FOOTBALL
TIM SALEM
TIGHT ENDS/SPECIAL TEAMS • SIXTH YEAR AT UCF • ARIZONA STATE, 1985 Tim Salem, who is in his sixth year at UCF, is in his first campaign as the Knights’ �ght ends coach and special teams coordinator. Salem spent the previous five years as UCF’s offensive coordinator. He guided UCF to one of the best seasons in program history during the 2007 campaign. Behind a high-powered offense, the Knights won 10 contests, claimed the Conference USA �tle for the first �me and par�cipated in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Salem also spent �me as the program’s running backs coach. In that role in 2007, he helped Kevin Smith record one of the best seasons in college football history. The consensus All-America tailback rushed for 2,567 yards, good for second all�me on the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision single-season list. He also found the end zone a na�on-leading 29 �mes on the ground. Smith garnered C-USA Co-Offensive Player of the Year recogni�on and was a candidate for the Doak Walker and Walter Camp Awards. He was selected with the first pick of the third round in the 2008 Na�onal Football League Dra� by Detroit. Under Salem’s direc�on, UCF set several school single-season records in 2007, including points (502), touchdowns (62) and rushing yards (3,287). The Knights averaged 35.86 points per game, which ranked 17th na�onally. The 2007 campaign was Salem’s first mentoring the running backs. The previous year, he coached UCF’s wideouts and the Knights ranked 30th na�onally in passing offense (233.75) and 34th in total offense at 373.17 yards per game. Wide receiver Mike Walker thrived in Salem’s system, garnering All-C-USA First Team honors a�er averaging 7.5 recep�ons, good for third in the country. Walker was selected by Jacksonville in the third round of the NFL Dra�.
Salem is a na�ve of Minneapolis, Minn., and starred at the prep level at St. Thomas Academy. His father, Joe, was the head football coach at Minnesota from 1979-84. Salem and his wife Wendy have three children, sons Taylor and Landan and daughter Kylan. Coaching Experience • UCF, 2004-Present Tight Ends/Special Teams (2009-), Offensive Coordinator (2004-08), Running Backs (2007-08), Wide Receivers (2006), Tight Ends (2005), Quarterbacks (2004) • Eastern Michigan, 2003 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks • Ohio State, 1997-00 Quarterbacks • Purdue, 1991-96 Offensive Coordinator (1994-96), Quarterbacks (1991-93) • Colorado State, 1989-90 Running Backs • Phoenix College, 1987-88 Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks • Arizona State, 1985-86 Graduate Assistant
Several Knights posted impressive campaigns in Salem’s offense during the 2005 campaign, in which the Knights won the C-USA East Division championship and par�cipated in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Smith was named the league’s freshman of the year a�er rushing for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns. Brandon Marshall and Walker combined for 2,050 yards and 20 touchdowns. During the 2005 season, Salem also tutored UCF’s �ght ends. That year, Darcy Johnson, who currently plays with the NFL’s New York Giants, had 36 recep�ons for 435 yards with two scores. In his first season in Orlando in 2004, Salem also coached the squad’s quarterbacks. Salem has a strong background in college coaching, having spent a total of 21 years as an assistant. Prior to working at UCF, he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Michigan in 2003. From 1997-00, Salem served as the quarterbacks coach at Ohio State where he tutored Buckeye great Joe Germaine to the 1998 Big Ten Player of the Year honor. Germaine registered 10 300-yard passing games that season. Salem also worked for six seasons at Purdue as the quarterbacks coach, while also serving as the offensive coordinator for three years. The 1995 Boilermakers led the Big Ten in rushing. Prior to Purdue, Salem spent two years at Colorado State (1989-90) as the running backs and special teams assistant coach and two seasons at Phoenix College (1987-88) as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and assistant athle�cs director. During his two seasons at CSU, Salem helped running backs Tony Alford (1989) and Brian Copeland (1990) each lead the WAC in rushing. A 1985 graduate of Arizona State, Salem began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at his alma mater for two seasons. Salem began his collegiate playing career at Minnesota where in 1980 he set the Big Ten record for consecu�ve pass comple�ons.
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