Pete Lembo Named UB Football Head Coach
1/21/2024 12:21:00 PM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – Pete Lembo has been selected as the 28th head coach of the University at Buffalo football program, Vice President and Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt announced on Sunday.
"I'm extremely excited to welcome Pete Lembo as well as his wife, Jenifer, and children, Sophia, A.J. and Victoria to the UB family," Alnutt said. "I've followed his career and have been very impressed not only with his coaching acumen but how he's achieved success at his various stops. His positive engagement and relationship building with people are second to none. This is very advantageous when it comes to running a successful program. I have no doubt that we will be very competitive and win championships in the MAC. The future is very bright for UB Football with Coach Lembo at the helm."
A coaching veteran of over 30 years, Lembo has had successful stints as head coach of three separate programs. From 2001-15, he served as head coach at Lehigh, Elon and Ball State. He amassed a 112–65 career record, including a 79–36 record in ten seasons at the FCS level, making him one of the winningest coaches in the history of that classification.
In five years as head coach at Lehigh, Lembo had a record of 44-14. He is the winningest head coach in the program's history with a .759 winning percentage. His conference record of 26-7 (.788) ranks third among all Patriot League coaches in terms of winning percentage. He led the Mountain Hawks to two Patriot League titles and two appearances in the FCS playoffs. He was named the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year and the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading Lehigh to an 11-1 record and as high as No. 2 in the national polls – the highest ranking the program's history.
Beginning in 2006, Lembo spent five seasons as the head coach at Elon. He resurrected a program that went 14-42 in the five seasons prior to his arrival. From 2006-10, the Phoenix had a record of 35-22. He was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2007 and in 2009 led Elon to a record of 9-3, including a 7-1 mark in conference play. The Phoenix qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history that season. Elon enjoyed winning seasons in Southern Conference play all five years he served as head coach, something the program hadn't achieved during an 11-year affiliation with the conference. His Elon teams set over 120 NCAA, Southern Conference and school records.
No stranger to the Mid-American Conference, Lembo served as head coach at Ball State from 2011-15. Like his previous stops, Lembo enjoyed immediate success. He became the first coach in Ball State history to win 30 games over his first four seasons at the helm. The Cardinals went 9-4 (6-2 in the MAC) in 2012 and 10-3 (7-1 in the MAC) in 2013. The combined 19 wins over those two seasons tied the program record for wins over a two-year span. He led Ball State to the 2012 Beef 'O' Brady Bowl and the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl, marking just the second time in 90 years over Ball State football the program played in bowl games in consecutive years.
Under Lembo's watch, the Cardinals set more than 60 school records, including single-season records for points (501), total offense (6,199 yards), passing yards (4,214), touchdown passes (35) and total touchdowns (64) in 2013.
Since leaving Ball State following the 2015 campaign, Lembo enjoyed significant success as a special teams coordinator at the Power Five level. He spent the past three seasons as associate head coach and special teams coordinator at South Carolina. He was named a Broyles Award Assistant Coach of the Year Semifinalist, a FootballScoop Special Teams Coach of the Year Finalist and earned Phil Steele's Special Teams Coach of the Year accolades in 2022 after the Gamecock special teams had arguably their best season on record.
South Carolina earned the No. 1 spot in ESPN's special teams efficiency ranking after finishing fourth in the country in punt returns (16.6), fifth in kickoff returns (25.1), seventh in net punting (42.8), 23rd in opponent kickoff returns (17.3) and 27th in opponent punt returns (4.6). During his three-year run in Columbia, South Carolina special teams units blocked 14 kicks after recording eight blocks over the previous five years (2016-20) combined.
Lembo had similar success as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Memphis in 2019 and 2020. He helped lead the Tigers to a 12-win season in 2019 and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. His unit finished second in ESPN's Special Teams Efficiency Rankings in 2019 and sixth in the FBS in the overall special teams rankings compiled by the data analysts at Football Outsiders.
Prior to Memphis, Lembo served as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Rice (2018) and Maryland (2016-17). Both programs excelled in special teams under Lembo's tutelage. In his two seasons at Maryland, the Terps tied for fifth nationally with nine blocked kicks. While at Rice, the Owls ranked fifth in the FBS with just 16.12 kickoff return yards allowed.
"I would like to thank Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt and President Tripathi for providing me with this tremendous opportunity," Lembo said. "I look forward to partnering with them, as well as the other leadership in the athletic department, on campus and in the community to make the UB football program one that we can all be proud of. We will work tirelessly to recruit, develop and maximize the experience for our student-athletes on and off the field. I am really excited to assemble an energetic staff that will build meaningful relationships with our players and with each other."
A native of Staten Island, NY, Lembo began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Albany in 1992. He went on to coach tight ends at Dartmouth from 1994-96 and serve as offensive coordinator at Hampden-Sydney in 1997.
Lembo, a 1992 graduate of Georgetown University, was a four-year starter on the Hoyas' offensive line and served as team captain in 1991. He is married to the former Jenifer Kochis. The couple has three children – Sophia, A.J. and Victoria.
An introductory press conference will be held on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at noon at the Murchie Family Fieldhouse.
Click here for football season ticket information.
What They Are Saying
"I'm so happy for Pete and his family for this amazing opportunity at Buffalo. Pete is a proven winner as a head coach and is an awesome hire for Buffalo. He made our program at South Carolina better on and off the field. I can't wait to watch what he does at Buffalo." – Shane Beamer, South Carolina Head Coach
"Pete Lembo will do an unbelievable job as the head coach at Buffalo. Having competed against him many times in my career and working with coaches who train under his leadership, I say with great certainty that he will have UB playing for championships in short order. Pete has a tremendous football mind, possesses unmatched professionalism and is passionate about helping others succeed. I'm incredibly happy for Pete and his family and look forward to seeing the success he has in Buffalo." – Jeff Monken, Army Head Coach
"I'm so excited for the UB Football team and for Coach Lembo! I believe this is a great hire and a wonderful fit! Pete is a great coach who will bring structure, discipline and development that will allow the players and program to reach their full potential. The impact on the field will be incredible, but the addition of the Lembo family will be special. I'm excited for Pete and Jen. They will be amazing for the Buffalo community." – Mike Norvell, Florida State Head Coach
"Buffalo could not have made a better choice. Not only is Pete a tremendously talented football coach, he is also one of the really good guys in our business. He will be a great teammate within the department. He will embrace the Buffalo community. Most importantly, he will be a tremendous role model and a great teacher of the game for the young men fortunate enough to play for him. He is a football coach for all the right reasons. Congrats to Buffalo. A great choice!" – Bill Scholl, Marquette Athletic Director
"In my 30 years of covering major college football, there are a few coaches I think higher of than Pete Lembo. And not just because I consider him one of the most exceptional football minds in the game, but as a father to a former Power Five player, I often think about who'd I want my son coached by and shaped by. Coach Lembo is THAT man. That's all aside from the fact that he's on the shortlist of coaches I've seen single-handedly win a game because of his coaching ability. Look no further than South Carolina's thrilling upset of Dabo Sweeney's Clemson team. Coach Lembo's special teams scheme, and every aspect of it, pulled off the playoff altering upset." – Joe Tessitore, Sportscaster for ABC and ESPN
"I'm extremely excited to welcome Pete Lembo as well as his wife, Jenifer, and children, Sophia, A.J. and Victoria to the UB family," Alnutt said. "I've followed his career and have been very impressed not only with his coaching acumen but how he's achieved success at his various stops. His positive engagement and relationship building with people are second to none. This is very advantageous when it comes to running a successful program. I have no doubt that we will be very competitive and win championships in the MAC. The future is very bright for UB Football with Coach Lembo at the helm."
A coaching veteran of over 30 years, Lembo has had successful stints as head coach of three separate programs. From 2001-15, he served as head coach at Lehigh, Elon and Ball State. He amassed a 112–65 career record, including a 79–36 record in ten seasons at the FCS level, making him one of the winningest coaches in the history of that classification.
In five years as head coach at Lehigh, Lembo had a record of 44-14. He is the winningest head coach in the program's history with a .759 winning percentage. His conference record of 26-7 (.788) ranks third among all Patriot League coaches in terms of winning percentage. He led the Mountain Hawks to two Patriot League titles and two appearances in the FCS playoffs. He was named the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year and the Patriot League Coach of the Year in 2001 after leading Lehigh to an 11-1 record and as high as No. 2 in the national polls – the highest ranking the program's history.
Beginning in 2006, Lembo spent five seasons as the head coach at Elon. He resurrected a program that went 14-42 in the five seasons prior to his arrival. From 2006-10, the Phoenix had a record of 35-22. He was named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2007 and in 2009 led Elon to a record of 9-3, including a 7-1 mark in conference play. The Phoenix qualified for the FCS playoffs for the first time in program history that season. Elon enjoyed winning seasons in Southern Conference play all five years he served as head coach, something the program hadn't achieved during an 11-year affiliation with the conference. His Elon teams set over 120 NCAA, Southern Conference and school records.
No stranger to the Mid-American Conference, Lembo served as head coach at Ball State from 2011-15. Like his previous stops, Lembo enjoyed immediate success. He became the first coach in Ball State history to win 30 games over his first four seasons at the helm. The Cardinals went 9-4 (6-2 in the MAC) in 2012 and 10-3 (7-1 in the MAC) in 2013. The combined 19 wins over those two seasons tied the program record for wins over a two-year span. He led Ball State to the 2012 Beef 'O' Brady Bowl and the 2013 GoDaddy Bowl, marking just the second time in 90 years over Ball State football the program played in bowl games in consecutive years.
Under Lembo's watch, the Cardinals set more than 60 school records, including single-season records for points (501), total offense (6,199 yards), passing yards (4,214), touchdown passes (35) and total touchdowns (64) in 2013.
Since leaving Ball State following the 2015 campaign, Lembo enjoyed significant success as a special teams coordinator at the Power Five level. He spent the past three seasons as associate head coach and special teams coordinator at South Carolina. He was named a Broyles Award Assistant Coach of the Year Semifinalist, a FootballScoop Special Teams Coach of the Year Finalist and earned Phil Steele's Special Teams Coach of the Year accolades in 2022 after the Gamecock special teams had arguably their best season on record.
South Carolina earned the No. 1 spot in ESPN's special teams efficiency ranking after finishing fourth in the country in punt returns (16.6), fifth in kickoff returns (25.1), seventh in net punting (42.8), 23rd in opponent kickoff returns (17.3) and 27th in opponent punt returns (4.6). During his three-year run in Columbia, South Carolina special teams units blocked 14 kicks after recording eight blocks over the previous five years (2016-20) combined.
Lembo had similar success as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Memphis in 2019 and 2020. He helped lead the Tigers to a 12-win season in 2019 and a berth in the Cotton Bowl. His unit finished second in ESPN's Special Teams Efficiency Rankings in 2019 and sixth in the FBS in the overall special teams rankings compiled by the data analysts at Football Outsiders.
Prior to Memphis, Lembo served as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Rice (2018) and Maryland (2016-17). Both programs excelled in special teams under Lembo's tutelage. In his two seasons at Maryland, the Terps tied for fifth nationally with nine blocked kicks. While at Rice, the Owls ranked fifth in the FBS with just 16.12 kickoff return yards allowed.
"I would like to thank Director of Athletics Mark Alnutt and President Tripathi for providing me with this tremendous opportunity," Lembo said. "I look forward to partnering with them, as well as the other leadership in the athletic department, on campus and in the community to make the UB football program one that we can all be proud of. We will work tirelessly to recruit, develop and maximize the experience for our student-athletes on and off the field. I am really excited to assemble an energetic staff that will build meaningful relationships with our players and with each other."
A native of Staten Island, NY, Lembo began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Albany in 1992. He went on to coach tight ends at Dartmouth from 1994-96 and serve as offensive coordinator at Hampden-Sydney in 1997.
Lembo, a 1992 graduate of Georgetown University, was a four-year starter on the Hoyas' offensive line and served as team captain in 1991. He is married to the former Jenifer Kochis. The couple has three children – Sophia, A.J. and Victoria.
An introductory press conference will be held on Tuesday (Jan. 23) at noon at the Murchie Family Fieldhouse.
Click here for football season ticket information.
What They Are Saying
"I'm so happy for Pete and his family for this amazing opportunity at Buffalo. Pete is a proven winner as a head coach and is an awesome hire for Buffalo. He made our program at South Carolina better on and off the field. I can't wait to watch what he does at Buffalo." – Shane Beamer, South Carolina Head Coach
"Pete Lembo will do an unbelievable job as the head coach at Buffalo. Having competed against him many times in my career and working with coaches who train under his leadership, I say with great certainty that he will have UB playing for championships in short order. Pete has a tremendous football mind, possesses unmatched professionalism and is passionate about helping others succeed. I'm incredibly happy for Pete and his family and look forward to seeing the success he has in Buffalo." – Jeff Monken, Army Head Coach
"I'm so excited for the UB Football team and for Coach Lembo! I believe this is a great hire and a wonderful fit! Pete is a great coach who will bring structure, discipline and development that will allow the players and program to reach their full potential. The impact on the field will be incredible, but the addition of the Lembo family will be special. I'm excited for Pete and Jen. They will be amazing for the Buffalo community." – Mike Norvell, Florida State Head Coach
"Buffalo could not have made a better choice. Not only is Pete a tremendously talented football coach, he is also one of the really good guys in our business. He will be a great teammate within the department. He will embrace the Buffalo community. Most importantly, he will be a tremendous role model and a great teacher of the game for the young men fortunate enough to play for him. He is a football coach for all the right reasons. Congrats to Buffalo. A great choice!" – Bill Scholl, Marquette Athletic Director
"In my 30 years of covering major college football, there are a few coaches I think higher of than Pete Lembo. And not just because I consider him one of the most exceptional football minds in the game, but as a father to a former Power Five player, I often think about who'd I want my son coached by and shaped by. Coach Lembo is THAT man. That's all aside from the fact that he's on the shortlist of coaches I've seen single-handedly win a game because of his coaching ability. Look no further than South Carolina's thrilling upset of Dabo Sweeney's Clemson team. Coach Lembo's special teams scheme, and every aspect of it, pulled off the playoff altering upset." – Joe Tessitore, Sportscaster for ABC and ESPN
UB Football Postgame Press Conference (vs. Troy)
Saturday, September 20
Coach Pete Lembo on personnel flexibility and why Troy presents a serious challenge
Tuesday, September 16
Wide Receiver Nik McMillan on battling injuries and the growth he's seen in QB Ta'Quan Roberson
Tuesday, September 16
Linebacker Mitchell Gonser talks early success and why he chose Buffalo
Tuesday, September 16
