SEAN BECKTON
DEFENSIVE BACKS • 10TH YEAR OVERALL AT UCF • UCF, 1993 A member of the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame, Sean Beckton is in his 10th year overall at UCF, where he serves as the program’s defensive backs coach. He is in the second year of his third stint as an assistant coach at his alma mater. In his first year back at UCF in 2009, Beckton helped gel a secondary which featured four new starters and continued to improve over the course of the season. Josh Robinson was named a Freshman All-American after recording six interceptions and converted quarterback Michael Greco earned a free agent contract with the New York Giants after just one season as a safety. From 1996-03, Beckton served as UCF’s wide receivers coach. During that time, he mentored some of the best wideouts in program history, including Siaha Burley, Doug Gabriel, Jimmy Fryzel, Brandon Marshall and Mike Sims-Walker. Gabriel, Marshall and Sims-Walker all played in the National Football League after concluding their collegiate careers. Beckton’s success with the Knights included a four-year run where the program had a receiver ranked in the top six in the nation in receptions per game each season. Before re-joining the UCF staff under George O’Leary, Beckton spent time as an assistant for the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League. A native of Daytona Beach, Beckton was a star wide receiver for UCF from 198790. He concluded his career as the program’s career leader in receptions with 196 and receiving yardage with 2,493. Against Texas Southern as a senior, Beckton threw a touchdown pass, ran for a touchdown, caught a touchdown and also scored on a punt return. After brief stints with the Chicago Bears and the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League, Beckton returned to UCF in 1992-93, serving as an offensive graduate assistant coach, where he mainly worked with the Knights’ tight ends. From 1993-96, Beckton coached and taught history at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. He helped Mainland to a pair of state championships, and in his role as a basketball coach, also helped mentor current National Basketball Association star Vince Carter. Beckton, who also played for the Predators from 1993-94, was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000. He graduated from UCF in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and a minor in physical education. Along with his many football accomplishments, he has also served as the physical education department chair at Mainland. Beckton and his wife, Zorana, have a son, Sean, Jr., and a daughter, Zaria. Coaching Experience • UCF, 2009-Present Defensive Backs • Orlando Predators, 2008 Wide Receivers • UCF, 1996-03 Wide Receivers • Mainland (Fla.) High School, 1993-96 Assistant Coach • UCF, 1992-93 Offensive Graduate Assistant
24