 1981-86. Taaffe's time at West Point included berths in the 1984 Cherry Bowl and the 1985 Peach Bowl, the only time that the Black Knights had played in consecutive bowl games. Taaffe was also an assistant at Virginia (1976-80), North Carolina State (1975), Georgia Tech (1974) and Albany (1973).
 
After starting his collegiate career at Clemson, Taaffe played quarterback at Siena from 1970-72. He received his bachelor's degree in education in 1973 and was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame in 1990.
 
Taaffe is survived by his wife, Jan, and a son, Brian, who was a quarterback for the Knights in 2009.