Frank Forcucci starts his third year as the Defensive Coordinator at Fordham after serving in the same position at Central Connecticut State the previous two years for Fordham head coach Tom Masella. He will also be responsible for the defensive backs for the second straight year this fall after coaching the outside linebackers at Rose Hill in 2006. Last year, the Fordham defense ranked 13th in the NCAA FCS in tackles for loss, averaging 7.75 per game while also ranking 39th in sacks, registering 2.17 per game. In the Patriot League, the 2007 Rams' defense was second in sacks with 26 and third in red zone defense while five players earned All-Patriot League honors, including linebacker Earl Hudnell who was also named Honorable Mention All-America. In 2006, Forcucci led the second-ranked rushing defense in the Patriot League as the Rams allowed 148.1 rushing yards/game, an improvement of over 30 yards/game from 2005, while recording a league-high 7.36 tackles for a loss per game, 11th best in the NCAA I FCS. The Fordham defense also led the Patriot League in defensive third down conversions, allowing opponents to convert 36.6% of their third downs, while also finishing third in the league in sacks with 20. In his two years at Central Connecticut, Forcucci helped the Blue Devils to back-to-back NEC titles. In his first season at Central Connecticut, the Blue Devil defense held opponents to under 20 points per game for the first time since 1989 and allowed only one first quarter touchdown the entire season, finishing second in the NEC in total defense, allowing 311.3 yards/game. The Blue Devil defense finished second in the NEC in 2004 in scoring defense, allowing just 19.2 points per game while holding opponents to converting just 33.3 percent of their third down conversions. In 2005, Forcucci saw four of his players named First Team All-NEC and three more named Second Team while also having the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Central Connecticut was fourth in the NEC in rushing defense, allowing just 117.1 yards per game, 18th best in the NCAA I-AA while having the second best red-zone defense in the conference. The Blue Devil defense also led the NEC in takeaways (29) and sacks (32). Forcucci joined the Central Connecticut staff after spending five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Massachusetts, two of those with Masella who was the UMass defensive coordinator. Before UMass, he was the head football coach at Bristol Central High School for a year after serving four years as the defensive coordinator at the school. Forcucci also spent five years at Wolcott High School, serving two seasons as linebackers coach and three years as offensive coordinator. A 1987 graduate of the University of New Haven, Forcucci earned a Bachelor's Degree in financial accounting. Forcucci and his wife, Heather, reside in New York City with their daughter, Sadira.