UCF’s Malzahn fires defensive coordinator and will no longer calls offensive plays for Knights

By PHILIP ROSSMAN-REICH The Associated Press

Central Florida head coach Gus Malzahn, right, stands next to a referee, left, while a play is reviewed during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Kevin Kolczynski]

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — In the middle of a five-game losing streak, UCF coach Gus Malzahn made some major changes to the coaching staff, firing defensive coordinator Ted Roof and ceding play-calling responsibility to offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr. The Knights have struggled on both sides of the football and have started four different quarterbacks in eight games this season as they look for traction in their second season in the Big 12. Malzahn says “I’m a football coach first, but as a leader and as a head coach, you’ve got to do what’s best for your team.”