Former Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni has been hired as the next UConn head football coach.
An official announcement was expected Thursday night, and a press conference was scheduled for Friday, sources told NBC Connecticut sports director Kevin Nathan.
Pasqualoni coached Syracuse for 14 years before being fired in 2004. He has worked for the Miami Dolphins and and was named defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys in November after the firing of Wade Phillips.
"The University of Connecticut has hired a quality man of great integrity--and a wonderful football coach. He is a leader, a great communicator, and a dedicated professional and a winner," said Cowboys Owner Jerry Jones. "We are grateful to Paul for his contributions to the Dallas Cowboys and we wish him the very best with this new challenge."
"Paul is a good person--and as good a football coach as anyone that I have had the privilege to be associated with in my time as a player or coach in the NFL," said Cowboys Head Coach Jason Garrett. "He has everything that a college program would want from a leadership perspective. He knows the game, and he is very effective at coaching and teaching every aspect of the game. We wish nothing but the best for Coach P. and his family. I know our players and fellow coaches here in Dallas will miss him very much," Garrett said.
The decision was a bit of a surprise because most believed the job would be given to former University of New Haven coach Mark Whipple.
Pasqualoni replaces Randy Edsall, who left to coach Maryland less than 24 hours after the Huskies' loss to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 1.
