Jovan Dewitt joined the UCF football coaching staff in January of 2016, serving as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for the Knights. He was named Associate Head Coach prior to the 2017 season.
Dewitt's linebackers helped the UCF defense to an impressive 2016. The Knights led the American Athletic Conference in five defensive statistical categories, ranked second in the nation in red zone defense and third in the nation with five defensive touchdowns.
Under Dewitt's leadership linebacker Shaquem Griffin had a breakout season in 2016. Griffin recorded 92 tackles, 20 tackles-for-loss and 11.5 sacks on his way to earning 2016 American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors. Griffin was 12th in the nation with 0.88 sacks per game and 13th with 1.5 tackles-for-loss per contest.
Griffin and the linebackers continued their outstanding play in 2017. Griffin recodred another great season as a senior. He was named a Second Team All-America performer by the American Football Coaches Association. Griffin was also the only unanimous First Team selection on the All-American Athletic Conference team (offense or defense).
In addition to Griffin, senior linebacker Chequan Burkett was named to The American's second team all-conference squad.
Dewitt is also responsible for special teams at UCF. The 2017 specialty units were outstanding. Punter Mac Loudermilk, placekicker Matthew Wright and kick returner Mike Hughes all earned second-team all-conference honors. In addition, Hughes was named Second Team All-America as a kick returner by both the Football Writers Association of America and the American Football Coaches Association.
For the 2017 season, UCF ranked No. 6 in the nation in punt returns and No. 9 in kickoff returns.
Dewitt ventured to Orlando after two years at Army West Point. With Army, Dewitt was its special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach from 2014-15. The Black Knights' special teams units combined to block seven kicks in those two seasons, while punter Alex Tardieu followed up an impressive junior campaign by having just two touchbacks on 50 punts in 2015. He also landed 13 boots inside the 20 with four punts going at least 50 yards.
Dewitt's first coaching stop in the Sunshine State came with Florida Atlantic as the Owls' linebackers coach from 2012-13. In his final year, he took over as defensive coordinator midway through the season, and FAU finished ranked 11th in the country in total defense. The Owls also ranked second in passing defense and eighth in first downs defense.
The 2013 FAU squad posted a school record 32 sacks, and cornerback D'Joun Smith was third in the nation in interceptions and No. 2 in passes defended.
When Frost jumped from Northern Iowa's defensive coordinator position to serve as Oregon's wide receivers coach for the 2009 season, Dewitt took over as UNI's defensive coordinator. The Panthers reached the FCS playoffs in two of Dewitt's three seasons, and they went 24-11 from 2009-11 highlighted by a No. 6 national ranking in 2011.
At Northern Iowa, Dewitt coached LJ Fort who was a six-time All-American and the runner-up for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is given to the best defensive player at the FCS level. Fort was the Sporting News Player of the Year as well.
Dewitt entered the coaching ranks as a student assistant with the defensive line at his alma mater, Northern Michigan, in 1997. He then made two return stops in the Upper Peninsula with the Wildcats (2000-01 and 2004-05), while he also coached at Ft. Scott Community College (2002), Fairmont State (2003) and St. Norbert (2006-08).
Receiving his bachelor's degree in physics and mathematics from Northern Michigan in 1999, Dewitt was a two-time All-American and the 1996 Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He was invited to the New Orleans Saints camp after graduation, and played three years in the Arena Football League with the Iowa Barnstormers, Orlando Predators and the Fargo Freeze.
A native of Milwaukee, Wis., Dewitt and his wife, Lisa, have two daughters, Maya and Kira, and a son, Jovan Jr.
Coaching Experience
1997 -- Northern Michigan -- Student Assistant/Defensive Line
2000-01 -- Northern Michigan -- Graduate Assistant/Running Backs/Academic Coordinator
2002 -- Fort Scott Community College -- Assistant Coach
2003 -- Fairmont State -- Assistant Coach/Special Teams
2004-05 -- Northern Michigan -- Defensive Coordinator
2006-08 -- St. Norbert -- Defensive Coordinator
2009-11 -- Northern Iowa -- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers
2012-13 -- Florida Atlantic --Linebackers/Interim Defensive Coordinator (2013)
2014-15 -- Army -- Special Teams Coordinator/Outside Linebackers
2016-present -- UCF -- Linebackers/Special Teams Coordinator
As of December 2017