Former Pitt Staffer, Duquesne DC Mickey Jacobs Hired at UConn
Former Pitt staffer and Duquesne defensive coordinator Mickey Jacobs is moving back up to the FBS level.
Jacobs was hired as the linebackers coach at UConn, the school announced Sunday.
A Fox Chapel High School grad, Jacobs spent the last three seasons at his alma mater Duquesne. He served as the Dukes’ defensive coordinator during the 2024 and 2025 seasons. This past fall he was also the linebackers coach.
During the 2025 season, Duquesne was ranked as No. 19 overall defense in the FCS. Since 2024, he produced 14 all-conference selections, which was also the most in any two-year span since Duquesne joined the NEC in 2008.
Jacobs reunites with former Pitt linebackers coach Ryan Manalac, who was hired as UConn’s defensive coordinator. The two spent the 2021 and 2022 season together on Pitt Panthers’ staff as Jacobs served as a defensive grad assistant. During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, he was a recruiting graduate assistant for the Panthers.
Jacobs played at Duquesne from 2013-16 where he was part of three NEC championship teams, including the Dukes’ 2015 FCS playoff team. Jacobs got his start after graduation as an intern with the Dukes’ strength and conditioning staff. He then served as a quality control assistant with a focus on the defensive line during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
