Ryan Callaghan returns to UCF Football as Senior Director of Football Operations and Recruiting. He spent seven seasons at Nebraska from 2018 to 2024. He finished his time in Lincoln as the Huskers' director of recruiting systems and strategies in 2023 and 2024. Callaghan was Nebraska's associate director of player personnel in 2022 after serving as the assistant director of player personnel in his first four years on staff. Callaghan helped the Huskers sign three top-20 recruiting classes and five top-25 classes.
Previously, Callaghan had spent his entire career at UCF. Callaghan served as UCF’s assistant director of player personnel for two seasons in 2016 and 2017. Callaghan was a full-time UCF recruiting assistant in 2015. He previously worked as a Knights’ football student equipment manager for six seasons from 2009 to 2014, and pulled double duty for his final four years by also interning and volunteering in the Knights’ recruiting office.
Callaghan was associated with four UCF teams that won conference titles and three Knight teams that won at least 11 games. In his final season in Orlando, UCF won its third American Athletic Conference title. The Knights were the nation's only undefeated team in 2017 and ended the year with a No. 6 final ranking after defeating Auburn in the Peach Bowl.
Callaghan earned his bachelor’s degree in business management from UCF in 2012 and his master’s degree in business administration in 2014.