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Lembo Adds Three to Coaching Staff
2/2/2024 4:01:00 PM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – University at Buffalo football head coach Pete Lembo has added three assistant coaches to his staff. Tyler Hancock will serve as special teams coordinator, Brian Dougherty will coach the safeties and Adam Morris will coach the defensive line. All three hires have ties to Lembo.
"I could not be happier to welcome these three outstanding men and football coaches to the UB program," Lembo said. "I have strong previous connections with each of them."
Hancock, comes to Buffalo from Baylor where he spent the 2023 campaign working with the Bears' special teams as a quality control coach.
Hancock served as special teams coordinator at Charlotte from 2021-22. In his two seasons with the 49ers, Charlotte ranked among the nation's top-10 in punt-return defense (No. 4 in 2022 and No. 8 in 2021).
In 2022, the 49ers ranked among the nation's leaders in several key special team categories, including fourth in punt return defense average, No. 10 in blocked kicks, No. 31 in blocked punts and No. 32 in net punting average. Bailey Rice averaged 42.72 yards per punt under Hancock's guidance, including 18 downed inside the 20-yard line and 13 going for 50+ yards.
In 2021, Hancock's first year leading the special teams unit, Charlotte ranked eighth in punt-return defense, 21st in the nation in blocked kicks, 32nd in blocked punts, 36th in kickoff returns and 40th in net punting.
Prior to Charlotte, Hancock spent two seasons as the senior analyst for special teams at West Virginia. He oversaw the program's analysts and quality control coaches, while helping lead the special teams unit and its gameplans.
He served as special teams quality control coach at Maryland from 2016-18 where he worked with Lembo who was the Terps special teams coordinator.
Hancock spent four years as a defensive intern and later an offensive assistant at Kentucky. He worked with special teams, outside linebackers and defensive backs. He also worked with as an offensive assistant, with primary responsibilities including the quarterbacks and tight ends. He helped head coach Mark Stoops resurrect the Kentucky program, with the Wildcats advancing to the TaxSlayer Bowl in 2016 – the first of seven consecutive bowl berths for UK.
A 2012 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan, Hancock began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as quarterbacks coach and co-passing game coordinator for the Panthers.
"Tyler was an integral part of our special teams success at Maryland in 2016 and 2017," Lembo said. "Since that time, he has gone on to make a positive impact at three FBS programs in special teams roles."
Dougherty comes to Buffalo after spending the 2023 season as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of Indianapolis. In his lone season at UIndy, he helped lead the Greyhounds to a 9-2 record and oversaw one of the top defenses in not only the Great Lakes Athletic Conference, but all of Division II.
In 2023, Indianapolis led the GLAC in scoring defense (14.9) which also ranked eighth nationally. The Greyhounds also led the conference in defensive efficiency (12.8) and ranked second in total defense (290.5) and passing defense (176.0).
Prior to being hired a UIndy, Dougherty spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Valparaiso. He helped lead the Beacons to 12 Pioneer Football League victories over his final three seasons, setting a school record over that length of time.
In 2022, Dougherty's defense led the PFL in in both redzone and fourth down defense, ranking eighth and sixth in the nation, respectively. Additionally, Valpo's defense held rival Butler to just three points in a 47-3 victory on Nov. 13, 2021, shattering the program record for margin of victory against a Division I opponent.
Dougherty spent the 2018 season as the defensive backs coach at Tiffin University. He helped lead the Dragons to a 9-2 record and coached three all-conference honorees. He spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as cornerbacks coach at Dayton. The Flyers held opponents to an average of 19.7 points per game over two seasons while leading the PFL in interceptions in 2016 and finishing second in 2017.
Dougherty spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Lembo at Ball State, working with the wide receivers in 2015 and defensive backs in 2014.
He began his coaching career as cornerbacks coach at Millikin University in 2013.
Dougherty is a 2012 graduate of Miami (OH) where he was a student assistant and manager for the RedHawks football team. He earned a master's degree in athletic coaching education from Ball State in 2016.
"Brian was a graduate assistant on our staff at Ball State and has gone on to a successful career as a defensive coach," Lembo said. "His experience as a coordinator will allow him to be a valuable resource and sounding board for Joe Bowen."
Morris, who was a team captain for Lembo at Ball State, comes to Buffalo from Ball State where he was the Cardinals' defensive line coach in 2023.
He helped lead a Ball State defense that ranked second in the Mid-American Conference in total defense (315.8) and rushing defense (111.6) in 2023.
Prior to Ball State, Morris spent three seasons as defensive line coach at Eastern Illinois. During the 2021 season, he mentored the Ohio Valley Conference's leader in tackles for loss in all-conference second-team selection Jordan Miles.
Along with his responsibilities as the defensive line coach, Morris was also involved in EIU's game preparation. He helped organize the defensive run scheme, broke down and analyzed opponents' pass protection tendencies, and contributed to weekly third-down blitz packages.
In 2020, Morris served as co-offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at DePauw University. His 2020 recruiting class helped the Tigers win the first two North Coast Athletic Conference championships in program history.
Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, Morris was an accomplished high school head coach. He led Muncie Central High School to consecutive winning seasons in his two years as head coach. The 2016 squad finished the year with a 7-4 mark and won a playoff game for the first time since 2006.
Morris also served as head coach for two seasons at Hamilton Southeastern High School.
A native of Dublin, OH, Morris is a 2013 graduate of Ball State with a bachelor's degree in education. A four-year letterwinner for the Cardinals, he was a team captain in 2011. He finished his career with 84 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.
"Adam was an outstanding player and team captain for us at Ball State," Lembo said. "He knows the MAC, he loves to recruit and will be a great role model for our student-athletes here at UB."
"I could not be happier to welcome these three outstanding men and football coaches to the UB program," Lembo said. "I have strong previous connections with each of them."
Hancock, comes to Buffalo from Baylor where he spent the 2023 campaign working with the Bears' special teams as a quality control coach.
Hancock served as special teams coordinator at Charlotte from 2021-22. In his two seasons with the 49ers, Charlotte ranked among the nation's top-10 in punt-return defense (No. 4 in 2022 and No. 8 in 2021).
In 2022, the 49ers ranked among the nation's leaders in several key special team categories, including fourth in punt return defense average, No. 10 in blocked kicks, No. 31 in blocked punts and No. 32 in net punting average. Bailey Rice averaged 42.72 yards per punt under Hancock's guidance, including 18 downed inside the 20-yard line and 13 going for 50+ yards.
In 2021, Hancock's first year leading the special teams unit, Charlotte ranked eighth in punt-return defense, 21st in the nation in blocked kicks, 32nd in blocked punts, 36th in kickoff returns and 40th in net punting.
Prior to Charlotte, Hancock spent two seasons as the senior analyst for special teams at West Virginia. He oversaw the program's analysts and quality control coaches, while helping lead the special teams unit and its gameplans.
He served as special teams quality control coach at Maryland from 2016-18 where he worked with Lembo who was the Terps special teams coordinator.
Hancock spent four years as a defensive intern and later an offensive assistant at Kentucky. He worked with special teams, outside linebackers and defensive backs. He also worked with as an offensive assistant, with primary responsibilities including the quarterbacks and tight ends. He helped head coach Mark Stoops resurrect the Kentucky program, with the Wildcats advancing to the TaxSlayer Bowl in 2016 – the first of seven consecutive bowl berths for UK.
A 2012 graduate of Kentucky Wesleyan, Hancock began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as quarterbacks coach and co-passing game coordinator for the Panthers.
"Tyler was an integral part of our special teams success at Maryland in 2016 and 2017," Lembo said. "Since that time, he has gone on to make a positive impact at three FBS programs in special teams roles."
Dougherty comes to Buffalo after spending the 2023 season as defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the University of Indianapolis. In his lone season at UIndy, he helped lead the Greyhounds to a 9-2 record and oversaw one of the top defenses in not only the Great Lakes Athletic Conference, but all of Division II.
In 2023, Indianapolis led the GLAC in scoring defense (14.9) which also ranked eighth nationally. The Greyhounds also led the conference in defensive efficiency (12.8) and ranked second in total defense (290.5) and passing defense (176.0).
Prior to being hired a UIndy, Dougherty spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Valparaiso. He helped lead the Beacons to 12 Pioneer Football League victories over his final three seasons, setting a school record over that length of time.
In 2022, Dougherty's defense led the PFL in in both redzone and fourth down defense, ranking eighth and sixth in the nation, respectively. Additionally, Valpo's defense held rival Butler to just three points in a 47-3 victory on Nov. 13, 2021, shattering the program record for margin of victory against a Division I opponent.
Dougherty spent the 2018 season as the defensive backs coach at Tiffin University. He helped lead the Dragons to a 9-2 record and coached three all-conference honorees. He spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons as cornerbacks coach at Dayton. The Flyers held opponents to an average of 19.7 points per game over two seasons while leading the PFL in interceptions in 2016 and finishing second in 2017.
Dougherty spent two seasons as a graduate assistant under Lembo at Ball State, working with the wide receivers in 2015 and defensive backs in 2014.
He began his coaching career as cornerbacks coach at Millikin University in 2013.
Dougherty is a 2012 graduate of Miami (OH) where he was a student assistant and manager for the RedHawks football team. He earned a master's degree in athletic coaching education from Ball State in 2016.
"Brian was a graduate assistant on our staff at Ball State and has gone on to a successful career as a defensive coach," Lembo said. "His experience as a coordinator will allow him to be a valuable resource and sounding board for Joe Bowen."
Morris, who was a team captain for Lembo at Ball State, comes to Buffalo from Ball State where he was the Cardinals' defensive line coach in 2023.
He helped lead a Ball State defense that ranked second in the Mid-American Conference in total defense (315.8) and rushing defense (111.6) in 2023.
Prior to Ball State, Morris spent three seasons as defensive line coach at Eastern Illinois. During the 2021 season, he mentored the Ohio Valley Conference's leader in tackles for loss in all-conference second-team selection Jordan Miles.
Along with his responsibilities as the defensive line coach, Morris was also involved in EIU's game preparation. He helped organize the defensive run scheme, broke down and analyzed opponents' pass protection tendencies, and contributed to weekly third-down blitz packages.
In 2020, Morris served as co-offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at DePauw University. His 2020 recruiting class helped the Tigers win the first two North Coast Athletic Conference championships in program history.
Prior to joining the collegiate ranks, Morris was an accomplished high school head coach. He led Muncie Central High School to consecutive winning seasons in his two years as head coach. The 2016 squad finished the year with a 7-4 mark and won a playoff game for the first time since 2006.
Morris also served as head coach for two seasons at Hamilton Southeastern High School.
A native of Dublin, OH, Morris is a 2013 graduate of Ball State with a bachelor's degree in education. A four-year letterwinner for the Cardinals, he was a team captain in 2011. He finished his career with 84 tackles, including 12 tackles for loss and four sacks.
"Adam was an outstanding player and team captain for us at Ball State," Lembo said. "He knows the MAC, he loves to recruit and will be a great role model for our student-athletes here at UB."
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