Mark D'Onofrio, who has more than 20 years of experience coaching at the FBS level, has been named UCF’s linebackers coach, head coach Scott Frost announced Friday, Jan. 24. D’Onofrio joins the Knights after spending the previous two seasons working with the inside linebackers at Stanford.
“I'm thrilled to join Scott Frost's staff at UCF,” said D’Onofrio. “It's an incredible opportunity to be part of a program with a strong vision and commitment to excellence. I'm deeply grateful to Coach Frost and Alex Grinch for trusting me with this responsibility, and I can't wait to get to work!”
In addition to his expertise coaching linebackers, D’Onofrio has also coordinated defenses with 12 years as a defensive coordinator at three different schools. He has coached and recruited numerous all-conference selections and NFL Draft picks, including 10 players that were taken in the first three rounds of the draft, most notably Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman, who he coached at Miami, and Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, who he recruited to Coral Gables.
Responsible for all defensive run-game planning, D’Onofrio helped Stanford improve its run defense nearly 100 spots in his two seasons with the program, as the Cardinal ranked 126th nationally (224.4) prior to his arrival and ended the 2024 campaign at No. 40 with 132.9 rushing yards per game. Stanford’s run defense was the best it had been since the 2014 campaign. With his linebackers leading the way, Stanford held teams to fewer than 100 yards rushing seven times in two seasons, after the program had not accomplished the feat in the three years prior.
Under his direction, linebacker Gaethan Bernadel led Stanford in tackles in consecutive seasons, recording 85 in 2024 and 87 in 2023. Bernadel was a Pac-12 All-Conference selection in 2023 and was tabbed to the 2024 Preseason Butkus Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation’s top linebacker.
Stanford ranked 21st nationally last season in forced fumbles, improving nearly 80 spots in two seasons in turnovers gained with D’Onofrio’s assistance.
In 2022, he helped the Wisconsin defense rank 10th in total defense (303.5 ypg), eighth in rushing defense (99.2 ypg) and fourth nationally at just 2.91 yards per rush attempt. Under D’Onofrio, junior linebacker Maema Njongmeta was named third team All-Big Ten after leading the Badgers with 95 tackles. He added 11.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks, five QB hurries, one interception and one pass breakup. All that coming just one season after he totaled just four tackles on 50 defensive snaps in 2021.
Prior to joining Wisconsin’s staff, D’Onofrio spent 12 seasons as a defensive coordinator, spanning his time at Temple, Miami and Houston, where he helped develop 20 NFL draft picks.
In his first season at Houston, D’Onofrio’s defense ranked second in the American Athletic Conference in scoring defense at 23.8 points per game, despite facing four of the nation’s top-12 scoring offenses and five of the top 23. Houston also finished second in the AAC in rushing defense (147.9 yards per game), pass efficiency defense (121.5) and red zone defense (77.1 percent). Inside linebacker D’Juan Hines received first team all-conference honors as he finished third in the AAC with 110 tackles.
D’Onofrio followed head coach Al Golden from Temple to Miami, where his prized pupil was linebacker Denzel Perryman, a Dick Butkus Award semifinalist in 2013 and 2014 and the first Hurricanes player since 2007 to earn AP All-America honors. A second-round pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2015, Perryman ranked sixth in the league with 154 tackles this season and was voted to the Pro Bowl.
His 2015 defense at Miami ranked third in the ACC with 25 turnovers gained, while his 2014 defense was fourth in the ACC in total defense, holding nine opponents below 250 yards passing and five teams to less than 100 yards rushing. His 2013 defense was among the nation’s best in takeaways, finishing the year with 27, while the 2011 defense finished the season ninth in the nation in red zone defense and 21st in scoring defense.
At Temple, he transformed a defense that ranked last in the NCAA upon his arrival to 17th in 2010 and helped the Owls become bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.
D’Onofrio starred as a linebacker at Penn State from 1988-91 and was named team captain as a senior. He was selected in the second round (No. 34 overall pick) of the 1992 NFL Draft by Green Bay and earned a starting role at inside linebacker as a rookie before an injury prematurely ended his professional career.
D’Onofrio and his wife, Lucia, are the parents of sons Jack and Thomas.