I'm heading out there now. We'll have an extended viewing window towards the end, which is different (usually it was beginning). Press conference around 11:30 or so with Gus and four players.

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Great video and now it definitely looks like he will be elsewhere in 2024.

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Just watched the conclusion of an amazing comeback for Donnie Jones' Hatters as Stephan Swenson hit a step-back three with just seconds remaining.

Stetson will host Austin Peay or North Alabama on Sunday at 2 p.m.

The Hatters are one of 45 Division I programs that have never gone to the Big Dance.

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When do people wake up to this ****ing craziness?

OK, whose the Dungeon member that’s changed stop light signals?

When stopped at lights, the green light no longer allows left hand turns, followed by traffic going straight through intersection.

Now, traffic going through intersection goes first before left hand turns.

1st world problems.

First day of practice is Monday, March 11. There will be three practices the first week, then they'll take a week off for spring break before resuming March 26.

Here's an updated roster/scholarship breakdown:

**Portal addition
*HS signee enrolled
=HS signee that won't until summer below the break

QB (6)

KJ Jefferson (Arkansas)**
Timmy McClain
Xavier Williams
Dylan Rizk
Riley Trujillo*
=
EJ Colson*

UCF got their portal QB in KJ Jefferson. Will the room remain at six heading into the season? EJ Colson wasn't expected to be in the 2024 class but reclassified, which makes the room even more crowded. He won't arrive until summer though.

RB (6)

RJ Harvey
Johnny Richardson
Demarkcus Bowman
Myles Montgomery (Cincinnati)**
=
Stacy Gage*
Frankie Arthur*

Somewhat crowded room, especially since RJ would be expected to get the bulk of carries. Who wins the battle for No. 2 RB? Can Bowman make an impact after missing most of last season due to a concussion issue?

WR (10)

Kobe Hudson
Xavier Townsend
Trent Whittemore
Chauncey Magwood
Jarrad Baker
Tyree Patterson
Goldie Lawrence (FSU)**
Jordyn Bridgewater*
Bredell Richardson*
Kason Stokes*

Hudson and Townsend are the leaders here... who else emerges? Can Whittemore and Magwood step up in the rotation? Which freshman WR will make an impact?

TE (5)

Randy Pittman Jr.
Evan Morris (Michigan State)**
Jordan Davis
Grant Stevens
Kylan Fox*

Pittman is ready to emerge in the spotlight and Morris brings a reliable blocker. Can Jordan Davis rebound from injury? UCF is also bringing in TE transfer Reece Adkins, who is a PWO walk-on from Eastern Kentucky.

OL (13)

Amari Kight
Marcellus Marshall
Adrian Medley
Jabari Brooks (Samford)**
Wes Dorsey (Western Kentucky)**
Caden Kitler
Paul Rubelt
Cameron Kinnie
Johnathan Cline
Keyon Cox
Patrick Barnett
Waltclaire Flynn*
=
Chase Malamala*

Jabari Brooks, Caden Kitler and Waltclaire Flynn will battle it out at center. Brooks can also play guard. I would think Kight, Marshall and Medley are set as starters, then Brooks/Kitler will emerge at center. Wes Dorsey could slide into RT.

DT (7)

Ricky Barber
Lee Hunter
John Walker
Matthew Alexander
Derrick LeBlanc
Andrew Rumph
Marcus Downs*

All DTs returning from last season. I'll be curious to see how Derrick LeBlanc is progressing after redshirting last season following his transfer from Oklahoma.

DE (5)

Malachi Lawrence
Daylan Dotson (UT Martin)**
Jamaal Johnson
Isaiah Nixon
Kaven Call

Malachi and Dotson return with the most experience. The others are young. I'm listing UNLV transfer Zavier Carter under LB because that's what his commitment graphic says, though I'm wondering if he'll really be at DE.

LB (10)

Jesiah Pierre (Texas Tech)**
Ethan Barr (Vanderbilt)**
Xe'ree Alexander (Idaho)**
Andrew Harris
Kam Moore
TJ Bullard
Troy Ford Jr.
Zavier Carter? (UNLV)**
DJ McCormick*
=
Qua Birdsong*

Lots of portal attention at LB this offseason. UCF went from having meager depth to significant depth, especially when you consider a guy like Ladarius Tennison can play LB if needed.

S (9)

Ladarius Tennison (Ole Miss)**
Bryon Threats (Cincinnati)**
Deshawn Pace (Cincinnati)**
Demari Henderson
Nikai Martinez
Quadric Bullard
William Wells
Jashad Presley*
Jakob Gude*

CB (10)

Ja'Cari Henderson
Brandon Adams
Braeden Marshall
Antione Jackson (ECU)**
Ja'Maric Morris
Jason Duclona
Jarvis Ware
Christian Peterson*
Chasen Johnson*
=
Jaylen Heyward*

I lumped everybody between S and CB until it's clear who the nickels would be. Tennison? Pace?

Ja'Cari suffered an injury this past season. Is he back for spring? Will Jarvis Ware ever make an impact? He's been injury prone his entire career - he missed the entire 2021 and 2023 seasons.

DB as a whole could be the most intriguing position group as there are some incredibly talented transfers and it'll be interesting to see where they'll line up.

Specialists (4)

K Colton Boomer
K Grant Reddick
P Mitch McCarthy
LS Gage King

Curious what happens with Colton Boomer this spring. I have to believe he wasn't 100 percent as the season progressed.

Total

This is EXACTLY 85 players between the returners and portal/high school commits/signees.

I see that we play WV Nov 23rd or 24th according to Google.

Does anyone know any dog friendly hotels or airbnbs near there? I’m not even sure where WV plays.

I know it’s thanksgiving time so getting a dog sitter is tough so that’s why I’m trying to find something dog friendly.

Also meeting up with my HS best friend so it’s very important to me.

Anyone going? This feels like the first big test of the year. Everyone likes Riviera but this to me is the kickoff of golf szn. Big payout and all the top stars (on tour) will be there. My pick is Fleetwod to get his first W.

Also, imagine rolling this out the week of BayHill??

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Haters gonna hate and trollers gonna troll, but I am excited to see the Knights drop the spring football roster tomorrow. UCF rises or falls on Malzahn's leadership. Gus turned over his coaching staff. He brought back a lot of familiar faces. I also love what Gus has done with the roster this offseason. KFC, Church's, Popeyes, Guthrie's, and Zaxby's may have a different take.

SEC Trigger Man: KJ Jefferson and his new hawgs may not be dining out at The Ravenous Pig ($1 to Bozo), but it is only because they are going to eat greedy every Saturday in the fall.

Change in Recruiting Philosophy?: Isaiah Paul, Corey Gammage, Fred Davis, and *potentially* Rian Davis aside, Gus has come a loooooong way from signing grad transfers the likes of Miami Ohio transfer Marshall Taylor, who couldn't fight he way out of a wet paper bag (https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2..._auburn_incidents_woman_teammate_sources.html), and Youngstown State transfer Zach Farrar, who had no business being at an SEC program https://auburntigers.com/sports/football/roster/zach-farrar/14577 The 2024 transfers Gus is bringing in have legitimate NFL aspirations due to their size-speed combinations.

A Revisionist's History: Had the soon-to-come-to-fruition CFP format existed during Gus's tenure at Auburn, it is conceivable to argue that Gus would have made the CFP in 2013, 2017, 2019, and possibly even 2016*. That definitely changes the narrative on "four-loss" Gus.

NOTE: The SEC would have needed three guaranteed spots for Auburn to have had a shot at making the field in 2016.

UCF got 3: Jaylin Sellers, Darius Johnson, Ibrahima Diallo

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For the first time in ages, our annual State of the Union address is not in January. The date hinges on when the Speaker of the House extends an invite. It is constitutionally-mandated so it has to happen but Mike Johnson thought he'd be clever and delay it.

Thanks to Speaker Johnson's brilliant ploy, President Biden will be able to use the timing of this year's SOU address to kick-off the general election campaign. It will be interesting to listen tonight and see how he explains away the horrible mess the country is in since The Glory Years of Donald Trump, right guys?

In addition to Auburn DT Malik Autry:

CB Landon Hammond

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DE Reshad Sterling

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LB Cam White

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DB Dyllon Williams

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To Stetson for their first trip to the Big Dance with a win over Austin Peay 94-91.

Jags gave up a 6th round draft choice to get him.

Jones was the 15th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

Saved you a click.

The No. 14 seed UCF Knights (12-16) and the No. 11 seed Cincinnati Bearcats (13-16) play in the Big 12 Tournament Thursday at T-Mobile Center, starting at 9:00 PM ET on ESPN+. UCF is favored by 2.5 points. Both teams are looking to take another step toward a conference title and an automatic spot in the NCAA Tournament bracket.

UCF will play their inaugural Big 12 MBB game this Saturday at Kansas State after wrapping their OOC schedule at 9-3.

While every game will be challenging when you join the No. 1 conference in college basketball, K-State might be one of the more "winnable" games, at least compared to other teams UCF will play (Kansas, Houston, etc.).

From a W/L standpoint in the non-conference schedule, obviously the only gripe is losing to Stetson. It would have been great not to lose that one and find a way to pull it out vs. Ole Miss, but it is what it is.

On the bright side, UCF didn't hurt themselves with their OOC schedule. The NET ranking is 69. In the Big 12, you can play your way into the postseason.

NIT has new rules this year. They've eliminated the auto-bids for conference champs that don't win their tournament. Instead, the Power Six will receive two auto-bids for their highest rated teams (according to NET) that don't make the NCAA Tournament (regardless of record). And when you eliminate the mid-major champs, that also means plenty of room for other P6 teams.

UCF finishing with a 7-11 Big 12 record would likely land them in the NIT (would finish 16-14 before the conference tournament).

I think making the NIT - whatever the record is - would be a great first season for UCF in the Big 12.

This year's UCF team can definitely play defense. Team three-point shooting isn't great. I think they can win some games, but how exactly things will translate into the Big 12 is a mystery to me. I really don't have any expectations, but I think 6-7 wins could be attainable.

What are your expectations?

I was hoping my title would be eye catching...

As I cash out of this over priced establishment - what is the #1 meet up next football season and are we planning a dungeon meet up?

Man, I hate this guy. First his TCU frogs beat us in the 2017 NIT. My first opportunity to see Mr. Dixon in action. Second, what's with that hair? Looks like he uses a paint roller to groom in front of the mirror. Third, prancing up and down the sideline like a caffeinated gerbil. He's the perfect made for TV coach. I hope we beat them by 30.