EASTON, Pa. -- Lafayette head football coach Frank Tavani has added two assistant coaches to his staff for the 2016 spring season.

Joe DeMattia, who is coming off a 2015 season in which he was Lafayette's Director of Football Operations, has been named a defensive assistant who will work with the defensive backs. DeMattia also assisted the defense with quality control in 2015.

DeMattia earned his bachelor of science degree in Sports and Recreation Management from Keystone College in 2014 and finished his master's degree in Sport Management from East Stroudsburg University in 2015.

Prior to arriving at Lafayette, the West Caldwell, N.J. native was an assistant coach at Abington Heights High School in Clarks Summit from 2012-13.

Shane Ferguson begins his first season as an offensive assistant coach at Lafayette. He will oversee the wide receivers. Ferguson is coming off a two-season stint as the wide receivers coach at his alma mater, Merrimack College, in North Andover, Mass. During that time, he was also a special teams coach, mentoring the kickers and punters.

A native of Point Pleasant Beach, N.J., Ferguson was a Northeast-10 Conference Second-Team All-Star and was chosen to participate in the National Bowl at the conclusion of his senior season in 2013. Ferguson earned his bachelor's degree in sports medicine in May 2013. He spent the summer of 2012 (Merrimack Hockey) and the summer of 2011 (Rutgers football) as a strength and conditioning intern.

DeMattia and Ferguson replace Scott Biel and McNeil Parker on the staff, both of whom left collegiate coaching.