ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. --- Head Football Coach Jason Eck has announced that Ryan McNamee will join the program, serving in the newly created position of Chief of Staff. McNamee comes to UNM after working for four coaches in five years at UCLA.
In the role of Chief of Staff, McNamee will oversee all internal operations and handle many back-of-house details for the program, and will also serve as the external conduit to the campus and administration. He will oversee all operations, travel, and logistics, and serve as a liaison for football equipment operations and creative efforts.
At UCLA, he served in several roles over his five seasons. Originally hired by then-coach Chip Kelly, he served as Assistant Director of Operations during the 2021 season before being promoted to Director of Football Operations in 2022. At UCLA, he managed all aspects of team travel operations, practice organization, training camp coordination, team security, and sound logistics, while also serving as player housing coordinator, newcomer onboarding, and NFL Liaison.
Before UCLA, McNamee was the Director of Operations for one season at UNLV under Tony Sanchez and for three seasons at Cornell under David Archer.
McNamee was Director of Player Development for the University of Miami (FL) from December 2010 to May of 2015. Under Hurricanes coach Al Golden, he served as a liaison with academic support, athletic training, compliance, equipment, strength & conditioning, facilities, and the field maintenance techs. He coordinated community service opportunities, served as the program’s NFL liaison, summer camp director, and oversaw all aspects of Miami’s NFL Pro Day.
His relationship with Golden began at Temple, where McNamee served as Director of Player Development from 2007 until moving to Miami in 2010, handling similar duties.
He has also worked at Villanova, Gettysburg College, and Adams State in his long career in football.
Overall, McNamee has participated in six bowl games: the 2009 EagleBank Bowl, the 2013 Russell Athletic Bowl, the 2014 Independence Bowl, the 2021 Holiday Bowl, the 2022 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl, and the 2023 LA Bowl.
Professionally, he served on the National Directors of Football Operations Committee, several positions with Get in the Game, Save a Life, and as a College Football Playoff Team Operations Liaison.
McNamee and his wife, Valerie, have two sons, Danial and Logan.