Mike Buscemi traveled back to Orlando in 2013 following one season as a defensive graduate assistant at Pittsburgh, and guided the Knights' special teams from 2013-14. In 2015, he became the director of player personnel and then added special teams duties midway through the season.
UCF's kickoff returns consistently ranked in the top 10 in the nation at the end of the 2014 season, and it ended with a 26.6 average. Michael Easton returned his first career kick 96 yards for a touchdown vs. SMU, while Rannell Hall (27.5) and Jordan Akins (24.2) both averaged at least 24 yards per return.
In the kicking game in 2014, Shawn Moffitt ended his career as UCF's all-time points leader, amassing 314 points in Black and Gold. With a talented group in 2014, the Knights went 9-4, earned a spot in the Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl and won its second consecutive American Athletic Conference title.
The special teams units in 2013 helped spark UCF to a 12-1 record, a No. 10 ranking to end the year, a league title and a victory in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Along the way, the Knights earned their first wins over top-10 teams (No. 6/5 Baylor and No. 8/6 Louisville) as well as their first triumphs against Big Ten (Penn State) and Big 12 (Baylor) programs.
A Lou Groza Award semifinalist, Moffitt set a school record with 21 field goals in 2013 as well as a 91.3 conversion percentage en route to leading the team with 112 points.
Buscemi first joined the UCF football program as a walk-on in 2004, and quickly evolved into one of the most reliable long snappers in school history. He snapped on punts in 2005 before being responsible for all snapping duties in 2006 and 2007. During that 2006 campaign, he was voted on to the All-Conference USA Second Team before climbing even higher to the first team in 2007.
After his collegiate career, the native of Plantation, Fla., stayed on with the Knights as an offensive graduate assistant from 2008-09. Buscemi then transitioned to North Carolina where he was a quality control assistant from 2010-11.
While at Pittsburgh in 2012, Buscemi helped the Panthers rank 17th in the nation in total defense, 23rd in scoring defense, 20th in passing defense and 31st in rushing defense.
Combining his playing career with his coaching experience, Buscemi has helped guide his teams to seven bowl games in the last nine seasons, including four with UCF highlighted by the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in the 2013 campaign. He also assisted UNC in reaching the 2010 Music City Bowl and the 2011 Independence Bowl, while Pittsburgh took part in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
A graduate of Western High School in Davie, Fla., Buscemi was coached by his father Ray Buscemi (defensive coordinator) en route to all-state third-team honors. He boasts two degrees from UCF as he earned his undergraduate degree in criminal justice in Dec. 2006 and his master's degree in sports and fitness in May 2008.
Buscemi at a Glance
Hometown - Plantation, Fla.
College - UCF (B.S. 2006)
Playing Experience - UCF, LS 2004-07
Coaching Experience:
2015 - UCF - Special Teams Coach/Director of Player Personnel
2013-14 - UCF - Special Teams Coach
2012 - Pittsburgh - Defensive Graduate Assistant
2010-11 - North Carolina - Quality Control Assistant
2008-09 - UCF - Offensive Graduate Assistant