 Pasqualoni visits theConnecticut State Capitol in 2011. | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1949-08-16)August 16, 1949 (age 76) Cheshire, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Cheshire High School |
| College | Penn State |
| Career history | |
| |
| Awards and highlights | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | NCAA: 145–90–1 (.617) |
| Postseason | NCAA Bowls: 6–3 (.667) NCAA D-III: 0–1 (.000) |
| Career | NCAA: 151–94–1 (.616) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Paul Lucian Pasqualoni (/ˌpæskəˈloʊni/; born August 16, 1949) is an Americanfootball coach who recently served as the linebackers coach for theMemphis Showboats of theUnited Football League (UFL). He most recently was thedefensive line coach for theCarolina Panthers.
Pasqualoni has served as thedefensive coordinator of the NFL'sMiami Dolphins andDetroit Lions, and as the defensive line coach and interim defensive coordinator of theDallas Cowboys. He was the head coach of theSyracuse University football team from 1991 to 2004.[1][2]
A native ofCheshire, Connecticut, Pasqualoni attendedCheshire High School, where he lettered in football and basketball.[2] Following graduation, he continued toBordentown Military Institute, also lettering on the football squad, and graduating in 1968. Pasqualoni then enrolled atPenn State, where he was a walk-on and subsequent letterman, as alinebacker under head coachJoe Paterno. In 1972, he received aB.S inhealth andphysical education, then finished his education atSouthern Connecticut State, receiving aM.S. in physical education and human performance.
Pasqualoni began his coaching career in 1972, while a graduate student at Southern Connecticut, as an assistant at his alma mater, Cheshire High School, where he remained for four seasons. After completing his master's degree, he was hired in 1976 as an assistant at Southern Connecticut by then-head coach,George DeLeone, who also served as a future assistant at Syracuse with Pasqualoni underDick MacPherson. Pasqualoni was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1980, a position which he held for two seasons.[3]
In 1982, Pasqualoni was hired away from Southern by in-state schoolWestern Connecticut State University, as its head coach andathletic director. In five seasons with the Colonials, he amassed a 34–17 record, and coached the team to a 1985New England Football Conference championship and appearance in theNCAA Division III playoffs.[3]
Pasqualoni was an assistant at Syracuse from 1987 until 1991, when he was promoted to head coach after the position was vacated byDick MacPherson, who left for theNFL to coach theNew England Patriots. The Orange (then known as the Orangemen) enjoyed a number of successful years with Pasqualoni at the helm. The team won theFiesta Bowl over Colorado in 1992 and defeated Clemson 41–0 in theGator Bowl in 1995,Donovan McNabb's freshman year. The team had a 6–3 record in bowl games under Pasqualoni. Pasqualoni's 14-year record with Syracuse was 107–59–1. His only losing season was in 2002 with a 4–8 record. Most seasons of his tenure saw Syracuse competing in the Top 25 in the country.
While coach of the Orangemen, Pasqualoni's roots in Connecticut led him to recruit many star players from Connecticut high schools, includingBloomfield'sDwight Freeney,New Britain'sTebucky Jones and the McIntosh brothers fromCheshire High School.
At the conclusion of the2004 season the team lost theChamps Sports Bowl 51–14. New athletic directorDaryl Gross fired Pasqualoni on December 29, 2004, despite Syracuse's president,Nancy Cantor, publicly stating that Pasqualoni would be on the sideline the next season.[4] He was replaced byGreg Robinson, who had been serving as the defensive coordinator at the University of Texas. During the 2005 season, the first season in 14 years without Pasqualoni leading the team and the first in 17 years without him on the staff, the Orange posted a record of 1–10, the worst on-field record in the 117-year history of Syracuse football.
In 2015, Syracuse vacated all of its wins from 2004 due to ineligible players. As a result, Pasqualoni's final season is technically the first winless season in school history.
On January 13, 2011, Pasqualoni was hired to lead the University of Connecticut football program, by soon to be dismissed AD Jeff Hathaway, two weeks after former coachRandy Edsall left for theUniversity of Maryland. His two full seasons saw identical records of 5–7 — only his second and third losing seasons as a Division I-A/FBS head coach. He was fired as coach of the Huskies on September 30, 2013, in the midst of his 3rd season after starting 0–4.[5]
Pasqualoni was hired by former Florida head CoachDan Mullen before the 2020 season. He was retained byBilly Napier on December 29, 2021, with a new off field scout role. He left in 2022, after being hired by NFL's Carolina Panthers.[6]
Pasqualoni was hired as a defensive analyst for the 2025 season.[7]
Before becoming linebackers coach in 2005, Pasqualoni served as the Cowboys' coach oftight ends for the2005 season, where he is credited for the continued development ofJason Witten leading to his second consecutive trip to thePro Bowl. On November 8, 2010, Pasqualoni was promoted to interim defensive coordinator resulting from the firing ofWade Phillips, as Phillips served as both head coach and defensive coordinator for the Cowboys.[8]
Pasqualoni was hired as the defensive coordinator of theMiami Dolphins on January 22, 2008.
Pasqualoni was fired by the Dolphins on January 11, 2010.[9]
He was subsequently hired as the defensive line coach for theDallas Cowboys.
On January 16, 2014, Pasqualoni was hired as theChicago Bears defensive line coach.[8]
On January 25, 2015, Pasqualoni was hired as theHouston Texans new defensive line coach. On January 20, 2016, Pasqualoni resigned.
On February 7, 2018, Pasqualoni was hired as the defensive coordinator of theDetroit Lions.[10] On January 2, 2020, Pasqualoni decided to step away from football, leaving his position in Detroit.[11]
Pasqualoni was hired byMatt Rhule in summer 2022 as a defensive line coach. After head coach change, new interim head coachSteve Wilks fired Pasqualoni along with cornerbacks coachEvan Cooper on November 7, 2022.[6]
Pasqualoni was hired by theMemphis Showboats on January 4, 2024.[12]
Pasqualoni is married to the former Jill Fleischman, whom he met while coaching at Syracuse University. Together, they have two sons, Dante Paul and Tito Lucian, and a daughter, Cami Mae.[2] He is also the author, with Jim McLaughlin, of the bookCoaching Youth Football,ISBN 0-07-137219-9.[13]
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Connecticut Colonials(New England Football Conference)(1982–1985) | |||||||||
| 1982 | Western Connecticut | 2–7 | 2–7 | T–8th | |||||
| 1983 | Western Connecticut | 7–3 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 1984 | Western Connecticut | 9–1 | 8–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 1985 | Western Connecticut | 10–2 | 8–1 | T–1st | LNCAA Division III First Round | ||||
| Western Connecticut Colonials(NCAA Division III independent)(1986) | |||||||||
| 1986 | Western Connecticut | 6–4 | |||||||
| Western Connecticut: | 34–17 | 24–12 | |||||||
| Syracuse Orangemen/Orange(Big East Conference)(1991–2004) | |||||||||
| 1991 | Syracuse | 10–2 | 5–0 | ‡ | WHall of Fame | 11 | 11 | ||
| 1992 | Syracuse | 10–2 | 6–1 | ‡ | WFiesta† | 7 | 6 | ||
| 1993 | Syracuse | 6–4–1 | 3–4 | 5th | |||||
| 1994 | Syracuse | 7–4 | 4–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 1995 | Syracuse | 9–3 | 5–2 | 3rd | WGator | 16 | 19 | ||
| 1996 | Syracuse | 9–3 | 6–1 | T–1st | WLiberty | 19 | 21 | ||
| 1997 | Syracuse | 9–4 | 6–1 | 1st | LFiesta† | 20 | 21 | ||
| 1998 | Syracuse | 8–4 | 6–1 | 1st | LOrange† | 24 | 25 | ||
| 1999 | Syracuse | 7–5 | 3–4 | T–3rd | WMusic City | ||||
| 2000 | Syracuse | 6–5 | 4–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 2001 | Syracuse | 10–3 | 6–1 | 2nd | WInsight.com | 14 | 14 | ||
| 2002 | Syracuse | 4–8 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2003 | Syracuse | 6–6 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2004 | Syracuse | 6–6 | 4–2 | T–1st | LChamps Sports | ||||
| Syracuse: | 107–59–1[6] | 73–34 | ‡ The Big East did not begin full round–robin play until 1993 | ||||||
| Connecticut Huskies(Big East Conference)(2011–2012) | |||||||||
| 2011 | Connecticut | 5–7 | 3–4 | 6th | |||||
| 2012 | Connecticut | 5–7 | 2–5 | T–6th | |||||
| UConn Huskies(American Athletic Conference)(2013) | |||||||||
| 2013 | UConn | 0–4 | |||||||
| Connecticut/UConn: | 10–18 | 5–9 | |||||||
| Total: | 151–94–1[14] | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
