Lorenzo Costantini Position: Defensive Line Coach Experience: Fifth Year Overall at UCF

A defensive line coach at five Conference USA schools including UCF, Lorenzo Costantini is back in Orlando for 2013. He spent 2012 with Southern Miss after serving on the UAB staff from 2007-11. During that tenure with the Blazers, he worked alongside Tyson Summers, who will be entering his second year as the Knights' linebackers coach.

At Southern Miss, Costantini helped Jamie Collins earn a spot on the All-C-USA First Team as he led the team with 92 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He also forced four fumbles and broke up five passes. Costantini also guided Elliott Henigan to all-conference status at UAB following a three-year stint at Tulane.

UCF's defensive lines produced solid seasons under Costantini. The 2002 squad ranked third in the Mid-American Conference with 31 sacks, while both the 2000 and 2001 defenses placed in the top 30 in the country.

In 2002, Costantini played a vital role in coaching Elton Patterson to a spot on the All-MAC First Team. Patterson, who finished his career in the top five in school history in sacks, was a seventh-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2003. Costantini also coached Josh McKibben, who was named the team's defensive MVP and signed with the Baltimore Ravens.

Prior to UCF, Costantini was the defensive line coach at UTEP from 1996-00 while serving as the strength and conditioning coach from 1995-00. In the 2000 NFL Draft, WAC Defensive Player of the Year Brian Young (St. Louis Rams) and Leif Larsen (Buffalo Bills) were drafted while Costantini was at UTEP.

Graduating from UTEP with a degree in education in 1990, Costantini was a four-year letterwinner and a member of the 1998 team that won 10 games and made an appearance in the Independence Bowl. He began his playing career for the Miners as an offensive lineman, but moved to defensive end and finally nose guard for his senior season. As a senior, he recorded 33 tackles, two tackles for loss, caused one fumble and recovered a fumble.

After his senior campaign, Costantini was a graduate assistant for UTEP in 1991, and coached at Jefferson High School in El Paso from 1992-94 where he was the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach.

A native of Houston and born in Rome, Italy, Costantini and his wife Merritt have two children, Rocco and Sofia.

Costantini at a Glance
Hometown - Houston, Texas
Wife - Merritt
Children - Rocco and Sofia
College - UTEP (B.S. 1990)
Playing Experience - UTEP, OL-DL
Coaching Experience:
2012 - Southern Miss - Defensive Line Coach
2007-11 - UAB - Defensive Line Coach
2004-06 - Tulane - Defensive Line Coach
2000-03 - UCF - Defensive Line Coach
1996-00 - UTEP - Defensive Line Coach
1995-00 - UTEP - Strength and Conditioning Coach
1992-94 - Jefferson High School (Texas) - Defensive Coordinator/Strength and Conditioning Coach
1991 - UTEP - Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line