UConn Football tabs Syracuse's Nunzio Campanile as Offensive Coordinator

UConn Football’s search for a offensive play caller has come to an end today, as Syracuse Quarterbacks coach Nunzio Campanile will join Jason Candle’s staff over to Storrs, according to a report from On3’s Pete Nakos.

The Fair Lawn, New Jersey native and will join the program as the full time Offensive Coordinator after spending the past three seasons as the tight ends coach, interim HC, and most recently the quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons.

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Campanile was originally hired by Dino Babers at Syracuse as the program’s tight ends coach ahead of the 2023 season, however Babers would end up getting fired and Campanile would be named interim head coach. Campanile went 1-1 in those games, where he defeated Wake Forest and earned the Orange a Bowl bid. After that, Fran Brown was hired and kept him on as the program’s Offensive Associate Head Coach / Quarterbacks Coach.

As the tight ends coach, Campanile played a pivotal role in developing two of the ACC’s more productive players at the unit in recent memory. Under his guidance, Oronde Gadsden II emerged as one of the nation’s best offensive threats, posting 900+ receiving yard and seven touchdowns in 2024 before being selected in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft.

Meanwhile the other tight end, Dan Villari did a little bit of everything for the offense, hauling in 450 receiving yards this past season and carved out a unique place in Syracuse history back in 2023, where he was the second player in nearly four decades to record a rushing, receiving and passing touchdown in a single season. Campanile’s work with both players helped elevate Syracuse’s tight end room into one of the conference’s most respected units.

Prior to this time at Syracuse, Campanile spent five seasons at Rutgers in various roles. He was the running backs coach in 2018, moved to tight ends coach in 2019 and eventually was interim OC / HC after the program fired Chris Ash midseason. He was the lone holdover when Greg Schiano was hired and was the tight end’s coach for two more seasons, he had Johnny Langan post over 1,300+ all-purpose yards for his career despite not moving to the position until his fourth collegiate season in 2021. He also had 31 receptions in 2022, which were the second highest on the team that season.

Before that, Campanile was a high school coach at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, where he was one of the best around. During his time, he compiled a record of 60-28, won the 2017 state championship, and developed several very talented quarterbacks. Five of his high school QBs went on to play in the NFL, as he developed guys like Mike Teel, Matt Simms, Jarrett Guarantano, Tanner McEvoy and Gary Nova.

While Campanile hasn’t been a full time OC ever at the college level, he has done it on an interim basis several times now, and has a proven track record of developing prospects, producing several NFL talents.

Stay tuned right here for more on Nunzio Campanile being hired as UConn Football’s next Offensive Coordinator right here on the UConn Report!