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During his UCF commitment ceremony, Braeden Marshall spotlighted his trainer Drico Johnson for helping him develop into the standout four-star prospect that earned offers from top programs across the country.

Johnson, a former Knight himself (2012-2016), owns 21ways Training working primarily with young defensive backs.

"(Watching Braeden's commitment) felt good, just seeing where he came from," Johnson said afterward. "The Braeden that he is today, he wasn't that when I first met him. He put in all the work. All through COVID, we weren't supposed to be training. I'd pull up to his house and we'd work. He was always focused and ready to grind."

Marshall's roots were in basketball as a point guard. He got serious about the game of football late his freshman year. That's when he connected with Drico.

"I came out to Lake Mary to see what he was all about and he gave me 110 percent in everything he did," Johnson said. "It wasn't the right breaks and stuff, but everything he did was full speed. I knew I could work with that."

More than 40 schools offered throughout the course of Marshall's junior year. He settled in on a top group that included UCF, North Carolina, Nebraska, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin.

"With all these offers he has, he still trains like he doesn't have any schools recruiting him," Johnson said.

It was around this time 11 years ago - August 2011 - when Johnson himself committed to UCF. An Orlando native attending Agape Christian Academy, he was initially recruited to play wide receiver.

"Coach Beck, David Kelly, they came in hard on me," Johnson said of UCF. "I loved the coaches. I love Beck (Sean Beckton), still to this day. I talk to Beck on the regular."



Johnson redshirted his first season in 2012 and switched to defensive back prior to the 2013 season. He played in every game as well as on special teams. One of his most memorable moments came against Memphis in October 2013. With the game tied at 17, Johnson scooped and scored on a Will Stanback forced fumble for the go-ahead points.

"Every game that year it seemed we were in a fight," Johnson said. "Honestly, I think Blake Bortles was like, 'Okay, first half we chill and second half we turn it on.' It was like that every game. Stanback made a big hit. We used to practice turnovers before practice, scoop and score. That's exactly what I did. We took it from practice to the field."

While UCF had their share of shining moments through the years (Daunte Culpepper era, 2007 and 2010 conference championships), it could be argued that it was the 2013 season - winning the American and defeating Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl - that started the trajectory to national relevance and ultimately a spot in the Big 12.

Johnson's playing time steadily increased in the seasons to follow, becoming a full-time starter at safety as a junior and senior (2015-16). Late in his senior season, he set a UCF record with two defensive touchdowns in a game.



"My highlight was definitely the Tulane game (in 2016)," Johnson said. "I won National Player of the Week and Conference Player of the Week. I returned an 87-yard pick and another 35-yard pick, fumble, whatever it was. It was a turnover. I scored twice in that game. I also had 10 tackles. That was my best moment ever at UCF. I had no family in the stands because my son's baby shower was that same day. They saw me on the news though."

Post UCF, Johnson had a brief stint with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Since then, he's been coaching and training high school football players in the Central Florida area. He's definitely seen a change with how UCF is being perceived by the area's top talent, thanks to Gus Malzahn.

"It's totally different," Johnson said. "When I came in, I was the only one from Orlando committing to UCF. Now we've got like four or five four-star kids committing from Orlando. That's great. This might go down as one of UCF's best recruiting classes."

Johnson said he's still close friends with many of his former teammates, including D.J. Killings, Errol Clarke, Nevelle Clarke, Brandon Moore, McKenzie Milton and many more. Now he's excited to watch Braeden Marshall lead a future generation of UCF stars.

"That will be exciting, being back in my home where I scored touchdowns and caught interceptions, seeing someone that I trained up," Johnson said. "I think (Marshall) is definitely gonna score some touchdowns and catch some interceptions in there. UCF got a great one."

The OSU DB commit from Georgia; what's the connection and the sudden movement towards UCF?

Another big win for UCF!

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Months ago, Kaven Call predicted Braeden Marshall would join him at UCF.

It was Call, the four-star defensive end at Apopka, that started the wave for the Knights in this 2023 class. He committed the day after UCF's win against Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl and then announced his decision on Christmas Day.

Call was on hand at 4th Street Bar & Grill for Marshall's commitment announcement.

"It's amazing," Call said. "I grew up playing sports with him. Our parents have a great relationship. Braeden is like a brother to me. For him to be going to the same college I am, it's a great feeling."

The pair have known each other since elementary school.

"We played basketball on the same team," Call said. "Since then we've always kept in touch."

When they were kids, he says their dreams mostly centered on becoming basketball stars. Later on, they would transition into football. Call was the first to go out for football, then Braeden.

"Our talent started to show off," Call said.

Call was the first "Hometown Hero" to commit to UCF in this class. Now the group of local commits is up to six with Andrew Harris, Michael Harris, Grant Reddick, John Walker and now Braeden Marshall.



"It's crazy," Call said. "The change is happening right in front of our faces. That shows UCF is gonna be up there with those elite schools now."

Call's most recent visit to UCF was this past Tuesday for Knight Splash.

"I'm 1,000 percent locked in," Call said. "I like to be different. I didn't want to follow everybody else that I have to go to a big-name school just because you're ranked this or that. I think Coach Gus (Malzahn) is a great coach and he has something he wants to do here. I support that. They're going in the Big 12. It's close to home. I've got family that goes there. I got my brothers that go there too. It checks all the boxes for me."

Apopka was the Class 8A runner-up last season, falling to Venice in the state championship game. Call wants to finish his high school career with a title.

"I'm definitely trying to get that ring," Call said.

He'll be an early enrollee in January and part of UCF's inaugural Big 12 team.

"It's a blessing," Call said. "We're gonna be in the Big 12. People won't be able to say we're in a trash conference or any of that. We'll take over the Big 12 and go on from there and get a Natty."

Consider this: a University of Nebraska professor posed a "trivia question" in class, which included 10 football players, on how many incomplete passes Adrian Martinez would need to throw "until he gets cut" from the team, said Nebraska linebacker Garrett Nelson. Martinez, who has since transferred to Kansas State, was in that class, Nelson said.

"The college experience that I was hoping to have has obviously not panned out," Nelson told 247Sports this week at Big Ten Media Days.

The professor also quizzed students and players how many more yards the Huskers' defense could give up "before everybody gets fired."
And what about the time Nelson, on his day off, decided to nap at home and upon this revelation a neighbor remarked, "That's probably why you can't win games."


lmaoo when you roll around in shit don't be surprised when you get some on your clothes isn't that right Frosty

Sons of UCF LIVE #78: Jason Beede, UCF beat reporter for the Orlando Sentinel, on John Walker's commitment to UCF - the highest ranked recruit in UCF Football history. Jason talks about the position battles as Pre-Season Camp gets underway as practice begins next week. Plus, we learn more about Baylor as our Meet the Big 12 series continues with Matt Wilson, co-host of the Between Two Bears podcast.

Just click here to watch.

I would not recommend grabbing her hand like that but the rest applies:
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This was filmed at the 2009 Miami Hurricanes v UCF Tailgate on October 17, 2009.

Young 21 year-old dali just graduated in the Spring and I feel like the fanbase as a whole got hip to a proper tailgate. We are light years from this now but it is a cool time vault.

We got rocked 27-7, unfortunately.

I think it's pretty obvious where my cameo is (will timestamp shortly). Any other Dungeon members featured in this?

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Brock wins, theory tries to cash in and gets destroyed

liv retains

Bianca wins

Usos v street profits something janky happens and it’s a DQ

lashley wins

mysterios win unless Edge comes back or something

mcafee going over brother

Logan beats miz

Top tight end prospect Jayvontay Conner will announce his college decision this Wednesday at 5 p.m.

Conner, who grew up in Opelika, Ala., and recently moved to North Carolina where he attends East Forsyth High School, just dropped his top six, a group that includes UCF, Maryland, Florida State, Mississippi State, South Carolina and Virginia Tech. He said it's now a top seven to reflect a recent offer from Texas A&M.

Last Wednesday, Conner was in Florida to check out UCF.

"It was real nice," Conner said. "I really enjoyed myself. They showed me a lot of love. I talked to (tight ends) Coach (Brian) Blackmon, (offensive coordinator) Coach (Chip) Lindsey and Coach (Gus) Malzahn. I sat down and had great conversations with everybody.

"I'm real interested in UCF. They were one of the first schools that started recruiting me. I feel the program is going up in a real good way. They've been really good the past few seasons. They're on the rise."

How did he like meeting Coach Malzahn?

"I grew up an Auburn fan, so meeting him was real cool," Conner said. "We talked about everything, just sat down and kicked it. It was one of those things. We have a real good bond and everything. It was my first time meeting him, but it was like I've known him for a long time."

Conner came up as a wide receiver, but most schools are recruiting him to play tight end in college. As a junior at Opelika, he caught 24 passes for 405 yards and six touchdowns.

"They told me how I'd be a great fit," Conner said of UCF. "They said I'd be the only tight end they'll take in my class if I were to go there. I was really trained as a wide receiver. I'm really a wide receiver playing tight end, that's how I look at it. They like the fact I can run. I run good routes. I have a lot of things that tight ends don't usually have coming out of high school."

His UCF recruiter is his would-be position coach, Brian Blackmon, who is a former head coach at Opelika High School (2009-16).

"When I first started playing football, his son (Cade Blackmon) was one of the first quarterbacks I threw with," Conner said. "I've known his son for a long time. I have a real good relationship with Coach Blackmon and his whole family. That would be a real good factor if I were to go there."

Conner met a few players on his visit, including tight end Jordan Davis. He liked the area too.

"It was real nice around UCF," he said. "They've got a lot of stuff to do outside of football within the City of Orlando."

Around the time Conner was dropping his top six, he had a conversation with Texas A&M assistant coach Dameyune Craig who told him the Aggies were offering as well.

"I know Texas A&M is a real good program," Conner said. "They have some real good tight end sets. We talked about a possible visit over the summer."

Conner will announce his decision this Wednesday at 5 p.m. inside the gymnasium at East Forsyth High.

"My biggest thing is the relationships," Conner said. "The second thing is how they use their tight end. No. 3 is whether I can enjoy myself on campus outside of playing football. I'm looking at it like if I wasn't a football player, would I want to go there?"

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Anyone getting the card tonight? Looks like a really solid show.

Does Flair make it through the match? Dude’s got a pacemaker for Christ sake.

But I’m glad he’s getting to go out on his own terms.

Brandon,
Do you have a list of 4 and 5 star players in a 2 hour radius including Tampa? Is there a search function for that? I would just be curious if something like that exists.

Edit: running FL rankings is easy enough. Search radius would still be a cool feature though and not hard to do on a website.

The Machiavellian silence of Yormark has been deafening.



What do you think we see from him this week as he officially begins on August 1st?

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UCF's revolutionary recruiting class continues to roll as they prepare to make the move to the Big 12 in 2023. Lake Mary (Fla.) four-star CB Braeden Marshall is the latest to join the star-studded group of "Hometown Heroes."

"Coach (Gus) Malzahn came to UCF with a vision," Marshall said. "Not too many coaches come to UCF with a vision like this to win a National Championship. Them going to the Big 12 is huge. I just feel like him bringing in the right guys and all the guys around Orlando is going to be special."

Marshall, who had hinted he could be leaning towards Nebraska, North Carolina or Wisconsin, said UCF moved to the forefront last week.

"When John Walker committed, that settled it," Marshall. "Knowing that I'm going to have guys around me, that really did it."

He "can't wait" to be part of the "brotherhood" that comes with being the latest in the line of "Hometown Heroes" to commit to UCF. In this class, Marshall joins the local group that also includes Kaven Call, Andrew Harris, Michael Harris, Grant Reddick and John Walker.

"The biggest thing I'm probably looking forward to is playing with my brothers and all the people that stayed home," Marshall said. "Knowing everybody is from Orlando. You can't have anything better than that."

His primary recruiter through the process will also be his position coach, Addison Williams.

"He's one of the coolest guys I know," Marshall said. "Our relationship is so strong. He's a great mentor. He's going to teach me the game of football and put me in position to make plays at the highest level."

The hire of Gus Malzahn and joining a Power Five conference is the impetus that has enabled UCF to recruit like they never have before.

"Coach Malzahn has done it before in the SEC," Marshall said. "Going into the Big 12 is going to be huge. We're going to do great things at UCF."

Marshall was on campus earlier this week to attend "Knight Splash." That's when his commitment was reaffirmed.

"Coach Malzahn, his reaction was crazy," Marshall said. "We were driving in the (Rolls-Royce) and I told him in there. He was like, 'No way!' I said, 'Yes way, coach!' We're building something special and I want to be part of it from the bottom as it grows. We're starting it. His reaction was just crazy. My mom was in there. We all loved it."

Marshall credited his trainer, Drico Johnson, for helping him develop into one of the best high school players in the country. Johnson is a former UCF defensive back who played for the Knights from 2012-2016.

"We started back about three years ago and we haven't stopped," Marshall said. "I work with him every week, probably three to four days a week. Without him, I wouldn't be the player I am today."

Tyrann Mathieu is his favorite player. He's been compared to him too being of similar stature.

"One thing I like about him is he's a dog. He can play anywhere in the secondary. I feel like I can follow him a little bit as well."

Marshall, who plans to enroll in January, says he's now going to turn into a recruiter to help build out the rest of the class.

"We're not done yet," he said. "We have more people coming. I can't wait for this class. It's going to be something special."

He shares Malzahn's big dreams as well.

"I want to win the Big 12," Marshall said. "As long as you win the Big 12, you get a shot at the National Championship. One thing Gus Malzahn says about UCF is he's a big dreamer. The one thing he dreams about is winning a National Championship. I feel we're going to do that at UCF."

Just thought I'd share a few photos from tonight.

Google Photos link:

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Here's the DSLR video recording of Braeden Marshall's announcement.

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I'm not sure how to link the list but it appears we are ahead of schedule compared to TCU first recruiting class that they had going into the Big XII. Thought it was an interesting comparison being that they competed with in state P5 schools being in a major metro area.

First 5 years in the Big XII.
2012: 7-6 (4-5)
2013: 4-8 (2-7)
2014: 12-1 (8-1)
2015: 11-2 (7-2)
2016: 6-7 (4-5)

The Tommy Bahama thread has me thinking. Anyone have vector files for any of the Citronauts branding?

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Lake Mary (Fla.) four-star cornerback Braeden Marshall will announce his decision on Saturday night at 6:45 p.m. EST and Rivals will be there to cover it live. His top five included Nebraska, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Pittsburgh and UCF but he recently trimmed his options to a top three: The Huskers, Tar Heels and Badgers.

Just like John Walker, I switched my YT channel to show generic Rivals branding.

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The Ohio State U was talking big smack before John Walker commitment. Don't hear so much now. He has not sign his NLI yet but I feel like he is a solid kid from a solid family. Anyway, It's amazing how these blue bloods don't have a clue what's happening in college football outside of a few schools. If our games were on ABC every Saturday night, we would have similar ratings to 99% of teams. OSU and a few others could make a case for moving the ratings.
I go to road games and the fans are nice, but they don't give us a chance and have no idea our school is WAY bigger than theirs. 2014 Fiesta Bowl I was trying to chat it up with Baylor fans during the week. They wouldn't even engage (most fans bases love to chat it up). Ohio State, Michigan, Missouri, Penn State, etc were all nice but had no clue who we were and anything about us. Penn State fans were shocked when I told them how big we are. One nasty road trip I made in the 90s was West Virginia. Nasty to visitors for sure.
Can't wait to get in the club have a chance to shut these mother brothers up. We won't win them all but we won't have a losing record!

Let me know what you guys think.
Thanks!

Before spring it was pretty much 50/50 in a similar poll. Curious what everyone thinks now heading into summer. Doubt anyone is officially announced until right before game 1.