DG.*

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So terrible, if true.

Section 234 Row H, seats 19-22 here....

I LOVE this new "Roster Manager" Gus, who is showing all of college football that he, even when given fewer resources, can adjust and adapt to today's game.

A bunch of scholarship placeholders/program dregs/poultry conisouers have been shown the door by Gus and replaced with *potentially* more productive prospects.



Only two players (Adrian Medley and Jarrad Baker) from the 56th-ranked 2019 class and six (Johnny Richardson, Paul Rupelt, Josh Celiscar, TJ Bullard, Patrick Barnett, and Jordan Davis) from the 78th-ranked 2020 class remain in the program.

Medley has a chance to be a starter next year. Baker flashed as a punt team gunner and started at slot receiver in place of an injured Xavier Townsend. Translation: Both contribute!

Richardson was the second-leading rusher. He, Rupelt, and Bullard have stood out on special teams. Celiscar was the team's sixth leading tackler.

Barnett, however, has made one game appearance in four seasons at UCF. Davis made six career appearances, all in 2022. (But he Gabe lil bro, so it's all love.)

Meanwhile...

FIVE "old-and-busted" Heupel leftovers (Jaylon Griffin, Keenan Cupit, Amari Johnson, Kervins Choute, and Dallaz Corbitt) played fewer than a combined 150 snaps, including special teams snaps, and were processed to make room for the "new hotness."

Gus is defending the Space Knights program like a Man In Black!



Source: https://www.news-journalonline.com/...tal-tracker-for-additions-losses/71754309007/

Gotta give Chris Boyle cred for the PFF numbers.

From UCF's release...

Enrolling Early (13):

WR Jordyn Bridgewater
DT Marcus Downs
OL Waltclaire Flynn
TE Kylan Fox
DB Jakob Gude
DB Jaylen Heyward
DB Chasen Johnson
LB DJ McCormick
DB Christian Peterson
DB Jashad Presley
WR Bredell Richardson
WR Kason Stokes
QB Riley Trujillo

Not enrolling early (5):

RB Frankie Arthur
LB Qua Birdsong
QB EJ Colson
RB Stacy Gage
OL Chase Malamala

Heading over to Tampa today for the bowl game festivities and want to get my tickets to someone who wants to go. I have two in 106 at mid court about 10 rows up on the aisle. Also includes a garage F parking pass. First person to respond gets them. DM me contact info and I can transfer them over.

Weekend official visits are starting today. There are probably more names, but these players are among the visitors:

Official Visits

QB Grayson McCall (Coastal Carolina) - McCall is actually at NC State through tomorrow, and is expected to arrive at UCF later on Saturday to begin on OV. We've obviously talked a lot about him this week. He's UCF's portal QB focus as of now.

RB Myles Montgomery (Cincinnati) - A native of Jacksonville, Montgomery was the Bearcats' backup running back. He rushed for 428 yards and three touchdowns this season. His best game was a 103-yard performance vs. Baylor.

His presence is interesting - UCF has lost Jordan McDonald to the transfer portal, but no other players-- yet. I had heard positive things about RJ Harvey returning, but also recognize things can change. Is Johnny Richardson coming back? Mark-Antony Richards? In any case, it's clear UCF is shopping for a portal RB.

OL Michael Marotta (Valdosta State) - Native of Spring Hill, Fla. and graduate of Nature Coast Tech. Center prospect. Other offers: Texas Tech, San Diego State, Western Kentucky, Georgia State, Old Dominion, UMass and UTEP.

DT Marcus Downs (Greer, S.C. - Riverside HS) - The only known HS visitor. The No. 1 DL in the state of South Carolina. Previously committed to Georgia Tech. He deleted his tweet announcing his OV (no idea why), but I have confirmed that he's here.

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DE Daylan Dotson (Tennessee-Martin) - He announced a UCF offer earlier this week. The Savannah, Ga., native had 7.0 sacks this season.

Other offers: Troy, Ball State, Coastal Carolina, FAU, Liberty, Tulsa, Western Kentucky, Texas State, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, FIU.

LB Nikhai Hill-Green (Charlotte) - Former Michigan player who transferred to Charlotte last year. He recorded 73 tackles, 2.0 sacks and 9.0 TFLs, finishing with a PFF grade of 69.9.

DB Kamari Wilson (Florida) - Wilson was previously unknown, but he tweeted/IG'd about his presence at UCF on Saturday afternoon while attending a bowl practice. The former four-star from IMG Academy and native of Fort Pierce was a headliner of UF's 2022 recruiting class. He was a backup safety as a true freshman in 2022, recording 39 tackles and 1.5 TFLs, but disappeared from UF's depth chart three games into 2023. It was later revealed that Wilson decided to opt out in order to redshirt.

Wilson played in all of UF's 13 games in 2022 while starting two, earning a 60.3 season grade by PFF.

DB Jadarrius Perkins (Florida) - Like Wilson, Perkins also tweeted a photo of his presence at UCF on Saturday. Perkins, a native of Hattiesburg, attended Mississippi Gulf Coast CC and signed with Missouri* but transferred to UF before he played a down with the Tigers. He spent the 2021-23 seasons at UF.

In 2021 and 22, Perkins was a backup nickel at UF. He played in UF's 2023 season opener before opting out. He totaled 40 tackles during his UF career.

*Current UCF DB coach David Gibbs was instrumental in Perkins originally signing with Missouri in December 2020. Gibbs departed for UCF a couple months later. Once Perkins decided to leave Mizzou following the spring of 2021, he was initially linked with possibly coming to UCF before going to UF.

==

No longer visiting?

WR Donte Lee Jr. (Shaw) announced earlier this week that he'd be visiting UCF this weekend, but he deleted that tweet and hasn't responded regarding his plans. Maybe he's out. Will continue to monitor.

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Georgia DE/LB CJ Madden (UGA) is on an official visit, but he doesn't want people to know where it is. He posted a photo from a hotel bathroom, but it does not look like the Grand Bohemian (where UCF recruits are staying).

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I would not be surprised if UGA CB Nyland Green is a UCF visitor at some point, but have not confirmed.

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Princeton LB Ozzie Nicholas has scheduled visits to Indiana and San Diego State. He said he was going to talk to both UCF and Boise State today to line up future visits. He is a spring 2024 graduate, so his timeline doesn't have to be as rushed.

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ECU LB Teylor Jackson is visiting Liberty this weekend. He tells me he's had continuing talks with UCF and Arizona State about setting up visits, possibly for next week.

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Louisiana-Lafayette LB Kendre Gant is visiting Wisconsin this weekend. Washington State and Houston have also offered and want him to visit. He wasn't sure about UCF's level of interest.

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JUCO LB Keaton Thomas is visiting Baylor this weekend. He has said he will take a midweek visit (next week) to UCF.

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==

On the HS front, 2024 OL Dominic Steward decommitted from Troy today just as Troy HC Jon Sumrall was being named Tulane's head coach. UCF and Missouri had a lot of interest in Steward earlier this season. I haven't heard anything lately, but will reinquire whether he's still being actively pursued by UCF. Maybe he's just going to flip to Tulane?

==

2024 TE Lane Wadle from Indiana visited for a game earlier this season and received an offer. Previous commit to Georgia Tech. UCF was initially interested in bringing in a second HS TE (Wadle is a very good blocker), but he told me UCF recently told him they have decided against doing so. He is taking an OV to Georgia State this weekend.

Parker Navarro making first career start for Ohio in Myrtle Beach Bowl...


🍻🍻🍻🍻🍻

My daughter is an ASL interpreter at an elementary school in PSL. Her fifth grader did not show today so they put in her with the kindergarteners to help out today. As they were decorating Christmas cards one of the kids pointed at my daughter’s shirt and said Santa Claus. She was wearing a Citronaut polo. So now we are the UCF Santanauts at least for a one kindergartener in PSL.

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UCF offensive coordinator Darin Hinshaw talks about facing Georgia Tech in the Gasparilla Bowl.

Recap:

Hinshaw says the guys have a lot of "excitement" for the bowl game. You can really see the energy.

The time off since the last game has helped the players heal their bodies.

On the offensive line, they've had to shuffle guys around but they've handled things very well. It's all about getting the best five out there. Guys like Marcellus Marshall can play different positions.

John Rhys Plumlee, Hinshaw says he was "hungry" to get back on the field following his injury. He's very proud of him. The time off has helped him heal up and he's now playing at his best.

On GT's defense, they've done a "good job" all year and they "play hard." They "played their tails off" against Georgia. They can force turnovers and move a lot up front. They disguise coverages in the back end which can make it hard on the quarterback.

It's huge to get a win. They can't turn the ball over. Discipline, Attitude, Toughness, Effort will be key.

It's a testament to Gus Malzahn's culture as to why most players are playing and few hit the portal and opted out. Says a lot about the kids.

Regarding RJ, Javon and Kobe returning next season, Hinshaw says they've been talking to all the guys. They're focused on winning this game.

Reflecting on the Big 12 season, Hinshaw lamented the turnovers in the games they lost.

Hinshaw loves working at his alma mater. "I've been a Knight for a long time. To be able to coach here and see my family that lives here, I've eaten more with my mom and dad in the last six months than I have in the last 15 years. It's an exciting time. I'm pumped every single day."

Hinshaw deferred questions about the 2024 QB signees, says he'll wait for Gus Malzahn to hold his press conference.

Seasons Greetings:
Can't wait to Friday ! I am writing you guys about some great news . Today my son received his Welcome to UCF family letter . He starts UCF this spring full time after earning his degree From Seminole State . He has been a Marching Knight for a while now.

My son waa born in 2001 and by 1st grade he was reading words and music. He was doing subtraction . We would go to the fireworks store and I would hand him a $20 and he could subtract the price of bottle rockets , Roman candles and such from the $20 when he was 6. He was a straight A kid until the day he collapsed on the PE field. My son would be diagnosed with epilepsy in the days ahead.

Fast forward to college, Cole gets wait listed at UCF and enrolls at Seninole. In his first 2 semesters he earns Dean's list recognition. Then the shit storm that covid was hits and it sets him back academically. He struggled mightily with how Seminole did on line classes. He had to retake several classes. It set him back time wise almost 3 semesters. He wanted to quit school several times and it was his participation in the Marching Knights that kept him moving forward.

Cole earned his associates , finished strong with As and Bs. We prayed, he kept moving forward and he never Ultimately gave up. The epilepsy drug has kept him seizure free for over 3 years now. He was cleared to drive over 2 years ago abd in 2023 I got him his first car. When he read that letter today he was so proud. I was too!

My sons story is one of perseverance in so many ways and not letting his epilepsy make him a victim . He has learned to push through ,to not give up ,how to adult and play the game that college is. The medicine does slow him down some so he gets more time on tests and such,but it has not slowed his spirit. I think my son might be the second coming of Kevin Reis . I truly don't know a bigger UCF fan than my son Cole . He goes to volleyball, softball, basketball and of course football. In no time at all he will be a 2nd generation alumnus.

See you all in Tampa. Go Knights and Charge on!

He built the 2013 offensive line that gave us an incredible Fiesta Bowl run and was courted by the University of Alabama-Birmingham for their head coaching vacancy soon after. He staved off the promotion, eager to take the reins in East Orlando and blaze his path. He minted the McCray twins, Chris Martin, Joey Grant and countless other sound units. After being dismissed in Orlando, Key’s time at the Nick Saban School of Rehabilitation and Reform was unlike any other. Those three years after he left UCF he orchestrated the Tide’s offensive line to three College Football Playoff appearances, two SEC Championship titles, and a national championship in 2017. He seasoned himself in Tuscaloosa, finding a balance between the grind of game-planning for the nation’s premier conference week in and week out and carving time out to build his family. We all go through that at some point in our careers. Refining what’s most important to us and calibrating ourselves for optimal output.

He is no doubt, a damn good coach.

My latest article for this Gasparilla Bowl week. Read ⬇️

Former UCF LB Chris Askew (1998-2000) is a Seminole County firefighter and currently is in the ICU battling a very serious infection that began with the flu and moved into his respiratory tract. Typically, you think of flu/RSV being extremely serious for the very young or elderly, but he's facing a serious battle. His wife is basically staying with him in the ICU 24/7.

Several years ago in 2019, Askew made national headlines with his TikTok dances for the 47 days his newborn son was in the NICU. That child is now four yo. They have four boys in total: ages 4, 5, 7 & 9.

I was asked to share the following link. It's called "Take Them a Meal" where people can donate or coordinate to have meals supplied for the children while Mom Danielle stays in the hospital with Chris.

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UCF defensive coordinator Addison Williams offers his thoughts on playing Georgia Tech while also commenting about the 2024 recruiting class.

Recap:

Addison said he's seeing a lot of "excitement" from his players about this bowl game which is refreshing to see because sometimes you see apathy and opt-outs at other places. The guys are fired up about playing in a warmer locale and also about the opponent.

CB Corey Thornton is the only major departure (transfer portal). Addison said the rest of the guys wanted to finish with their brothers.

GT QB Haynes King has done a good job running the ball. They're seeing more QB runs from GT than their 2022 team.

Tre'Mon Morris-Brash is a special player with a great personality. He's always the same guy with a positive attitude and mindset. He has an "infectious" personality.

CB Decorrian Patterson played more down the stretch and had a big performance in the Oklahoma State. He expects him to continue to play well and go out with a bang on Friday.

This season had a lot of "ups and downs" and growing experiences not only for the defense but for himself as well. They just want to finish this season strong by winning four of their last five games.

It was an adjustment going into the Big 12. It's more physical and 12 personnel than the AAC, which may have been more passing focused. That's been a more recent change with some Big 12 coaching changes.

The recruiting class was always solid and all in, despite some midseason negativity with the defense. The recruits had a real brotherhood and a bond.

On DB Jaylen Heyward, they offered him as soon as they arrived in 2021 and built a long relationship with him and his mom. He obviously committed to UGA at first, but continued to recruit him. It paid dividends. UCF was always in his corner.

Jaylen will come in as a corner as a longer guy who can run. Christian Peterson could be a slot corner or field safety. Jakob Gude will probably be a slot corner, maybe safety but probably slot.

Not having Ricky Barber during the middle of the season when he was injured was a big loss. It's great that he's back and healthy for the game. He could have opted out to get even healthier, but he wanted to play which is huge.

Jason Johnson and Tre'Mon Morris-Brash will play their last games. Addison says in regards to the NFL, both are great locker room guys who are hard workers that love practice too. Morris-Brash is a great edge rusher. Jason Johnson isn't particularly flashy, but he'll work his tail off. He practices hard. If JJ ends up in camp, he'll make a roster.

just committed to WVU.

Primetime event from the Nicholson Fieldhouse, but not open to the public.

NEW YORK — Dec. 20, 2023 — The NFL announced the new and returning skills competitions that Pro Bowl players from the AFC and NFC will compete in during 2024 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon, including Dodgeball presented by Bud Light, Tug-of-War, Precision Passing and much more.

Taking place over two days in Orlando, the skills challenges will be broadcast live on Thursday, Feb. 1, on ESPN from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET on the Pro Bowl Skills Show, a made-for-tv event taking place in the Nicholson Fieldhouse at the University of Central Florida, and continue Sunday, Feb. 4, culminating in epic flag football.

Fans can buy tickets to Sunday’s event at Camping World Stadium, which will also be televised starting at 3 p.m. ET on ESPN, ABC, Disney XD, ESPN+, ESPN Deportes and NFL+. Ticketholders will get to witness all the impressive player feats live, including the final day of skills competitions and flag football between the league’s best players. Visit probowl.com/tickets to buy tickets, which start as low as $45.

A staple of the annual all-star competition, the NFL’s top players are set to participate in the following new and fan-favorite skills competitions that showcase their football and non-football skills:

Thursday, Feb. 1:

· Precision Passing: Each of the conference’s three quarterbacks will battle it out in a one-minute accuracy competition, as they attempt to accumulate points by hitting as many targets as possible. The conference with the highest cumulative score among all participants earns three points. There are a total of 10 targets that are either static or attached to robotic dummies and drones, each worth a different amount, ranging from one to five points.

· Best Catch: Pre-taped in landmarks around Orlando, Best Catch will feature one player from each conference, as they show off their creativity, inventiveness and talent. Fans will vote online to determine their favorite catch by a player in each conference, and the player with the highest number of votes will earn three points for his conference.

· Closest to the Pin: This golf accuracy competition will feature six players from each conference. They will drive the golf ball, working to hit it as close to the hole as possible. The winner will earn three points for his conference.

· High Stakes: Starting off with a football in hand, each player will attempt to catch punts from a JUGS machine. Each player that succeeds in catching the football without dropping others will advance to the next round and attempt to catch an additional football. The most sure-handed player who catches the most footballs wins.

· Dodgeball presented by Bud Light: A multi-round tournament of classic dodgeball featuring four teams of five players. In the first match, the AFC offense will face the NFC defense, and in the second game, the NFC offense squares off with the AFC defense. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

· Kick Tac Toe: Each team’s kicker will compete in a giant Tic-Tac-Toe competition to showcase their skills. The first kicker to complete a connecting line of three squares or hit five squares total will be declared the winner and earn three points for his conference.

Sunday, Feb. 4:

· Madden NFL Head-to-Head: For the fourth consecutive year, EA SPORTS will host the Madden NFL Head-to-Head Pro Bowl Games event. Two players will represent the NFC and defend their title against the AFC played in Madden NFL 24 using the official 2024 Pro Bowl Games rosters. New this year, the winning team will earn their conference three points.

· Gridiron Gauntlet: A full-field relay race between six AFC players and six NFC players who show off their athletic prowess in a challenging obstacle course. They’ll break through walls and crawl under doors, among other obstacles, to get to the final sled push across the field with the ultimate goal of finishing first. The winning team will earn their conference three points.

· Tug-of-War: New this year, Tug-of-War is a five-on-five demonstration of teamwork, strength and strategy. Positioned above a foam pit, players are challenged to pull backwards on the rope, attempting to move the opposing team in their direction. The competition will be the best of three, and the winner who pulls the opposing team across the marker twice gains three points.

· Move the Chains: This offensive and defensive linemen strength and speed competition takes strategy and teamwork. Each team of five players must work together to move 3,000 pounds of weights off a massive wall and be the first team to pull that 2,000-pound wall across the finish line. The winner will earn three points for their conference.

The Pro Bowl Games skills competitions will be brought to life by A. Smith & Co. Productions, producers of shows such as “American Ninja Warrior,” “Hell's Kitchen” and “The Titan Games.” The skills will have cumulative scoring leading up to flag football on Sunday.

The 2024 Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon will be a week-long celebration of AFC vs. NFC competitions, culminating with 7-on-7 flag football. To help program the week-long event, the NFL will work with longstanding partners, including the Disney family of ESPN and ABC, Peyton Manning's Omaha Productions, producers of shows such as ESPN's “Monday Night Football with Peyton & Eli,” the “Places” franchise and the Netflix docuseries “Quarterback,” and A. Smith & Co. Productions. Peyton and Eli Manning will also be the head coaches for the AFC and NFC teams respectively.

On Location, the official hospitality partner of the NFL, will offer guests elevated hospitality packages for a one-of-a-kind experience at the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, including field access throughout the game, access to closed practice sessions, player introductions and premium seating to the game. Fans interested in ticket and hospitality packages can visit On Location's website at Onlocationexp.com/probowl.

For more information on The Pro Bowl Games, visit https://www.nfl.com/pro-bowl-games/event-info/. Fans can stay tuned for additional details on the all-star competition in the coming weeks.

Anyone think we will lose players? If so, who?

OTOH, will there be a surprise addition? If so, who?

Finally, will there be anyone that doesn't sign tomorrow? If so, who?

It has been soooo quiet it is disconcerting

I'm still not convinced both QBs will sign, wonder the same about both Gage & Arthur

Section 135
Row H

Text 407-497-0771
Or message on here.

In laws bailed.

Row H section 135

Text at 407-497-0771 or message on here.

Preferred walk-on from Eastern Kentucky.

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The UCF Knights have quite the bowl game history in the Tampa Bay area. What began in Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg in 2009 has evolved into Raymond James Stadium in Tampa today. As someone who has been to all five Bay Area bowl games UCF has played and will be there for the 2023 Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl, let’s take a small trip down memory lane.

Click here to read more from the Sons of UCF.