Former Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni has been hired as the next UConn head football coach.
An official announcement was expected Thursday night, and a press conference was scheduled for Friday, sources told NBC Connecticut sports director Kevin Nathan.
Pasqualoni coached Syracuse for 14 years before being fired in 2004. He has worked for the Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.
The decision was a bit of a surprise because most believed the job would be given to former University of New Haven coach Mark Whipple.
Pasqualoni replaces Randy Edsall, who left to coach Maryland less than 24 hours after the Huskies' loss to Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl Jan. 1.
In November, Pasqualoni was named defensive coordinator for the Cowboys after Wade Phillips was fired -- Phillips served as head coach and defensive coordinator.
"The University of Connecticut has hired a quality man of great integrity—and a wonderful football coach. He is a leader, a great communicator, a dedicated professional and a winner," said Dallas Cowboys owner and general manager Jerry Jones. "We are grateful to Paul for his contributions to the Dallas Cowboys and we wish him the very best with this new challenge."
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"Paul is as good a person—and as good a football coach as anyone that I have had the privilege to be associated with in my time as a player or coach in the NFL. He has everything that a college program would want from a leadership perspective. He knows the game, and he is very effective at coaching and teaching every aspect of the game, "said Dallas Cowboys coach Jason Garrett. "We wish nothing but the best for Coach P. and his family. I know our players and his fellow coaches here in Dallas will miss him very much."
From 2005 to 2007, Pasqualoni influenced key players on the Cowboys roster. As tight end coach Pasqualoni helped with Jason Witten's development, and as linebackers coach he influenced Demarcus Ware's success. He was hired by the Miami Dolphins in 2008 and returned to the Cowboys in 2010.
