Nm

Great series for this program. Talk about great PR. The heart of the team and program was on display. They should use some clips of this for recruiting.

Also, I wasn't a big Brady fan but of course as he has come to the Bucs my attitude has changed. His series on the originals is classic stuff too. Episode 3 "The Edge" of "Man in the Arena" should be mandatory viewing for the players on our team. Such wisdom given by Brady and other players on how to have a football dynasty after they had won 3 Superbowls over a 4 year period. The team needs to aim for more than one good season and desire a dynasty period in Big 12. They need to take the foundation of what they found inside themselves this season and further develop it into "The Edge".

Made a clutch shot with 8 seconds left to beat a 6-1 Arkansas team whose only loss was to UConn.
This might be our most successful team this year! Record is now 6-1.

The writing had been on the wall for weeks.

If you'd been following the Dungeon chatter over the last month or so, I think you were prepared for this possibility. I'm trying to remember the first person who brought it up and I think I posted it was "something to watch."

All the signs were there if you observing - DG clearly disconnected at the games and "acting" in a sense while his teammates pretty much ignored him. I understand he has NIL considerations and I respect that, but look at his social media this season. EVERY post is about himself, his clothing line or endorsement deals. Whether or not he personally runs his socials all of the time (I think his brother manages a lot of it), but shouldn't somebody have suggested to act like he cares? There was not one public post supporting the team, Mikey Keene taking over as starter, congratulating the team on wins, etc. It was all about him.

I first started hearing the transfer rumors a couple weeks after the Louisville game. The rationale given is DG was upset over the injury, blaming Gus for being put in that position, not really liking the offense (at least compared to Heupel's) and also believing that a move - likely to the SEC - would enhance his NFL Draft stock and NIL earnings potential.

I didn't know how to take the rumor at first as DG was known to be highly emotional - remember how he deleted all his UCF Instagram photos when TMo hired Gus and not Lebby? He was telling teammates then that he was going to transfer.

A lot of things then started to click... Just based on other stuff that circulated in late 2020 and early this year regarding KZ's transfer and exit. It was said that DG was jealous of the all the attention KZ received while at UCF, particularly last year as his rehab progressed. DG is the one putting up the big stats, but KZ was still No. 1 to the fanbase. Any morsel of information about KZ's comeback was news - whether it was social media engagement, stories on the local TV news, etc. DG felt completely overshadowed.

When it became apparent the NIL law would pass and go into effect the following summer, from what people have told me, DG wanted to make sure KZ was gone.

Now, I do think KZ was always leaving UCF. KZ did not particularly care for Heupel and nobody could have envisioned Heupel would be hired away a couple months later. He was better off making a fresh start elsewhere as this truly was DG's team at that point.

Even so, there was chatter from those on the team that DG tried to start a "DG is thinking about transferring rumor" just so Heupel and staff understood that there was no place for KZ on the team going forward.

I really don't think that was necessary, but mission accomplished. KZ left for FSU, everybody wished him well, and now all the fan attention would be on DG. That coincided with the promotion of "DG The Brand," culminating in the official rollout July 1. Again, there was nothing wrong with that. NIL ushered in a new era and DG certainly wasn't alone in doing something to capitalize on the opportunity.

Back to this season and the present day... When I first heard the transfer rumor, was he just spouting off or serious? I realize he didn't sign up to play in Gus' offense, but UCF was fifth in the nation in total offense after three games. It's fair to say Gus does prefer true dual-threat QBs, though he was adapting to DG's skill set and DG was adapting as well. In the first game against Boise, DG showed off some versatility by rushing for 64 yards.

In any case, at some point in early October shortly after the injury, DG's mind was made up. He was transferring and had no intention to come back and play this season even though his rehab timeline could have had him ready to play by mid-November. It may not have been team-wide knowledge in the early stages, but soon most on the team knew. Gus and the staff were aware. I was told DG was mentally checked out, spending less and less time in the facility outside of rehab. He was a non-factor in mentoring Mikey Keene. There was zero relationship there.

Health wise, DG could have returned by the SMU game. But why would he? He was leaving. The rest of the season was "meaningless" (as his family put it) because he was on the way out. Why risk getting hurt?

There was some internal questioning by a few players why DG continued on as "team captain," but it was the elephant in the room so to speak. Just let him be and focus on the season.

I don't fault DG at all for making the decision he did. The Transfer Portal with immediate eligibility is basically free agency. Coaches make "business decisions" all the time and with NIL, players can do the same. If he goes to Tennessee or any other school with a massive fanbase, his DG The Brand sales will likely increase 10x or more. At minimum, he'll probably get a car from someone. I think most starting QBs in the SEC have been gifted a car (or use of a car aka lease) from a local dealership.

I'm not convinced DG plays another three years in college, but why "waste" a potential year of eligibility by returning late in the season and playing in more than four games? If anything, his three years of eligibility will not only enhance his value to potential schools, but also companies that may want to partner with him for NIL.

We're all still learning about the impact of NIL, but right now UCF can't compete with what we're seeing at some places, particularly around the SEC. And NIL is clearly VERY important to DG.

We'll see what Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler does and any other potential QBs, but right now DG is No. 1 on the available QB free agent list.

But it does seem DG rubbed a lot of his teammates the wrong way. As somebody said to me, as soon as his mind was made up to leave UCF, he just didn't really care anymore.

It's emotional for everybody involved. I get it. There are few graceful exits. KZ was a unique situation. Everybody understood what he had to do.

I think what teammates wanted to see from DG was leadership, even if he was going to leave. Support Mikey, don't berate him for losing to Navy. Be invested in your teammates. Cut the arrogance. Be appreciative of your time at UCF, don't act like you were too good to be here and somehow it's holding you back.

As for a potential landing spot, the rumors have always centered around Tennessee and Ole Miss for obvious reasons. I think Ole Miss, as long as Jeff Lebby remains there, could be DG's preference. But that all depends on Lebby. He could get a lower-level HC opportunity (La Tech? UNT?) or possibly head elsewhere as OC. Even though he's paid quite well at Ole Miss, there's been chatter he's not really in love working for Kiffin. Also, a couple west coast schools are intriguing - UCLA and USC. The latter of course depends on who they ultimately hire. I hear DG will be heading out to LA next week to work with a trainer.

As for UCF, the plan will be to add an experienced QB from the transfer portal to compete with Mikey/Castellanos this spring. The higher-profile the addition, the easier it will be for Gus to recruit other transfers. We'll see how that goes. Gus did seem pretty confident when talking about the portal during his press conference last Monday.

Personally, I wish him well. Never seen a QB at UCF throw a more beautiful deep ball. It's a shame we didn't get to see what this team looked like with a healthy DG, Bowser, Flash, etc. If the latter two didn't go down early in the Louisville game, I think that result is different. UCF probably still loses to Cincinnati (and maybe SMU), but 10-2 would have been pretty solid.

Now that UCF's long-term future is secured with Power Five status and a spot in the Big 12, I honestly think this is for the best. Even if DG came back for another year, I don't think he'd be at UCF in 2023. Since UCF is in a quasi-rebuild anyway due to the talent drain, the exit allows younger players to emerge whether that's Mikey, Tommy or a transfer to be named later. Sure, you want to finish your time in the AAC with a championship in 2022 (and that's very doable with Cincinnati's seniors, Dykes leaving SMU, etc.) but if going younger means you have a consistent offense rolling into 2023 heading into the Big 12, I think that's a good thing.

The NCAA volleyball selection show is on ESPNU now. Sunday night at 8:30. Let’s see where we go.

Stadium was packed except for students today. They haven't packed it out once this year. We supposedly have a 1500 person deep season ticket waiting list. Time to cut down the size of the student section of they aren't going to show up?

Man we look lucky getting lumped in with those guys. Our football/basketball look like red headed step children compared to them. We really need to get our shit together.

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Georgia pipeline is a lot closer than HI. We will recruit Florida and Georgia predominantly
with talent like this. Get some stud GA. RBs in there too.

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Jaden Harris, a cornerback from Atlanta, posted a graphic earlier this evening with a very detailed Miami OV itinerary... I'm not sure why Miami put the itinerary in graphic form because players love tweeting graphics. Miami must have told him to delete it. I figured this would happen, so I saved the image.

I didn’t pay proper attention to this on Tuesday while absorbing the Otis news. Just another reminder that life is precious. Love one another. Tomorrow is not promised.

A few days ago he was on an unofficial visit. He got a late invite to Michigan State, but kept his word to the Toledo coaches that he'd attend their game.

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Zach Line is Oxford's head coach. You may remember him from SMU (and later the Saints).

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And here's a story about Tate. Other kids said he rushed the shooter.

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I know this won't really happen, but something fun to think about.

Since FSU isn't bowl eligible and if we get the big matchup w/ the Gasparilla bowl, is there any loop hole that can get us to bring KZ back for one more game? Even if we lose, it would be a heck of a send off.

Here is my attempt. From the NCAA bylaws on eligibility (https://web3.ncaa.org/lsdbi/reports/getReport/90008).

For a mid-year transfer, it seems like the transfer student can't compete in competition when the competition could used for "NCAA championship qualification." This would not include a post-season bowl game and we could argue is not prohibited since we won't qualify for a NCAA championship from it (see below, bolded text).

14.5.5.3 Competition in Year of Transfer. A transfer student from a four-year institution who has received a waiver of or qualifies for an exception to the transfer residence requirement (per Bylaw 14.5.5.2) shall not be eligible for competition in which the student-athlete's performance could be used for NCAA championship qualification or consideration if the student-athlete participated in competition at the previous four-year institution in the same sport in which the studentathlete's performance could have been used for NCAA championship qualification or consideration. (Adopted: 1/10/95 effective 8/1/95, Revised: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, 4/29/04 effective 8/1/04, 5/1/19 effective 8/1/19)

***

As for the one-time transfer rule. There are additional exceptions for transfers. Notably, see the exception below for when a transferred student returns to their "original institution."

14.5.5.2 Exceptions for Transfers From Four-Year Colleges. A transfer student (other than one under disciplinary suspension per Bylaw 14.5.1.2) from a four-year collegiate institution is not subject to the residence requirement for intercollegiate competition, provided the student does not have an unfulfilled residence requirement at the institution from which the student is transferring (except for the return to original institution without participation or with minimal participation exception) and any of the following exceptions is satisfied. During the student-athlete's first academic year of full-time collegiate enrollment, such conditions may serve as a basis for an exception to the residence requirement only for transfer students who, at the time of initial collegiate enrollment, met the requirements for qualifiers (set forth in Bylaw 14.3.1) in Division I. (Revised: 1/10/90, 1/10/91 effective 8/1/91, 4/27/00 effective 8/1/01, 3/10/04, 5/19/08, 6/24/09)

1. (a) After participation in a cooperative educational exchange program, provided the student is to receive a baccalaureate degree from the institution from which the student transferred to participate in the exchange program;
2. (b) After one semester or quarter of attendance at another institution for purposes of taking academic courses not available at the original institution, regardless of whether they are required in the degree program the student athlete is pursuing at the first institution. In such an instance, the student also may take additional courses that were available at the first institution; or
3. (c) After one academic year of attendance at another collegiate institution, in accordance with the program recommended by the appropriate academic officer at the original institution, provided the student was in good academic standing at the time the student left the original institution.

I think an argument can be made, that KZ falls under the exception, since he is returning to the original institution and either (b) - he took a course at FSU not offered at UCF (it does not need to be toward the same degree program)? or if not, then (c) which seems to be a catchall, but it's not clear what it means by "in accordance with the program recommended by the appropriate academic officer at the original institution."

I know he graduated from UCF in undergrad - but not sure what he is seeking at FSU and what his completion status is.

Charge On!

How likely are we to be close to full strength for the bowl game? Will Bowser play?

Watching this game on SEC+ due to it being the only way to watch it is miserable..... I’m about to watch this game in silence. These commentators are ridiculously bias.

AAC Report with Jeff Allen: #107 107 Dustin & Sam, S&H Pawdcast
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The AAC Report With Jeff Allen

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Recap:
We recap the final full week of the regular season and preview the AAC Championship Game between Cincinnati and Houston with Dustin and Sam from the Scott & Holman Pawdcast

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AAC Report with Jeff Allen: #107 107 Dustin & Sam, S&H Pawdcast
Login to view embedded media #TKSN #AmericanPow6r #ChargeOn #GoCoogs #watchus #WeTheT #Bearcats #PonyUp #ForOurCity
#RollWave #RunWithUs #GoTigersGo #GoPirates #RaiseTheSail

The AAC Report With Jeff Allen

Brought to you by:
The Knightline Sports Network www.knightlinesports.com

Recap:
We recap the final full week of the regular season and preview the AAC Championship Game between Cincinnati and Houston with Dustin and Sam from the Scott & Holman Pawdcast

Need A New or Used Car, Truck or Jeep? Call Andrew @ 386-736-3000
https://www.delandcjdr.com

Another big game awaits UCF on Wednesday as they travel to Auburn to take on the No. 21 Tigers.

The 4-1 Knights are coming off a heartbreaking 65-62 home loss to Oklahoma last Saturday. Trailing by nine with a little more than three minutes left, UCF surged back to cut the deficit to just one with 48 seconds left. OU's Elijah Harkless hit a tough bucket with 20 seconds left to increase their lead back to three, then UCF was unable to counter.

Bruce Pearl's Auburn squad is 5-1, their lone setback being a double overtime loss to UConn in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in The Bahamas. The Tigers are led by freshman phenom Jabari Smith, a 6-10 forward averaging a team-leading 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.

Tip off is set for 8 p.m. with coverage from SEC Network+.

Prior to heading for the Plains, we caught up with head coach Johnny Dawkins and players Darin Green Jr. and C.J. Walker.

Johnny Dawkins​

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-They had a good practice on Monday. It was as much as a "mental" practiced as physical. They watched a lot of tape beforehand.

-Dawkins says the team has to be "more determined" to play their own game. OU lulled them into playing a "possession by possession" game. UCF wants to play "a full-court, fast-paced game," not a half-court game, so they've got to "press better and trap harder." He thought OU was a veteran team and showed a lot of poise. "Give them credit."

-Isaiah Adams started the first game and has come off the bench in every game since. That alone is not particularly alarming due to UCF's depth and the elevation of C.J. Walker (UCF's best defender and improving offensive player), but Adams' minutes and overall impact have been dwindling. He shot 0-6 vs. Jacksonville with no points. He played 17 minutes, but committed five turnovers at Evansville. Then he played just six minutes with two turnovers and zero points against Oklahoma.

"I think he's trying to find his way," Dawkins said. "Isaiah is a talented player. One of our best competitors. It's a function of finding your niche. Finding what you can do to help us. He's gonna do that. I think right now he's learning how to fit in with a different group. Last year was a different team with not as much depth. Now he has different rotations in the lineup. He's learning how to maximize his opportunities. He will. It's just a process of getting comfortable."

-UCF defeated Auburn 63-55 last season, but obviously every year brings a different team. Freshman Jabari Smith is a difference maker.

"A lot of new players on that roster and talented players," Dawkins said. "One of the best players in the nation in (Jabari) Smith. I think he's projected to be a top three pick in the NBA Draft. So they have a really talented player and a number of really good guards as well. We have to be ready. We know they're going to play hard. They're a physical, tough team. We have to come in with the same mindset."

More on Jabari Smith: "He's a terrific player. He's fluid. He's versatile. He can step outside with a terrific stroke from beyond the arc. He can score on the low post. He's a very skilled big guy. 6-10, that's why I'm sure they're looking at him as a top three pick. We have to be ready to defend him. We have to try to limit his touches where we can. We have to make sure we make it hard for him. Don't give him anything easy. If he sees the ball go in easy, a player like that, they can run up a lot of numbers. We have to be ready to guard and step up to the challenge."

-Asked what needs to change from the OU game, Dawkins was frustrated with the turnovers and obviously that's something they have to limit. Defensively, he thought it was a poor game as OU shot close to 55 percent. "We didn't defend to the level we needed to."

Darin Green Jr.​

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-Darin said Monday was a "big learning day" that started off with film, then they went into practice.

-He said Dawkins harped on their physicality vs. OU, which could have been a lot better, and said they need to come ready to play for 40 minutes.

-Auburn is fast-paced, a similar style to UCF.

-On playing another game against a top opponent: "We look at it as an opportunity to show people what we're made of and showcase what we can do. To show we should be up there with those teams."

-Games like OU and Auburn will definitely help the team prepare for AAC play.

-I noticed Jermaine Taylor in the background, so I asked Darin about his role. He said JT has talked to him about things like stretching, life in the pros, etc.

C.J. Walker​

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-C.J. said Dawkins felt they needed to get in the paint a lot more against OU. They scored just 14 of their 62 points in the paint. In contrast, Oklahoma scored 34 of their 65 points inside.

-C.J. acknowledged he has the primary responsibility of defending Auburn's Jabari Smith. "Just a big opportunity to show my defensive skills. I'll probably be on him most of the game. I'm ready for that. I like playing against guys that can score the way he can and energy guys. I'm the same way."

-C.J. said they gave up too many lay-ups against Oklahoma.

-He partnered with attorney Dan Morgan for a Thanksgiving turkey giveaway in his hometown of Sanford. "It's always great. I did a book bag giveaway when school started and now this turkey drive. I'm always going to give back to my city."

I asked if he knows the Sanford-Seminole football commits, which led to a comment that he grew up in the same apartment complex as Gabe Davis and his brother Jordan. He knew the Henderson Twins and Jordan from the local Boys & Girls Club. "We're all tight." He added he's excited for Gabe's success in the NFL.

Who would have thought that this year the defense would carry the team, especially since we are used to scoring more than 30 points a game. If I recall at the beginning of the year the biggest concerns was the defensive line and the secondary. It was difficult to watch the young secondary in the BYU game. It was great to see the growth from the young players on defense. Number 5# Ricky Barber was a great addition to the D-line. The secondary is young and playing the ball much better. I am really excited to see what Defensive coach Travis Williams is going to do after a year of recruiting.
On the other side of the ball finishing at 8-4 with a true freshman QB is a good year. I know folks were tough on Mikey this year, but the second half of the season he improved touchdowns to interceptions and made some good throws. I agree he needs to improve on making his reads, but that takes time to become a complete QB. I like what I saw with the backup RB and the O;ine was good with protection and opening holes for the RB.
In summary with new coaches and all the injuries I think the players showed improvement through the year.

Gus Malzahn is back on the recruiting trail and his first stop was a trip down south to check in with one of UCF's top commits in the 2022 class.

Jamaal Johnson, a defensive end from Chaminade Madonna, hosted Malzahn and both defensive line coaches at his home this past Sunday night.

"Everything went great," Johnson told UCFSports.com. "Coach Malzahn still being hurt - he broke his tibia and still has to wear the leg brace - the fact he came down to see me says a lot about him as a coach. You can tell he's serious about the people he's recruiting. All around it was a great experience for me and my family."

Shortly after Malzahn and his staff arrived to UCF in February, Johnson was identified as a high-priority target. He was eventually booked as one of the official visitors for "Bounce House Weekend" in June. He announced his commitment a few days later. Johnson had been a prior commitment to Miami.

"UCF was something that felt more like home," Johnson said. "Just being around that environment and being on campus, I felt like that's where I was destined to be. Just seeing how my family interacted with the coaches, and how well I got along with everybody, it was like home for me. I'm also not too far from Miami, my hometown. Just seeing how I fit into their system and feeling the love from them, that's why I made my decision."

Johnson says he already has a friend on the team in safety Quadric Bullard, who also played at Chaminade Madonna. He said he enjoyed getting to know Big Kat Bryant and Tatum Bethune during his summer visit.

As for Sunday's conversation with Malzahn, Johnson said it was a good talk.

"I told him I want to be one of the best pass rushers to come out of UCF," Johnson said. "He was just saying he's really excited to have me on his team. They have a saying on the team, 'We're all in this together.' He talks to me on a deeper level. It's not always about football. He talks about his background. Just a well-respected man."



He also enjoyed conversing with defensive tackles coach Kenny Martin and his future position coach, Kenny Ingram.

"I have a great relationship with them," Johnson said. "Coach Martin was originally my main recruiter. Coach Ingram is my position coach. He's an ordained minister. Sometimes when we talk it's not even about football. We talk about God. We talk on a personal level. He was telling me how he has a little ministry up there for young men, to help build up their lives. I know we're going to have a real close relationship."

The staff sees Johnson in a role similar to Big Kat Bryant as a future "buck."

"I told (the UCF coaches) I want to be one of the best to ever do it," Johnson said. "I want to leave a legacy. I want my presence to always be there when I do leave UCF. I want to be remembered as the one who always had a positive mindset and was a hard worker."

Johnson says he's already very familiar with his fellow 2022 commits.

"We have a group chat," Johnson said. "Me and Thomas (Castellanos) came up with it. I have a close relationship with T.J. Bullard. That's one of the guys I'm really close to."

Johnson, who will sign early on Dec. 15, plans to enroll at UCF next summer.

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