UCF Hires New Defensive Backs Coach
In this story:
The UCF Knights are bringing in North Dakota State's Will Johnson to be their new defensive backs coach, per CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz on Wednesday morning.
UCF is set to hire North Dakota State’s Will Johnson as a defensive backs coach, sources tell @CBSSports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 17, 2025
The ex-Oklahoma cornerback helped North Dakota St. win 26 games the last two years and the 2024 FCS national title. Previously was an assistant DB coach at USC and Oklahoma. pic.twitter.com/wkea0plOKh
Johnson has served as North Dakota State's cornerbacks coach for the last two seasons, taking up the post in 2024. He is coming off a season in which the Bison led the FCS in team passing efficiency defense and were third in interceptions. One of Johnson's cornerbacks, Ruskin, Florida, native Jaquise Alexander, tallied six pass breakups this past season, tied for the second-most on the team, despite starting in six of the 13 games he played in.
While the Bison were eliminated from the FCS playoffs this season in the second round, they did win the national championship in Johnson's first season in 2024, despite finishing 52nd in the FCS in team passing efficiency defense and 44th in interceptions.
Johnson's arrival in Orlando would reunite him with UCF's defensive coordinator, Alex Grinch. While Johnson never played for Grinch during his time as a defensive back at Oklahoma from 2015 to 2017, he did work under him as a defensive graduate assistant for four seasons. The first two of those seasons were with the Sooners (2020 to 2021), but then Johnson followed Grinch (and coach Lincoln Reilly) to USC for the next two seasons (2022 to 2023).
With his move to North Dakota State, it was Johnson's first coaching job above the graduate assistant level and first away from Grinch. Now, his move to UCF would mark his first coaching job above a graduate assistant level in the FBS.
Johnson would be taking over the defensive backs coach role from Brandon Harris, who was expected to get hired in the same role at Florida State last Wednesday, joining his older brother Tim Harris Jr., but things changed on Friday, and he is now expected to get hired at Florida.
The Knights finished 48th in the FBS in team passing efficiency defense and 64th in interceptions this past season, with two defensive backs, Phillip Dunnam and Jayden Bellamy, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.
The move is coach Scott Frost's first of two staff hires he needs to make this offseason at the time this article is being written. The next position to be filled: offensive line coach.
Catch up on more UCF News below:
UCF Defense Loses Depth To Transfer Portal
UCF Starting Offensive Lineman Reportedly Entering Transfer Portal
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.
Follow itsBrysonTurner