Tumpkin joined the UCF coaching staff on Jan. 14, taking over as linebackers coach.
UCF will be the second Conference USA school the veteran coach has served at as he comes to Orlando from SMU where he spent three seasons coaching linebackers at the Dallas-based institution.
During his time on the Hilltop, he helped guide an SMU defense that led C-USA and ranked 24th in the nation against the run in 2006. While at SMU, he aided in the development of All-Conference linebacker Reggie Carrington.
Prior to his time at SMU, he spent three seasons at Sam Houston State coaching the Bearkat linebackers from 2002-03 and the second in 2004. Sam Houston State shared the 2004 Southland Conference championship. Under his tutelage, middle linebacker T. J. Dibble earned consecutive All-Conference honors and Paul Donelson was named All-Conference and All-American.
Tumpkin[apos]s other coaching stints include two years as defensive coordinator at Division III Lakeland College (2000-01), two years as the linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Illinois (1998-99) and one season coaching the linebackers at Defiance College (1996).
He also has served as a graduate assistant at Lakeland (1994), Northern Michigan (1995) and Western Michigan (1997).
During his collegiate playing days, Tumpkin was a four-year letterwinner and team captain at Michigan Tech. He earned a bachelor[apos]s degree from Michigan Tech in 1994.
Tumpkin and his wife Maria have two sons, Christopher and Nikolas.