David Serna
	Hometown: El Paso, TX Last College: B.S. Mechanical Engineering, UTEP '99 Position: Running Backs Birthdate: 11/14/1975 Experience: 10 years

Dave Serna Photo Gallery

Coaching Experience
2005- Florida Atlantic Assistant Coach (Running Backs)
2004 Mountain View High School Assistant Coach (Running Backs)
2002-2003 UTEP Assistant Coach (Running Backs)
2000-2001 UTEP Graduate Assistant

Bowl Games
2008 Motor City Bowl (Florida Atlantic)
2007 New Orleans (Florida Atlantic)
2000 Humanitarian Bowl (UTEP)

Recruiting Area
Lakeland, Ocala, Orlando, FL and North Suncoast
Out-of-Florida Area: New Jersey and Maryland

Personal Information
Birth date: Nov. 14, 1975
Hometown: El Paso, TX
Education: 1999, B.S.,
mechanical engineering, UTEP
Marital Status: Married to the former Andrea Alvarado
Children: Mario (11), Steven (4)

At FAU
Dave Serna joined the staff in the spring of 2005, assuming the role of running backs coach. He took the transition head-on, knowing he would be working with a core of running backs that had a cumulative total of eight carries entering the season. Despite youth and a rotation of five, the 2005 Owls had six games with more than 100 yards, including 227 yards on the ground against UNT and DiIvory Edgecomb's 118-yard performance, the first 100-yard game for a back since Sept. 11, 2004, also against North Texas.

Serna was afforded the opportunity of a stronger line in '06, as well as the return of senior fullback Aaron Sanchez. He made the most of it and saw sophomore Charles Pierre flourish. Pierre ended the season with four career games with 100+ yards, three were accomplished in '06.

The Owls' running game became a more integral part of the offense in 2007, with Pierre tallying 733 yards in 159 caries. Sixteen players were credited with runs allowing the Owls' passing game to open. The running game tallied 1,523 yards in 2007, which was second only all-time to the 2003 season when FAU played 14 games (1,788).

Charles Pierre saw the three years of working with Serna pay off in 2008. Despite a rotation between three primary carriers, Pierre became the first player in the program's history to rush for more than 1,000 yards (161 carries). Maybe even more impressively, he is just the third running back in Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger's career to break the 1,000-yard plateau. Pierre ended his four-year career as the program's top back in several categories. The 2008 squad set a new bench mark with 1,804 yards. With Serna's dedication to the running game, a new offensive coordinator in 2009 and an experienced line the Owls running game was not only fun for fans to watch it was vital to the team's success, especially after the mid-season loss of the four-year starting quarterback. Alfred Morris had a career season with a SBC leading 1,392 yards. Morris garnered all-conference honors as well as the team's MVP award. Senior fullback William Rose walked away with the team's Offensive MVP honor. Morris also became the first FAU player to receive both the MVP and the team's Student-Athlete of the Year award. The Owls rushed for a program-high 1,829 yards in 2009. In 2010, every yard gained was well earned. The backs took the hand-off from a new quarterback and five new offensive linemen. Morris was just 72 yards shy of becoming the first to accomplish back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. He will return for his senior campaign and will have the opportunity to capture nearly every FAU rushing record.

UTEP
His collegiate experience, both as a player and as a coach, came under the direction of FAU's former offensive coordinator Gary Nord. Serna played for Nord when Nord was an assistant coach at the University of Texas-El Paso. Serna first served as a student assistant for UTEP (1998-99). Upon his graduation in 1999 with a degree in mechanical engineering, he served as a graduate assistant. The two-year letterman was on staff in 2000, when the squad shared the Western Athletic Conference title and played in the Crucial.com Humanitarian Bowl. He was elevated to assistant coach in 2002 and began his career as a running backs coach. In 2002, the Miners ranked fourth in the WAC in rushing offense (154.1 ypg), including 300 yards against Sacramento State. UTEP rushed for over 200 yards in four games, three players posted 100-yard rushing games and Howard Jackson tied a school record with four rushing touchdowns in the first half versus Sacramento State. That same season saw four UTEP players rush for over 200 yards on the year, combining for 12 rushing touchdowns and at the season's conclusion Matt Austin was named to The Sporting News WAC All-Freshman team. In 2003, the Miners rated fourth in the WAC in rushing offense (169.3 ypg), rushed for more than 150 yards seven times, and over 200 yards on five occasions. Jackson became the eighth Miner to rush for 2,000 yards in a career and set a school record with four-consecutive 100-yard rushing games, and had a total of six. UTEP enjoyed a season that saw its top two backs average at least five yards per carry, and combined to score nine touchdowns. Under Serna's direction, Howard Jackson (2003) was the program's first 1,000-yard rusher since 1999, first team All-WAC, and ranked no. 4 nationally as an all-purpose runner.

Texas Native
Serna, the son of Rosie Serna, is a native of El Paso, TX, where he played high school football for Hanks High School.