Bold strategy to tell one of your most clutch WRs to leave .
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What teams have enough cap space to sign him?

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Keep shoveling billionaires’ snow for free, you dumb marks

Long time UCF basketball fans remember the infamous “Biggie” dancing at UCF basketball games when Kirk’s Jerks were at their peak.

There were copy cats over the years, but none have been comparable until this up and comer.

He lit up the applause meter last night.

my new office has nothing on the walls or shelves and I need to change that. Before I buy an overpriced bobble head from a random eBay seller figured I’d send a note out to the dungeon.

If anyone has neat UCF tchotchkes, posters, pennants, helmets etc that are collecting dust DM me! I’d love to take it off your hands. Happy to pay and cover shipping to dc.

Just got my email that I can look at it next Wednesday and Shareholders start on Thursday. How effed am I in trying to get 5 seats in the stadium club together if I can’t look at it until next Wednesday?

Episode 250 of the Sons of UCF podcast features an interview with former UCF QB Coach Mario Verduzco.

Coach Verduzco joined the UCF staff in 2016, and inherited a young QB room that included McKenzie Milton.

Verduzco helped train Milton to be a proficient thrower of the football while also eliminating turnovers.

A true teacher of the game, Verduzco has employed several unique drills and philosophies throughout his career.

While some see these as eccentric, Verduzco has a long track record of coaching QBs to successful careers.

Click here to watch.

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Join Eric Lopez and Trace Trylko as they debate some of the current topics surrounding UCF Athletics.

In this episode, the guys discuss the latest addition to the UCF coaching staff, and what the hire does for expectations.

Men's hoops has been on a roller coaster this past week, and the guys try to make sense of the season so far.

Plus: Can I get a billboard, was Rodney really sorry, girl scout cookies, and Trace takes on Broadway?

Thanks for clicking here to watch ... from the Sons of UCF.

7 p.m.

West Virginia at UCF (ESPN+)
Texas at No. 11 Oklahoma (ESPN)

9 p.m.

No. 4 Houston at No. 21 BYU (ESPN+)
TCU at Oklahoma State (ESPN2)

…in CT, RI, Mass, Maine, NH and VT….

Go…..

$80 total for all 4
Includes Garage F parking pass

Interesting in light of UCF's court storm.

Welcome to The Knighted One’s Podcast, Episode number 22. 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 Roger Yells at Scary Terry, we talk ucf hoops, football news, the ACC meltdown, the college football landscape, we discuss the New Tower Survey, and Allen Adjusts His Mic Super Loudly!

Please comment subjects that we should cover in our Student Re-Education segment!

Introductions
Text Talk: Hoops – 04:16
UCF Beats Texas! But Falls To Houston? – 09:33
- Doubling Down The Horns Down!
- Serving Up Longhorn
- Strats & Stats
- Utilizing The Turning Points
- Acting Like We've Never Been Here Before
- Roger Yells At Scary Terry
- Horns Was The Tipping Point
- Just Practicing Pageantry
- Dogfight In Houston
- Defense Vs Defense
- Too Much Hesi
- Home sWeet Home?
UCF Football Talk – 52:30
- Ethan Barr Arrives From Afar
- Breaking The Top 10
- A Great Roof Over Our Heads
- Co-Pilot Addison
- Not a Demotion, More Of a Mentorship
- Grant (No Longer) Heard
- "SURVEY SAYS!"
- Business Oriented Pleasures
P4 In Turmoil – 01:18:30
- ACC Madhouse
- A Sinking Ship
- And Then There Were 3?
- The Sponsored Writings On The Wall
- Our Conference Seat In Troubled Waters?
Allen’s Oxymoronic Stats Of The Week – 01:33:29
- A Depressing Field Goal Performance
Josh’s Sometimes Funny Fact Of The Week – 01:35:08
- John Denver In The Big 12
UCF Athletic Sports Update – 01:39:06
- Women's Hoops Still In a Slump
- UCF Women's & Men's Tennis Continue To Dominate
Final Thoughts – 01:41:10

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#ucf , #ucffootball , #ucfsports ,#tk1 , #ucfhoops #ucfwomensbasketball #ucfvolleyball #ucfknights

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Out with the old and in with the new...

UCF plays at Cincinnati this Saturday night.

Jayhawks with an early 10-point lead.

I’m a season ticket holder and live out of town. I have 4 tix in 202 row D 5-8. Transfer to first claim- use for Knights fans only please. No charge.

A lot happened on Wednesday. Now that we've had time to let things digest I thought I'd go back and add some context to the football side of the busy day.

Like you all, I had been wondering about the rumored staff changes and when we might see an announcement. The buzz I had been hearing centered around defensive changes and a new DC or co-DC to assist Addison Williams. I didn't know it was going to be Ted Roof until a few minutes before the announcement.

My immediate reaction is that it was a positive move to add some much-needed experience to that side of the ball.

Addison Williams is highly regarded as an up-and-coming coach and I don't think this move changes that trajectory. While this is probably viewed as a demotion, I think there is a real benefit for him being able to work with a veteran like Roof.

Addison's early experience came at the Division II (Tusculum) and FCS (Furman) levels. He was then an analyst for one year at Auburn (2019) and coached safeties at Coastal Carolina (2020) prior to coming to UCF. And when he got to UCF, he was working under a brand-new DC (T-Will). Like some of y'all have speculated, I too have wondered if maybe he was promoted a year or two too early.

I don't think the defensive struggles of 2023 should necessarily be pinned exclusively on Addison being a first-year coordinator because we all know there was a talent deficiency in some spots. I just think Gus recognizes 2024 has the potential to be a special year and he has to do whatever it takes to make sure the defense is up to the challenge. If that means putting a pause on Addison being the primary DC, so be it.

As the release stated, Addison will remain co-DC and I have no doubt he will be a full-fledged DC again in the future.

As for Roof, Gus values relationships and familiarity. He worked with Roof at Auburn from 2009-11. Roof obviously the DC and Gus the OC under Gene Chizik - they won a National Championship in 2010.

I recognize how the Ted Roof name resonates with the fanbase that remembers his 33-day UCF tenure in 2011/12. It was symptomatic of Roof's nomadic coaching history. Outside of a few years back at Georgia Tech in the mid-2010s, he usually switches jobs after a year or two.

While UCF's financial situation will improve as a P4 member of the Big 12, there are still limitations so it shouldn't be overlooked that UCF is getting Roof at a bargain rate. He still has one year left on an Oklahoma contract that was set to pay him $1.2M in 2024.

Roof becomes UCF's sixth defensive coach on staff which means somebody on that side not named Addison Williams has to go. From what I understand, that decision has not been made. Roof's position coaching experience has primarily been linebackers, though he did coach safeties at NC State in 2018.

***

While not officially announced, Gus did part ways with WR coach Grant Heard. For now, analyst/GM Will Healy has been recruiting for UCF in that vacant spot. Could Healy be the permanent WR coach? It is an option, but I hear UCF could be closing in on another candidate. Sean Beckton, Kodi Burns and Jeris McIntyre had been speculated as possible candidates, but Kevin Bolden could be the guy though Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin are trying to keep him. Bolden briefly worked at UCF (spring 2022).


***

Vanderbilt LB Ethan Barr is expected to be the final spring transfer enrollee. He visited UCF in early December and ultimately chose Washington over the Knights. However with Kalen DeBoer going to Alabama, Barr re-entered the portal and immediately got in contact with UCF. Though classes began nearly two weeks ago, Barr had already begun the application process in December which enabled him to be a late enrollee. He is here and good to go. Not sure why it hasn't been announced, though it should happen soon.

Huge addition - he really was UCF's first choice at LB in the transfer portal. He was a two-time team captain at Vanderbilt and boasts more than 200 career tackles in four years of action.

***

UCF's transfer class is among the best in the nation. I truly think UCF got one of the best portal QBs in KJ Jefferson. The defensive upgrades are clear with experienced players like S/LB Ladarius Tennison, S/LB Deshawn Pace, S Bryon Threats, LB Ethan Barr, LB Jesiah Pierre and DE Daylan Dotson. Plus you add promising younger talent like CB Antione Jackson, LB Xe'ree Alexander and LB/DE Zavier Carter.

And when you consider the returning players like RJ Harvey, Kobe Hudson and Ricky Barber, I think it's fair to claim UCF can be a Big 12 contender in 2024.

QB - I think KJ will be an upgrade.

RB - RJ is a stud and UCF has upgraded the room with Myles Montgomery (Cincinnati), kept Johnny Richardson and is adding two stud HS recruits.

WR - Losing Javon hurts, but Kobe/Xavier are solid and I think UCF is hopeful Chauncey Magwood can emerge. There is plenty of young talent waiting in the wings between the HS recruits and Goldie Lawrence.

OL - Hopefully Jabari Brooks or Caden Kitler can give UCF consistency at center. Amari Kight, Marcellus Marshall and Adrian Medley are all returning. Wes Dorsey is an experienced tackle.

TE - Randy Pittman should improve a lot going into year two, Evan Morris (Michigan State) will the blocker they need and everybody is high on Kylan Fox.

DL - UCF returns every DL except for Josh Celiscar. Lee Hunter/Ricky Barber/Matthew Alexander/John Walker are solid inside. Malachi Lawrence and Daylan Dotson are expected to be the top DEs with the hope younger players there will start to emerge.

LB - UCF has multiple options between the transfers and hybrid-type players like Ladarius Tennison and Deshawn Pace (who could play there if needed).

DB - Corey Thornton is the only major loss. Lots of returners, Multiple high-level portal additions. Talented incoming recruits. The depth chart will sort itself out.

Remaining needs - As of right now, UCF may consider further portal additions in the spring. It kind of depends whether there is some attrition - probably guys who feel there may be playing time elsewhere. I think they'd consider another DE, possibly another OT and maybe a WR depending on things go in spring practice.

Mike Evans 👍

The Taylor Wang incident, described below, is a story that has been out in the spaceflight media arena for a while. But the new partial story of a professional astronaut in the late 90's who started acting erratically is new ground.



On the second day of the mission, Wang floated over to his experiment and sought to activate the Drop Dynamics Module. But it didn't work. He asked the NASA flight controllers on the ground if he could take some time to try to troubleshoot the problem and maybe fix the experiment. But on any Shuttle mission, time is precious. Every crew member has a detailed timeline, with a long list of tasks during waking hours. The flight controllers were reluctant.


After initially being told no, Wang pressed a bit further. "Listen, I know my system very well," he said. "Give me a shot." Still, the flight controllers demurred. Wang grew desperate. So he said something that chilled the nerves of those in Houston watching over the safety of the crew and the Shuttle mission.


"Hey, if you guys don't give me a chance to repair my instrument, I'm not going back," Wang said.


Exactly what happened after that may never be known. But thanks to new reporting, we may finally have some answers. And though this is an old story, it still reverberates today, four decades on, with lasting consequences into the era of commercial spaceflight as more and more people fly into orbit.

As a result of Wang's mental state, his questions about the hatch, and the general unease that some Shuttle commanders had toward payload specialists not being full members of a crew, it's reasonable to conclude that Overmyer was concerned about Wang opening the hatch. This was relatively easy to do. After learning a hard lesson regarding cabin pressure and complicated locking mechanisms in the Apollo 1 fire, NASA had designed the Shuttle hatch to open outward. It was a relatively simple procedure, requiring little physical force, as the hatch opened into the vacuum of outer space. Overmyer was clearly concerned. So he put duct tape on the hatch as a stop-gap. The next day, Wang did receive permission to work on the experiment, and he eventually got it working.



Although much of the concern for Shuttle commanders had come from flying non-professional astronauts, there was another incident later in the program with an all-professional crew that revived interest in the padlock program. It occurred during a 1999 flight. Because I have not been able to confirm the details with multiple sources, I won't name the astronaut or the mission. But essentially, a multiple-time flier had a bad reaction to some medicine he took after the launch. This seriously affected his mental state, and the astronaut had to be physically restrained from taking drastic action, including opening the hatch.

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WVU is 7-11 and 2-3 in the Big 12. They have also defeated Texas and Kansas. Lost to Houston, Kansas State and Oklahoma.

Their interim head coach Josh Eilert just did a Zoom press conference which is recapped below by Keenan Cummings of WVSports.com:


--West Virginia head coach Josh Eilert said it was a great win on Saturday and it was something they needed to have to get that confidence rolling into a two-game road swing. Eilert thinks they are trending in the right direction and showed some positive things that they are capable of doing. It's a day-by-day situation with Jesse Edwards right now but Eilert thinks they are getting close to having a full roster. It was a good performance offensively and they recorded 19 assists. They need to be that connected on offense to get good looks and they manufactured a lot more uncontested looks than they did in the past. It was a great team effort, but there is a lot to improve on the defensive end.

--Almost any opponent you play has played at least 15 games together and they have developed a lot more chemistry. West Virginia ahs dealt with so many changes to the roster that they haven't really had time to develop that and success was going to be determined by how that was built. Going to Houston for the first league game as challenging and was a set back from a chemistry standpoint, but winning two of the last three can go a long ways for them in terms of their confidence.

--Hopefully bringing Jesse Edwards back into the mix will be a smoother transition. Patrick Suemnick has done an incredible job filling that void at the five especially on the defensive end and has been a key to their success.

--More than anything connected on offense comes down to shot selection and getting uncontested, cleaner looks. They break down a lot of film trying to get those opportunities and have found over the last five of six games they're leaving a lot of uncontested shots at the table because they are forcing things and aren't making the extra pass. Sometimes it's a comfort dribble or not getting the ball out of their hands quick enough which allows the defense to rotate.

--Video is a priority for him from day one with the film breakdown and was a big part when he chose his staff. He wanted his coaching staff to be his own video coordinator because it's such a necessary teaching tool in today's game with the rosters the way they are and how much turnover there is. There needs to be a lot more teaching from a video standpoint and he has made it a priority since he took over.

--UCF was down 16 against Kansas but threw some zone at them and it threw them off. Things started going their direction and they started to see some shots fall and their defensive intensity continued to raise which allowed them to give not only Kansas but Texas problems. Dawkins is primarily a man-to-man coach, but he will throw some zone. They hang their heads on their defense and they have a very physical roster from top to bottom.

--West Virginia will need to rebound the basketball and be quick to the ball yet again or they'll have a hard time beating anybody. It's no coincidence that they out-rebounded both of the teams that they've beaten in the Big 12. They were playing on their heels against Houston and Oklahoma, but they need to turn up the intensity and pretend they have 12,000 fans rooting for them on the road.

--Jesse Edwards practiced before Kansas but he did very limited five-on-five. He was there and active but he was limited and they threw him out there for some contact drills to see where he was. He got uncomfortable trying to guard and they have to be careful that they're not pushing him too fast. Just because a guy is willing to go doesn't mean it's the best decision for him. Today when they travel down to Orlando and they will see where he's at and where his comfort level is.

--RaeQuan Battle has been all smiles since he got basketball back in his life and he has had multiple family members come to see him play. He needs that competitive fire and he needs to fuel that each and every day which is what the game of basketball does for him. He is so happy for him that it worked out in his favor.

--Eilert is crossing his fingers on travel today that they won't have any issues.

--Edwards and Suemnick can play together but they certainly will have options which they didn't have in the beginning. Suemnick has become the best five option outside of Edwards and he can fill those minutes or play the four along with Akok Akok and Quinn Slazinski. Earlier in the season he was worried about navigating foul trouble with Edwards now they can be some aggressive and have more flexibility.

--Suemnick is going to be a critical part of anything they do moving forward. Having that confidence rolling he knows how he can play and it will be in their best interest to give him time on the floor even when Edwards returns.

--It's been a theme for this team that they don't have a road win. Central Florida will be a tough place to play and they need to figure out what they're lacking on the road that they are getting at home.

NEW: The Sons turn 250! Wow! We look at the week in hoops, football, and @UCFMike1 gets a quiz.

We are also joined by former QB Coach Mario Verduzco @Coach_Verdu to talk 2016-17 Knights.

Click here to listen.

UCF went 1-1 during their Lone Star State trip last week, rallying to beat Texas 77-71 last Wednesday and then dropping a 57-42 decision at No. 5 Houston on Saturday.

On Tuesday, UCF hosts West Virginia, a team that's coming off a court-storming win against Kansas. The Mountaineers struggled in non-conference play, but are now finding their rhythm now that talented guard RaeQuan Battle is eligible.

Coach Johnny Dawkins, Omar Payne and Jaylin Sellers appeared at Monday's press conference.

Johnny Dawkins

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Looking back on last week, Dawkins thought it was a "good win" at Texas. He thought it was a great team win, the guys kept fighting and kept competing. Proud of their effort.

Give Houston credit, particularly for their tough defense. They didn't respond well. It will be a learning experience going forward.

Dawkins said the must "regroup and respond" going into the West Virginia. WVU is terrific now that they're healthy and everybody is eligible.

Dawkins then addressed the "classless" accusations from Longhorns coach Rodney Terry, who was upset by the Knights' postgame celebration.

"I didn't see anything because I walked off the floor. We didn't switch ends, so I didn't see what transpired at the time. For me, I just walked off the court. I didn't hear about any of that until I was in the press conference. So as you can imagine, I was a little surprised.

"But I know Coach Terry. Rodney is a good guy. Basketball is an emotional sport, like all sports. It's very emotional. Things can happen like that. But I thought our guys, like anyone that wins a game like that, they were excited about the win. That was the extent of it. I think when they went to the shake line, everyone was cordial and shook hands like we always do sportsmanship wise. That was the extent of what we did.

"Were they happy? They should be. Any team that wins any game should be excited. You invest so much in each one of these games in preparation. So when you win, it's big. I'm sure when they won the other night against Baylor they were very excited. That's the extent of it.

"I know Coach Terry. He's a good guy. It's one of those things that happens in our sport."

Dawkins was asked whether Rodney Terry had personally reached out to him.

"No, I have not spoken with him. Like I said, I do know him. We're friends. There's no real need on my end. I understand that emotions can run hot in those situations. We're human beings. I did read somewhere that he did apologize publicly for it. That says a lot. That means he's taking ownership of what happened and we move forward."

Looking back on Houston's smothering defense and how difficult they made things for UCF's offense, Dawkins said they have to learn how to play through the physicality. He thinks they'll improve from it.

Dawkins says he feels they defended well vs. Houston. That's what they hang their hat on.

Looking at West Virginia, they're starting to click after some early struggles. RaeQuan Battle was declared eligible to play in mid-December and he's averaging close to 20 points per game. Big man Jesse Edwards, their second-leading scorer and top rebounder, may return to action vs. UCF after being out with an injury. Dawkins says WVU has a lot of talent and are well coached. They're playing their best basketball right now.

Dawkins is hoping to see another big home crowd vs. WVU. He wants UCF to continue to show a big home-court advantage like you see in the rest of the Big 12.

On RaeQuan Battle, he's a three-level scorer. Long, athletic. Can drive and shoot from mid-range and long range. "He's a really good basketball player."

On Jaylin Sellers' health, he's improving. He didn't start vs. Texas because he hadn't practiced the day before.

On Shemarri Allen's offensive game, he was huge in the comeback win against Texas, scoring 15 points in the second half. He's a team captain. Dawkins says he's a natural leader and loves what he brings from that perspective. They know he can be a scorer, it's just about getting comfortable on the court.

Talking more about Shemarri, Dawkins says he has a great knowledge of the game and he's a great communicator. And he's very positive. That's why guys gravitate towards him.

Dawkins says this team is full of high-character individuals. They are resilient and believe they can always win, even despite early defiicits. Dawkins always watches effort and energy and his says this team has always impressed him in how they compete for 40 minutes.

Omar Payne

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Looking back on the Texas comeback, Payne says they can't continue to get down early on. It was a great feeling getting the win though.

Payne has a great relationship with his center teammate Ibrahima Diallo. They hang out off the court, they like going to eat.

On Texas coach Rodney Terry screaming at the UCF players, Payne said it was a great win. He wasn't too sure why Terry was screaming at them. They weren't trying to be rude to the Texas players. It was more towards the crowd.

On the Houston game, Payne says they have come out more aggressive. UH has the No. 1 ranked defense and he thinks UCF can be just as good defensively.

On WVU, Payne played against them his sophomore year at Florida. He knows they're a good team. They're getting back on track with a full roster.

WVU center Jesse Edwards could return from injury vs. UCF. He's a 7-footer, so he and Diallo need to be ready and box out.

Payne has played in the SEC and Big Ten. He thinks the Big 12 is similar with the pace. It's like a mixture of both. He reiterated the Big 12 is the best conference in the country.

Payne is hoping to see the "stands filled" vs. WVU.

Jaylin Sellers

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Looking back on the Texas game, Sellers says they have a lot of "fight" and they will "never give up" no matter the score. Sellers was proud of how they stayed composed in that game.

Sellers says he has a great relationship with Darius Johnson.

Looking at Houston's defense and what they need to do better, Sellers says they must make the simple plays. If you have a shot, take it. If you don't have a shot, don't force it. And learn how to play through contact and not get rattled.

Every game is a learning process for him.

On WVU, they're a good three-point shooting team. They just knocked off Kansas, so they have a lot of confidence. On RaeQuan Battle, he's a versatile guard and can do it all. Three-level scorer.

On his personal motivations, Sellers does everything for his family, whether it's his family at home or his UCF family.

It'll be good to see the "fronds back at the crib" on Tuesday and he's hoping to give the fans a win after losing their home game to BYU.

Sellers think they've proved to the Big 12 that they're here to stay. They were offended by the preseason last place prediction.

On playing with Shemarri Allen, Sellers says they've always wanted him to step up his offensive game because they know he can do it. Allen is a natural leader too.

Sellers can see that CJ Walker is getting closer to 100 percent. As for his personal health, Sellers says he's getting over his sickness that affected him last week.