Miami’s Travis Williams leaves to become UCF’s defensive coordinator after only 17 days
Travis Williams’ 17-day tenure as the inside linebackers coach of the Miami Hurricanes is officially over. The assistant coach is joining the UCF Knights as their defensive coordinator.
UCF announced the hire Wednesday, less than two days after the Knights hired Gus Malzahn as their new coach. Williams was previously Malzahn’s linebackers coach for the Auburn Tigers before Auburn fired Malzahn late last year and opted not to retain Williams. Reports immediately started linking Williams with the coordinator job and ESPN reported Tuesday that Williams was headed to Orlando.
“My family and I are excited to now be a part of the UCF family,” Williams said in a press release on the Knights’ website. “I’m blessed to have the opportunity to serve the young men in our program. I can’t wait to work alongside Coach Malzahn again. He is a great man and a great coach.”
Miami officially announced the hire of Williams on Feb. 1, rounding out a defensive coach staff with four new assistant coaches. He succeeded former defensive coordinator Blake Baker, who left to become the LSU Tigers’ linebackers coach last month after coach Manny Diaz effectively demoted him to inside linebackers coach by stripping him of playcalling duties.
Less than three weeks later, the Hurricanes are once again looking for a replacement.
“I’ve heard the speculation that Travis would have an opportunity to become defensive coordinator and work with Coach Malzahn at Central Florida. When you look at it from that perspective, it’s an opportunity for him to further his situation,” athletic director Blake James said Tuesday. “As you know, that’s not his role here with us. Anytime someone leaves, you’re disappointed. The timing though — it’s part of the industry that we live in. It’d be hypocritical to question it in one case, but be happy and fine with it when it benefits you in another.”
Williams was a co-defensive coordinator for Malzahn at Auburn, but did not hold a coordinator title for the Hurricanes.
With Williams’ departure, Miami has had five defensive position coaches move on this offseason. In addition to Baker and Williams leaving for new jobs, former safeties coach Ephraim Banda is now the Utah State Aggies’ defensive coordinator, former cornerbacks coach Mike Rumph is now an assistant recruiting director and former defensive line coach Todd Stroud is now a senior football advisor.
Williams’ hire with the Knights likely spells the end for defensive coordinator Randy Shannon at UCF. Shannon — who coached with the Hurricanes for all but three years from 1991-2010, including four seasons as coach — has been the Knights defensive coordinator since 2018. He has one year left on his contract and Rivals.com reported he is due 100 percent of his remaining salary if he is let go, although he does have an offset clause, meaning UCF only would owe him the difference between his new salary and his old one if he finds a new job.
This story was originally published February 17, 2021 at 10:42 AM.
