UCF coach O'Leary released from hospital, son says

ORLANDO - George O&#39;Leary, the new Central Florida football coach who suffered a mild heart attack earlier in the week, was released from a Minnesota hospital Friday, his son said.<br> <br> ``He&#39;s up and about,&#39;&#39; Tim O&#39;Leary said just before the former Georgia Tech coach left Fairview Southdale Hospital in Edina, a Minneapolis suburb. He was unavailable for comment, the son said.<br> <br> O&#39;Leary, 56, was stricken with chest pains at his home on Wednesday. That was three days after the Minnesota Vikings, with whom O&#39;Leary served as defensive coordinator, had their season end with a last-second loss at Arizona.<br> <br> Since O&#39;Leary was hired to lead the Golden Knights on Dec. 8, he had been splitting time between the NFL and Central Florida. He could arrive in Orlando for full-time duties as early as Monday, Tim O&#39;Leary said.<br> <br> But in the four weeks since O&#39;Leary&#39;s hiring, his part-time status and health problems created difficulties in recruiting both players and coaches.<br> <br> O&#39;Leary has three more assistant coaches to hire to a planned staff of nine. He had said before Christmas he hoped to have his staff in place by Friday; it&#39;s unclear now when the hiring will be complete.<br> <br> The Orlando Sentinel reported in Friday&#39;s editions that sources close to O&#39;Leary said he had planned to interview at least one coach about a job this weekend. That conversation was to take place in Orlando.<br> <br> Meanwhile, UCF coaches have been on the recruiting trail.<br> <br> ``We&#39;ve been hitting the road, granted, with a smaller staff than most,&#39;&#39; UCF athletic director Steve Orsini said. ``(Assistant coaches) Sean Beckton and David Huxtable have been going out a little bit. But we didn&#39;t have the numbers as if we had a full staff.&#39;&#39;<br> <br> The six assistant coaches are scheduled to meet Saturday in Orlando.<br> <br> O&#39;Leary was hired to revive a program that suffered problems both on the field and off this past season.<br> <br> Although the Golden Knights were expected to contend in the Mid-American Conference&#39;s East Division, their 3-9 record was their worst since 1984, the last year the program changed coaches during the season. Mike Kruczek was fired in November.<br> <br> UCF also had eight players, including four starters, suspended for various infractions.<br> <br> In O&#39;Leary&#39;s previous collegiate coaching experience, he compiled a 52-33 record at Georgia Tech from 1994 to 2001.<br> <br> But two years ago, he was forced to resign as Notre Dame&#39;s football coach just days after his hiring because he lied on his resume.