ALBANY — Associate head coach Jared Ambrose has been named interim head coach of the UAlbany football team.
The job opened up on Feb. 5 when Greg Gattuso left the program to become a defensive line consultant at Penn State after having served as the UAlbany head coach for 11 seasons.
Ambrose was hired as the Great Danes’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2023.
He has been a staple in the Coastal Athletic Association (CAA), where he has helped lead three different teams to the FCS National Semifinals, including one run to the FCS National Championship Game.
“Jared has a proven track record of success throughout his coaching career, especially within the CAA,” UAlbany athletic director Mark Benson said in a release. “He’s helped lead three different programs to deep playoff runs and was an integral asset to this team’s success in 2023. We are confident that he is the right person to lead the UAlbany football program this upcoming year.”
“I’m humbled and grateful to be in this position to accept this station as the Interim Head Coach of the University at Albany Great Dane football program,” Ambrose said. “I’d like to thank President Havidán Rodríguez for trusting this honor to me, and I’d like to thank Mark Benson and his staff for being supportive and helpful in this transition. I promise to spend every working minute of being your head coach to make sure everything that we do is intentional, focused, organized and with passion.”
The UAlbany offense flourished under Ambrose in 2023 en route to the program’s first-ever FCS National Semifinal appearance and first-ever CAA title.
Quarterback Reese Poffenbarger finished as one of the top players in the nation, leading the country with 3,603 passing yards.
Wideout Brevin Easton finished fourth in the FCS with 1,086 receiving yards and third with 13 receiving touchdowns, and wideout Julian Hicks finished fourth in receiving touchdowns with 11 while picking up 820 yards through the air.Rookie running back Griffin Woodell claimed the CAA Rookie of the Year award after a stellar season in which the freshman ran for 892 yards and eight touchdowns, adding another four through the air.
In total, the 2023 UAlbany offense accounted for 5,524 total yards and 52 touchdowns, finishing as one of the best units in the CAA in a record-breaking year.
Ambrose came to UAlbany in 2022 after spending three years as the offensive coordinator for the University of Delaware. While with the Blue Hens, his offensive unit produced record-setting numbers on its way to a CAA Championship and FCS Semifinal appearance in 2020-21.
Running back Dejoun Lee was selected as the CAA Offensive Player of the Year, the third that Ambrose had coached, and quarterback Nolan Henderson was one of the nation’s most-efficient passers. Ambrose’s offense that year ranked fifth in the nation and first in the CAA in time of possession.
Before joining Delaware, Ambrose spent 10 seasons as part of the staff at Towson University, including seven seasons as the team’s Offensive Coordinator. During his time with the Tigers, he was a part of three FCS Playoff appearances, including a run to the 2013 National Championship Game.
UAlbany’s 2025 season kicks off on Aug. 30 with a trip to Iowa of the Big Ten (FBS).