Auburn defensive coordinator Ted Roof is leaving Auburn and is expected to take the same position at the University of Central Florida, according to a report by AuburnUndercover.com.

Current Auburn players posted messages on Twitter about Roof’s departure Tuesday afternoon.

“Gonna miss coach roof. He's a great man!!!” tweeted AU junior tight end Philip Lutzenkirchen.

“Wish luck to Coach Roof,” redshirt freshman linebacker Jawara White also tweeted.

It is not immediately clear who will coach the defense in the Chick-fil-A Bowl against Virginia on New Year's Eve in Atlanta.

In three seasons running the Tigers’ defense, Auburn has never finished better than 60th (2010) in total defense. However, the Tigers were ranked ninth nationally in rush defense in 2010, giving up 109.1 yards per game on the ground.

Roof’s defense gave up a school record 4,863 yards in 2009, then set another record for most yards allowed in 2010 with 5,157. Of course, the Tigers played 14 games that year, winning the BCS National Championship.

This year, Auburn is 78th in total defense, giving up 4,869 yards (405.75 per game). Auburn is also giving up 29.33 points per game this season, which ranks 79th in the country.

If Auburn gives up more than 181 yards against Virginia in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, it will break a 32-year old record for yards per game given up in a season. The record is 389.1, set in 1979.

This past offseason, Roof signed a three-year contract worth $500,000 per year with Auburn.

Roof will join George O’Leary’s staff at UCF. Roof was O’Leary’s defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech from 1999-2001.

Roof is the second coach to leave Gene Chizik’s original staff when it was assembled prior to the 2009 season. Defensive line coach Tracy Rocker was the first to leave after the 2010 season, taking the same position with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.