UCF Coach Invited To Coaches Leadership Institute
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UCF Knights defensive backs coach Brandon Harris is hitting the books this offseason, at least for a day.
On Monday morning, Harris was one of 35 coaches selected for the American Football Coaches Association's 2026 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, a one-day program that features "a curriculum of interactive lectures focused on topics specifically tailored to emphasize leadership in the coaching profession, ethics, influential responsibilities, career progression, and family balance," according to the AFCA's website.
Making moves 📈
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All coaches under the age of 35, ranging from high school head coaches to any full-time assistant or head coach of JUCO, NAIA or NCAA schools aged 35 or younger, are eligible for the program, according to the AFCA's website. Applicants had to submit a resume, five references and either a 1,600-word article or a ten-minute live instructional video of "an offensive, defensive, special teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant’s choosing."
Other coaches accepted into the program include Skyler Cassity, North Texas defensive coordinator; Rob Greene, Texas Tech safeties coach; Kyle Barnes, James Madison's nickel backs coach; Ghaali Muhammad-Lankford, Vanderbilt's running backs coach and Ty Nichols, North Carolina's outside linebackers coach.
“I’m thankful to be named to such a prestigious list, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow and develop as a coach and teacher," Harris said in a UCF Athletics release.
Harris' defensive backs got the Knights ranked 25th in the nation in fewest passing yards allowed, 48th in the nation in team passing efficiency defense and helped get them to 38th in the nation in total defense. Among those defensive backs is Phillip Dunnam, who transferred in from Florida Atlantic, became the first Knight to get three interceptions in a single game this season and recently declared for the 2026 NFL Draft.
Ever since Harris began his coaching career back in 2019, all of his stops have been schools in the state of Florida, the same state where he went to college at Miami (FL) where he was a two-time All-ACC selection and a third-team All-American back in 2009.
His arrival at UCF came in the wake of his older brother, Tim Harris Jr., spending the 2024 season as the Knights' offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. Harris Jr. was also UCF's co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach from 2021-2022.
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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