Pete Lembo

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Peter Lembo (born April 16, 1970) is an American football coach and former player.

He is currently the Assistant Head Football Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at the University of Memphis, a position he assumed in January 2019.

Prior to coming to Memphis, he was the Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Rice University.

Before joining the coaching staff at Rice University, he was the Head Football Coach at Lehigh University from 2001 to 2005, at Elon University from 2006 to 2010, and at Ball State University from 2011 to 2015.

He was also the Assistant Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at the University of Maryland for two seasons.

Lembo enjoyed success in each of his stops as a head coach and accumulated a 112–65 career record over a 15-year period.

His 79–36 record in ten seasons at the FCS level makes him one of the winningest coaches in the history of that classification.

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Education and playing career

Lembo was a student at Monsignor Farrell High School in Staten Island, where he was a starter on the varsity football team. He graduated in 1988. He attended Georgetown University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1992. Lembo played for four years at Georgetown and was team captain of the Hoyas in 1991. He obtained his undergraduate degree at SUNY's Albany, New York, where he earned a Master of Arts in Public Administration in 1994.

Coaching career

When Lembo was appointed head coach at Lehigh University in February 2001, he became one of the youngest head coaches in all Division I. In each of his five seasons as head coach, the Mountain Hawks won at least eight games in each of his five seasons. Lembo is the winningest head coach in Lehigh school history, with a winning percentage of.759. With a winning percentage of 26–7 (.788), he ranks third among all Patriot League coaches. Lembo's teams have won two Patriot League championships and two appearances in the FCS playoffs.

In 2001, Lembo led Lehigh to an undefeated regular season and an unexpected victory over Hofstra in the first round of the NCAA playoffs. Lehigh also won the coveted Lambert Cup this season and finished 5th in the country. The Mountain Hawks defeated the University of Buffalo, an FBS level team from the Mid-American Conference, in 2002. This was Lehigh's first victory over an FBS (I-A) team since 1987. In September 2002, the Mountain Hawks ranked # 2 in the national polls, the highest ranking in program history. In September, 2003, Lehigh defeated 9th in the rankings, defeating Fordham in 9th place. In 2004, Lehigh defeated 18th ranked Colgate and won the Patriot League before meeting eventual national champion James Madison in the first round of the FCS playoffs. In 2005, the Mountain Hawks defeated Harvard in a battle of top-ten ranked teams.

During Lembo's tenure, the Lehighs had a 9-2 record against Ivy League opponents, with eight of those games losing to Harvard, Yale, and Princeton. Despite receiving need-based financial assistance at the time, the Mountain Hawks had a winning record against teams from scholarship-based conferences.

During Lehigh's tenure as head coach, three of Lembo's student-athletes earned AP all-American recognition. Abdul Byron, the defensive back, was selected in 2001, defensive end Tom Alfsen in 2004, and tight end Adam Bergen was a two-time pick in 2003 and 2004.

Lembo served as the head football coach at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina, from 2006 to 2010. Elon's coaching career was 35–22. In the five seasons leading up to Lembo's arrival, the Phoenix went 14-42. The Phoenix defeated the Phoenix to a 9–3 record (7–1 Southern Conference), their first appearance in the FCS playoffs in 2009. Elon's teams also set new NCAA, Southern Conference, and school records. He is one of only two football coaches in Elon's Division I period to win a championship career record. Rich Skrosky and Tony Trisciani, two of Lembo's former assistant coaches, have since been named head coaches for the Phoenix.

The Phoenix were ranked in the FCS top 25 polls from October 20th, 2007, to October 9th, 2010, for 34 weeks in a row. In October of 2008, Elon ranked as the country's highest ranking. Lembo's teams defeated nationally ranked opponents seven times from 2006 to 2010. Prior to this stretch, the Elon program had just one win over the FCS (I-AA) top 25. Elon defeated nationally ranked Georgia Southern in back-to-back years (2007 and 2008) and won a victory at #7 Wofford in 2007, defeating the highest ranked opponent since being classed in the Division I Football Championship Subdivision.

During an 11-year association with the club, Elon enjoyed its only winning seasons in Southern Conference play in 2007. Lembo's teams won just three games in their first three seasons of SoCon play before he was born, a remarkable 24-14 record in a league that was one of the most competitive in the FCS at that time. His Elon's career success is the highest among head coaches since the college has risen to the Division I ranks, and his 24 conference victories are also the highest among all Phoenix head coaches.

Under Lembo, Phoenix quarterback Scott Riddle (2007-2010) set NCAA records for the most passing yards by a freshman (3,738) and longest per game in a career (with 339.8). Riddle also tied for the most touchdown passes as a freshman (31). Riddle is fifth on the all-time list of FCS quarterbacks with 13,264 passing yards in his career.

Terrell Hudgins (2006-2009) holds NCAA records for the most passes played in a career (395), career yards (5,250), catches per game (8.78), the most games with 100 or more yards receiving (28) and the most games containing a touchdown pass (34). These records were previously held by legendary receiver Jerry Rice. Hudgins is second all-time in catches in a single season (123 in 2009), and third in touchdown catches (with 52). Michael Mayers, a Hudgins and teammate, hold the FCS record for most catches by a pair in a season (207 in 2007). Aaron Mellette, the Elon wide receiver, was ranked third in the FCS in catches per game in 2010 and was later recruited by the Baltimore Ravens.

Pete Lembo resigned as Elon University's head football coach on December 19, 2010 to take over Ball State University's head coaching position. His job at Ball State was the 5th highest in the Mid-American Conference, and the most coveted among all college football coaches, earning him $450,000 per year. In 2015, he made $514,250. Lembo resigned on December 22, 2015 to take over as the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator at Maryland. In five seasons with the Cardinals, he had a 33-29 record and a 23-17 record in MAC games. He is Ball State's first head coach since Paul Schudel (1985-1994) to win a winning record.

A few highlights from Coach Lembo's time at Ball State: Here are some highlights from his time as coach.

During Lembo's tenure, the Cardinals set more than 60 school records, including single-season records for points (6,199 yards), passing yards (4,214), touchdown passes (35) and total touchdowns (64) in 2013.

• The Cardinals won their second straight bowl appearance when Ball State competed in the GoDaddy Bowl, leading to a 10–3 overall record in 2013. It's only the second time in 90 years of football the Cardinals have played in back-to-back bowl games and their third season of 10 or more victories.

• Led the Cardinals to a 7-1 MAC record in 2013 – only the fifth 7–1 or better MAC record since Ball State began the league in 1975.

• In 2012 and 2013, the Cardinals won the most back-to-back seasons in school history.

(Virginia, South Florida, and Indiana twice) coached the Cardinals to four victories over teams from BCS conferences (Virginia, South Florida, and Indiana twice). Ball State had just one victory against BCS teams in its entire history.

• In the first four seasons as head coach of the school, the school's first ball state has won 30 games in the first four seasons.

• Lembo's.600 winning percentage is the second highest among Ball State head coaches during their first four seasons.

In March 2014, the associate athletics director took over the head football coaching role.

• One of 20 coaches in the United States has been named on the 2013 Paul Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year Award Watch List.

• With a 27–24 victory over Kent State in Ball State's 87th Homecoming Game in 2013, he won his 100th career victory.

• In November, 2012, Led the Cardinals defeated #23 ranked Toledo by 28-20. This was Ball State's first victory over a ranked team since 2002.

• Lembo coached many future NFL players, including wide receiver Willie Snead, quarterback Keith Wenning, defensive end Jonathan Newsome, cornerback Eric Patterson, and running back Jahwan Edwards, Ball State's all-time leading rusher. Snead is now a starting wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens.

Lembo joined the University of Maryland's teaching staff on December 22, 2015. Lembo's special teams were one of the country's best punt and kick blocking teams during his two seasons, tied for fifth with nine blocks in two seasons. In kickoff return defense in 2016, and 2017, the Terps were undefeated (25th and 21st nationally).

After ranking 11th out of 130 FBS programs in ESPN's Special Teams Efficiency rankings in 2017, Maryland ranked 11th in his first year in College Park. In 2017, the Terps also ranked third in punt returns and fourth in kickoff returns. Maryland had a punt return against Rutgers in 2016 and a kickoff return against Ohio State in 2017.

Coach Lembo has been a coach for $350,000 a year with Maryland.

Despite a rebuilding season at Rice University in 2018, Lembo was able to advance the Owls special teams from 114th in the previous year to 17th in ESPN's Special Teams Efficiency rankings. Rice came in sixth in the FBS in kickoff return defense, allowing just 16.12 yards per return. This was also the lowest return allowed at Rice University since the 1999 football season. The Owls ranked 14th nationally in kickoff returns, with averaging 24.41 per cent return. This was the highest average per return at Rice since the 1973 season. Rice set a school record and finished 17th in the FBS, net punts at a whopping 40.11 per punt. Rice's competitive out-of-conference schedule in 2018 included quality opponents such as LSU, Wake Forest, Houston, and Hawaii.

In 2018, Lembo's leadership selected senior punter and kickoff specialist Jack Fox as the Year's Best Player of the Year. Fox finished eighth in the FBS in punt defense this season, averaging 45.45 yards per punt. With a 76-yard kick against North Texas, Fox set a school record. He had 26 punts over 50 yards and 31 punts inside the opponent's 20 yard line and made 31 punts. In 2018, Fox also delivered two fake punts. Fox was later invited to participate in the NFL Combine and agreed to a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs. He is now the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions. Haden Tobola, a senior place kicker who only played on one field goal in the previous season, made 10 of 11 kicks in 2018 and ranked third in all FBS in field goal percentages. Austin Walter, a senior kick returner, ranked 10th in the FBS in kickoff return average with 25.8 per cent.

Campbell Riddle, Lembo's first recruit, earned a scholarship after his first season in 2018 and went on to be a co-captain for the Owls in 2020 and 2021 seasons.

In a historic 12-win season at Memphis in 2019, success on special teams was a key factor. The Tigers earned their first outright conference championship since 1969 and landed a spot in the Cotton Bowl, naming them as the nation's top Group of Five program. Memphis ranked top-ranked special teams unit in the country for a large portion of the season, according to ESPN's Special Teams Efficiency rankings. According to ESPN, the Tigers finished second among 130 FBS programs in the 2019 regular season. The Tigers received their highest FBS score for "Special Teams Points Added" and overall efficiency. Memphis finished the 2019 season ranked 6th in the FBS overall special teams rankings compiled by the data analysts at Football Outsiders, ranking the team 6th in the overall special teams rankings.

While leading the nation in total kickoff return yardage, the Tigers ranked 7th among FBS teams in average yards per kickoff return at 26.22, while leading the country in total kickoff return yardage. After kickoff returns (33.3 yard line) and a touchdown return of 7.6 yards per game higher than the 2019 FBS average, Memphis also ranked first in average starting field position. The Tigers had ten kickoff returns, allowing their offense to begin drives beyond the 40 yard line.

Antonio Gibson, a senior at the University of Alabama, placed 8th in the nation in yards per return (28.0), and was named Co-Special Teams Player of the Year for his efforts. Gibson had many exciting returns in 2019, including a 97-yard return for a touchdown at the Liberty Bowl in a crucial AAC West showdown against SMU. Chris Claybrooks, a senior cornerback, returned for a touchdown in the game against Cincinnati, assisting the Tigers in a rematch against the Bearcats a week later in the AAC championship. In 2019, the Claybrooks earned a 30.7 percent kickoff return. The Tigers had three explosive returns in an important mid-season conference game against Tulane, all by Claybrooks. Cornerback Gabe Rogers returned a kickoff 99 yards against Navy earlier this season, reducing the Midshipmen's lead and giving the Tigers a critical AAC West match. In terms of yards per kickoff return, the Tigers finished first in the AAC during the 2019 regular season.

The 2019 season featured the tough-minded Tiger special teams in 6th in blocked kicks in the FBS. Memphis denied two punts as well as two field goal attempts. In 2019, Memphis made statistical advancements in other critical areas, including net punt and kickoff coverage defense, which were not covered under Lembo's leadership. In 14 games, the Tigers only permitted one opponent's kickoff return to cross the 30 yard line. Memphis converted a fake punt against Tulsa, scored a surprise onside kick against Louisiana-Monroe, and scored a 2-point conversion in a muddle huddle match. Adam Williams, a red-shirt Sophomore quarterback, averaged 44.8 yards per punt, with ten punts over 50 yards and 13 punts inside the 20-yard line.

The Memphis field goal unit was perhaps the most notable advancement. Riley Patterson, a junior kicker who was barely out of 20 in 2018, met 92 percent of his field goals in 2019 (23 of 25). Patterson made several kicks of over 50 yards and was named first team All-AAC for his efforts. Patterson scored two field goals of 50 or more yards in the conference championship game against Cincinnati, making him a key part of the Tigers' 29-24 victory. Patterson had six field goals against #10 Penn State in Memphis's Cotton Bowl loss, as well as a record for field goals in NCAA bowl games history.

Senior Preston Brady, Patterson's holder, was named the nation's most outstanding holder for his work in 2019. Brady converted an onside kick to win over the 16th ranked SMU and scored a 2-point conversion on a muddle huddle play against Louisiana-Monroe.

Lembo was nominated for the annual Broyles Award for his lifetime, recognizing the best assistant coach in the country. Lembo was also selected as one of three finalists for the Footballscoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year for the 2019 season.

The Tiger special teams units continued to make a positive influence during the turbulent 2020 season, with Memphis beating Florida Atlantic 25-10 in the Montgomery Bowl. The Tigers finished second in the FBS, with no blocked kicks or punts allowed throughout the season. By blocking three kicks, the FBS tied for seventh in the FBS for the second time in the season. The Memphis kickoff coverage unit ranked 16th in the FBS, with an average of 17.42 percent per return. Riley Patterson, a senior kicker, scored the game-winning field goal as time expired to score a 30-27 victory over Memphis in the Liberty Bowl. Patterson was voted one of the best kickers in the country by the Reece's Senior Bowl. In Memphis's home victory over Stephen F. Austin, junior wide receiver Calvin Austin punted 64 yards for a touchdown.

When attending Memphis, Coach Lembo earned a salary of $305,000 per year.

In 2020, Lembo was hired as the Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator in South Carolina, and Special Teams Coordinator. Coach Lembo is now earning $465,000 a year on a long-serving position.

The Gamecock special teams units played a key role in the team's 7-6 finish and Duke's Mayo Bowl victory to cap the 2021 season under Lembo's leadership. South Carolina stopped four kicks (three punts and a field goal), ranked second in the SEC and 10th in the country. It was the 2014 season, South Carolina's last time they had blocked four kicks. The three blocked punts finished first in the SEC, 7th in the country, and they were the most at South Carolina since the 2000 season. The Gamecocks were strong in punt and field goal defense, and they did not give up a blocked punt or kick the entire 2021 season.

Parker White, the school's all-time leader in points scored with 368, was 16 of 17 on field goal attempts (.941). With 72 points, the senior tied the school record for field goals. In the second week of the season, White defeated East Carolina on a game-winning field goal. He was also outstanding on extra point attempts. As the Gamecocks ended the season with a 40.3 net punt average, sophomore punter Kai Kroeger had two punts of over 70 yards. On a fake punt versus Tennessee, Kroeger also gave up a 44 yard touchdown pass on a fake punt. The Gamecocks converted two of two point conversions off of muddle huddle games, including a pass by Kroeger.

South Carolina's 24.0 average per kickoff return in 2021 ranked 22nd in the FBS, and the second best in program history since the Gamecocks joined the SEC in 1992. South Carolina's kickoff coverage was also strong, placing 25th nationally, fourth in the SEC, and third among all previous units at South Carolina since 1992 with an 18.1 average per return.

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