10. UCF Knights

2023 Record: 6-7 (3-6 in Big 12)

Notable games in 2024: at Florida, BYU, Colorado

Highest vote on KSL Sports ballots: No. 5

Lowest vote on ballots: No. 16

Despite a five-game losing streak, UCF found a way to grind out three wins to reach bowl eligibility last season. The Knights were the only newcomer to reach the Bowl Season.

Now having a year under their belts, is UCF due for a big jump? Possible.

They scored a big win in the Transfer Portal, landing former Arkansas star KJ Jefferson at quarterback. But offense wasn’t the problem last year for the Knights, as they were eighth nationally in total offense, averaging 487 yards per game.

The key to UCF improving in 2024 will be on defense, where they were 122nd in rush defense, allowing opponents 194.3 yards on the ground.

3 of our boys playing in this one ⚔️⚔️🖤💛

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Arizona writer, thus biased, or just guessing

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What does it mean???

Brandon graced us this week with a full hour and 35 minutes of his time. Thank you B! Always fun to talk and he provided us with a great view of recruiting today, NIL, transfer portal needs, and how its impacting the game we know and love. Enjoy!

Welcome to The Knighted One’s Podcast, Episode number 19. We are the ONLY podcast that features a former UCF National Champion, a former UCF radio host, and several podcasters shooting the breeze, talking UCF Sports.

This week we take a deep dive with #UCFSPORTS.COM's Brandon Helwig, Go Hard In The Paint With Ben Stout, And Re-educate our fans on the expectations Game!

Please like, comment, subscribe and give us feedback!

Introductions

Recruiting With The King Of #UCF Mafia Brandon Helwig –
-The King Of UCF Media
-Squish Mellows For Recruits?
-The Recruiting World In The Power 4
-The Gus Difference In Recruiting
-UCF's Relevance Nationally
-HS Recruiting And Can You Build Through HS
-Portal and The "Salary Cap"
-Answering The QB Question
-The Defensive Youth Movement
-Who Is Getting Paid At UCF And Roster Management
-UCF's Position In The NIL Pecking Order
-Reviewing The Class: 40:01
-The Early Signing Period And Its Impacts On Bowl Prep
-Tech Bowl
-Who Should Be Excited About and Who Will Contribute Right Away
-The Fan Experience And Spring Games
-Impact Players Left To Sign And The Cincy Farm Team
-Linebacker Deep Dive And Grading The Portal
-McCall Vs. KJ Jefferson
-KJ Jefferson Preview And How Many Wins Is He Worth

UCF Student Reeducation With Brandon Helwig – 01:20:00
-The Expectations Game
-UCF In 8 Years Hour and 35 Minutes
-Is Brandon Helwig A UCF Hall Of Famer

Ben's Tall Take – 01:44:00

Hoopin' And Hollerin' With Ben Stout– 01:53:00
-Where Are We Pre Conference
-A Taste Of Next Weeks Conference Preview With Ben Stout And Chance McSpadden
-Our Views On Johnny Today
-When Can We Afford To Move On From Johnny
-Analyzing The Defense
-Josh Gives His Insight From The Y
-Football Alphabet Soup
-Converting Tre To A Hoops Aficionado
-The Bench Energy And How Its Better Than Football

Josh's Sometimes Funny Fact Of The Week – 2:35:00
- Tre Calls Himself NGE

UCF Athletic Sports Update – 2:39:00

Big 12 Bowl Recap – 2:43:00

Final Thoughts –
#ucf, #ucffootball, #UCFsports, #TK1, #ucfhoops, #ucfwomensbasketball, #ucfvolleyball

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Some interesting data points here just seeing how far down the ladder we are compared to our peers as well as how far behind the Big 10 and SEC the rest of the conferences are.

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I’m writing this to you as I procrastinate finally going through an inbox full of “2023 close the loop” recap emails, and “I hope this message finds you well, happy to e-meet you,” salutations. Yuck, LOL. It’s so sterile and expected. The friend’s group chat is filled to the gills with 2024 motivation reels to “Boss Up” and “Today is the first day of the rest of your life” platitudes that always seem to be amplified this time of year. We all mean well with this renewed hope for a successful year but I just like to get things going again and hit our stride.

My latest column as we start the new year! Happy Friday ⤵️

Went by the local Costco here in Birmingham and they had Alabama and Auburn tailgating stuff out. Just curious if anyone goes to Costco this week in Orlando if they could report back on anything UCF related. I will be in Orlando this weekend and don’t want to waste my time going by a Costco down there for nothing. Thanks!

Sons of UCF reporter Andrew Cherico has had a front row look at the 2023-24 UCF Men's Basketball team that went 9-3 in non-conference play.

With Big XII competition on the horizon, Andrew takes a look at the good, bad, and ugly, from the Knights first 12 games of the season.

Click here for the recap.

Sons of UCF reporter Andrew Cherico has had a front row look at the 2023-24 UCF Men's Basketball team that went 9-3 in non-conference play.

With Big XII competition on the horizon, Andrew takes a look at the good, bad, and ugly, from the Knights first 12 games of the season.

Click here for the recap.

We kick off the show talking about Quarterback KJ Jefferson and UCF Football. Then, we get ready for UCF Men's Basketball at Kansas State as BIG 12 action gets underway. We're joined by Scott McFarland, host of the Kansas State podcast called the Boscoe's Boys, and former UCF Development Coach Ben Hazel talking about the 9-3 Knights.

Thanks for checking out Sons of UCF LIVE here.

We kick off the show talking about Quarterback KJ Jefferson and UCF Football. Then, we get ready for UCF Men's Basketball at Kansas State as BIG 12 action gets underway. We're joined by Scott McFarland, host of the Kansas State podcast called the Boscoe's Boys, and former UCF Development Coach Ben Hazel talking about the 9-3 Knights.

Thanks for checking out Sons of UCF LIVE here.

I don’t believe whoever runs this site knows anything about defamation.

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What's the status of Dionte Marks and Chauncey Magwood? Are they still in our program? It doesn't seem that they are in the plans for WR going forward, but they didn't hit the portal. Interesting ....

It is Black Wednesday for college football assistants across the country a the portal has closed.

Gus/UCF is in a bit of quandary. Any major coaching moves should be made today. However, UCF starts school Monday and has at the very latest till Friday to sneak kids in under the guise of "late admissions." (See Lee Hunter, 2021).

In other words, UCF has about 10 days (12 days max) to issue five scholarships before school starts or else it will have to go through spring practice without a full complement of players.

So if Gus makes coaching changes today, the guys who have done a piss poor job of defensive portal recruiting will be doing NO defensive portal recruiting. And the guys Gus brings in to replace them won't be able to have any impact before school starts.

Does Gus make moves today? Does he wait till Jan. 15? Does he wait till the contract year runs out Jan. 31 (to save money)? Whatever Gus decides will be revealed this month as early as today.

IMO there's never a wrong time to time the right thing.

I'm gonna just throw a justified shout-out to 365 Sports on YouTube once again.

If you're a new or old Knight, there are so many reasons to get behind these guys and listen/subscribe to their channel.

Day in, day out, they most articulately discuss the Big 12 in such an insightful and educational manner. Big time guests, historical talk of the Big 12 and just a well-produced take on our new current, REAL conference.

Take a gander. You won't lose.

SIAP - came across in my X feed, and seems about right ...

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I mentioned in a different thread that one big thing the portal and NIL have done is made kids much more antsy. Most QBs use to be in a program 2-3 years before they expected to get meaningful playing time. They would sit and learn and soak up the practice time and time with the coaching staff and then get 2-3 years to play. None of them want to do that anymore.

Since our QB room, although talented, is very young we hired a 1 year QB for 2024. And according to everybody accept a certain west coast poster, we did pretty well.

With that said, Even after next year assuming they all stay, you will have a redshirt sophomore and 2 red shirt freshman (assuming no injuries etc.) and you might have another incoming freshman if the staff finds one they like and can land.

Do you let the young guns shoot it out and go with the best one? Do you bring in another portal QB to throw in the mix to at least push the competition but possibly mess up the QB room and risk some defections? Or do you bring in another 1-2 year hired gun that is pretty much guaranteed the starting job, but will almost certainly cause defections in your QB room?

from Colonials to Revolutionaries? Never mind, just found it.

A little backstory ... I've never liked avocado. It doesn't have much of a flavor and the consistency isn't appealing. One of our favorite restaurants is Jimmy Hula's. It's family friendly, quick, and fairly easy on the wallet. A couple of months ago, the taco of the month came with guacamole. I forgot to get without. The taco was kinda spicy so I ate the guac to cool down my palate. To my surprise it was good! I've started keeping avocado and guacamole on the items I order.

So, the week before Christmas I take my guys out to lunch. We go to Pio Pio in Ocoee. (This restaurant is a hidden gem!) We got a guacamole appetizer with tostones. It is amazing! We keep talking about how good it was. We went to lunch at Chili's yesterday and got some guac with our chips and salsa. Not good. Basically the same reason I've not liked avocado/guac, no flavor and just mush. Today I ordered Chipotle for lunch and had a birthday reward so I got their guac. It wasn't bad. Not too mushy and had some flavor.

Now for the reason of my post. Where does the Dungeon recommend I go next to try their guacamole? Thanks for your input!