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Former Syracuse football coach Paul Pasqualoni, who served as interim defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys this season after Wade Phillips was fired, has been hired as the new head coach at Connecticut.

The school announced the move Thursday.

"We are very proud to welcome Paul Pasqualoni to the UConn family and also bring him back home to his native Connecticut," said University of Connecticut Director of Athletics Jeffrey Hathaway in a statement released by the school. "Paul brings an outstanding coaching background to UConn on the collegiate, professional and high school level. He also is a man of strong character and integrity and we look forward to him developing our football student-athletes in the classroom, on the field and as part of the community."

According to several reports, UConn chose Pasqualoni over former Miami Hurricanes offense coordinator Mark Whipple.

The school will introduce Pasqualoni at a news conference at 12:30 p.m. ET Friday.

Pasqualoni has experience coaching in the Big East, having spent 14 years as the head coach at Syracuse. He went 107-59-1 during his time with the Orange.

He replaces Randy Edsall, who left UConn to take the coaching job at Maryland after leading the Huskies to the Big East championship and a spot in the Fiesta Bowl.

-- Tim Gardner

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

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