In my garage.*

Per UCFKnignts.com:


UCF Softball

Knights Ink Madison Applebe to 2022 Recruiting Class​

The UCF softball team has signed its seventh commit of the 2022 recruiting class as pitcher Madison Applebe will join the Black and Gold for the 2022-23 campaign.

"Madison comes to Knight Nation from one of the best travel organizations in the state of Texas," said head coach Cindy Ball-Malone. "As a key member of three national championship runs, Madison is no stranger to competing in big moments and executing in high pressure situations. She generates a ton of movement on her pitches and boasts an extremely deceptive changeup. I believe Madison has even more in the tank and we can't wait to begin training with her this fall."



Applebe will come to Orlando from La Porte, Texas after playing at Deer Park High School and playing club softball for the Hotshots under Coach Nelson.



Plenty of honors have been earned by Applebe to this point in her softball career as she was named co-pitcher of the year, all-district first-team and all-state second-team in her junior year of high school. During her 2021 season, she posted a miniscule 0.71 ERA in 18 appearances, striking out 93 batters for Deer Park. Her freshman season saw her named to the all-state first-team, all-district first-team and newcomer of the year.

Off the field, Applebe was named to the first-team academic honor roll in 2019 and 2021.

Applebe is the third pitcher in UCF's 2022 recruiting class. She joins Katelyn Cochran in the circle along with Macy Miles, who is a two-way player. UCF's recruiting class also includes middle infielder Nehanda Lewis, middle infielder/utility Michelle DiPuma, middle infielder Aubrey Evans and outfielder Olivia Elliot.


The Knights' 2022 National Signing Day recap can be found here, while Miles' signing can be found here.




OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!

Way to go COach Cindy Ball-Malone and staff…

Login to view embedded media

Following stretching, the UCF QBs did some footwork drills. Thomas Castellanos is 12, Mikey Keene's new number is 13, Joey Gatewood (7) is the tall guy in the middle, then John Rhys Plumlee (10) and Parker Navarro (14).

Next, UCF executed a "tempo drill" with the first three offensive teams.

First group: QB Mikey Keene, RB Isaiah Bowser, WR Ryan O'Keefe, WR Jaylon Robinson, WR Jaylon Griffin (wearing 18 instead of 81), TE Alec Holler. OL is LT Sam Jackson, LG Adrian Medley, C Matt Lee, RG Lokahi Pauole, RT Edward Collins.

Second group: QB Parker Navarro, RB Johnny Richardson, WR Amari Johnson, WR Jordan Johnson, WR Kobe Hudson and TE Kemore Gamble. OL is LT Paul Rubelt, LG Patrick Barnett, C Nate Brady, RG Chidoziri Maghiro and RT Ryan Swoboda.

Third group: QB John Rhys Plumlee, RB Mark-Antony Richards, WR Stephen Martin, WR Dionte Marks, WR Cade Sams and TE Zach Marsh Wojan. OL has some repeats with LT Tylan Grable, LG Ethan Mort, C Lokahi Pauole, RG Josh Cox and RT Edward Collins.

Login to view embedded media Interesting. I believe they're currently the Matadors but never knew anyone to really identify with the mascot.

Login to view embedded media Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Login to view embedded media
Great podcast on the Barstool Network. Will Compton is a Cornhusker but Taylor Lewan is a Michigan man, giving Frost all the business in this interview haha:

“Would you cut your dick off for a national championship at Nebrasksa?”

“How many games would you have won if you had competent special teams?”

“Which BIG coach could beat you up in a fight?”

I think Frost is due for a breakout for year 5. Schedule is favorable as hell:

One day after hitting the transfer portal, an offer has gone out to Missouri State LB Tylar Wiltz. He's a Louisiana native that originally went to JUCO.

Other early offers include Marshall, Colorado State, Akron and Louisiana Tech as well as a few FCS.

UCF only has one experienced linebacker returning in Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste.


Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media
Highlights:

Login to view embedded media Login to view embedded media

Go cows go!

Login to view embedded media

Cornerback Davonte Brown, who was UCF's top defensive performer in 2021 with a team-best 82.3 PFF season grade, talks about beginning year two under Gus Malzahn and who impressed him on the first day.

"It felt a lot different. You know what to expect. You know Coach Gus' expectations and Coach T-Will as a defense. He wants us to get to the ball, play aggressive and play without thinking especially these first few days of practice. He's trying to see everybody compete."

What are his goals for the spring?

"Personally, I would say playing with good leverage, improving technique, knowing the strengths and weaknesses of different coverages, understanding what the offense is trying to do, being a leader on the field, helping my teammates out and the younger guys too. I feel that's big."

During winter workouts, Brown estimates he put on 7-8 pounds. "As a team, everybody made improvements."

On the DB competition, Brown said "everybody is competing." You have to fight, "because the next guy is just as good as you."

Davonte was asked what advice he's giving his younger brother, four-star cornerback Damari Brown. He told him to go to a place where he'd want to go to school, not just for football.

Login to view embedded media
Answering a question, Brown said Nikai Martinez is "adjusting well" and said he's quiet like he is. He's picking up the plays and is confident. Made some nice plays.

I then asked about the defensive highlight of practice and he name-dropped Nikai.

"I'd probably say Nikai. In 7-on-7 there was a go route. He tipped it and Koby Perry almost had an interception."

On Koby Perry, the transfer from Austin Peay: "He's funny so he fits right in with us... I'm excited to play with him."

Davonte thinks the defense has a chance to be really good if they work hard. "We'll be scary good."

I have been so busy at work that I was going to skip Bracketology this year but i am getting that itch! Nobody i am close with is running a bracket this year. Can someone hook me up?

Login to view embedded media

Is it because you're a racist, or is it because of propaganda? I can't recall a ton of US solidarity about Yemen for some reason.

Login to view embedded media
My video skills with the DSLR are not quite polished, considering I pretty much only have an opportunity to do this one time per camp/spring. I tried to follow the action from the QBs to the WRs the best I could, but it was difficult to get both WRs in the frame considering they ran different routes. I maybe should have gone totally wide, but I wanted to zoom in every time so it was clear which QB was throwing.

There are six QBs throwing: McKenzie Milton (10), Pete DiNovo (14), Darriel Mack, Jr. (8), Noah Vedral (16), Sean Pratt (19) and Scott Frost.

The beginning clips, from the left side of the frame, show Vedral and Mack. The second clip from the right side features McKenzie, Frost, DiNovo and Pratt.

At the end, closeup shot of Troy Walters and the WRs.

Here is the next step:

Disconnect, decouple, isolate, ignore. Don't discuss or even care about it. Just focus on yourself. And be angry.

It's gonna be an interesting few weeks and months ahead of us.

Nm

Login to view embedded media

What in the what is going on?

Safe to say we will go 2 LB and 5 DB's most of the time.

Login to view embedded media

Ryan O'Keefe, the MVP of the Gasparilla Bowl, returns as UCF's top receiver in 2022. The senior from Texas spoke about the first day of spring practice and offered a few observations.

How different does a first day of practice feel like in year two of Gus Malzahn?

"I feel like we're more bought in. We know what to expect from Coach Gus. We know what to expect when it comes to practice. I feel like the energy this spring has been a lot better than last year just because we see the talent we got. We see we can build something special. At the end of the day, we all understand we have to put in the work on the field."

How is QB Mikey Keene looking?

"Mikey is a dog. He's got that in him. He wants to be the best. He wants the best for us. He wants the best for himself. He wants the best for the team. That leadership and him growing into a leader has been a big jump for him. Just from practice today, he was encouraging guys, flying around and doing his thing. He's grown a lot."

O'Keefe said "JG" (Jaylon Griffin) and Kobe Hudson had good first days.

How good can the offense be this year?

"I think we can be really good. Like I said, it comes down to what we do on the field. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't work with each other, it's just talent."

What does Kobe Hudson (Auburn transfer) bring to the wide receivers?

"Kobe is another dog. He's got it in him. He wants the ball. He's a go-getter. He's a grinder. He's passionate about football. It was great to see him on the field with us."

On winter workouts, O'Keefe said they "fed off the energy" from the Florida win, making them "hungry." Personally, he gained 10 pounds and feels bigger, stronger and faster. "Coach Dawson did an unbelievable job. We bought in as a group."

As for that Gasparilla Bowl, O'Keefe said they've "moved on" and are now "on to bigger and better things."

I asked Ryan what he would say was the "highlight" of the practice and he name-dropped true freshman Thomas Castellanos.

"That player that probably stood out to me at practice was Thomas Castellanos getting loose in the backfield. He showed some moves. He can run a little bit... It was like he was in high school again. It surprised me. It was impressive."

Ryan then added a bit more of his observations of Castellanos, who enrolled in January.

"I feel like since he's been here he's grown a lot. He's got confidence. As a young guy, he's got confidence. I like to see that. He plays with a swag."

Login to view embedded media

UCF offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Lindsey breaks down the Knights' first day of spring practice, the quarterback competition, reuniting with Gus Malzahn and more.

Lindsey began by saying how good it felt to be back on the practice field.

"After having spring break, you're always worried how they're going to come back. I thought for most of the practice our guys had great energy, attitude and body language. Really moved around good. I think we got tired toward the end a little bit and got a little sloppy. But those all good things. We were repping a lot of guys too. When you're repping a lot of guys, you're going to have some of that."

He thought the weather was great, not too hot but a little bit windy for quarterbacks. They have to make corrections though between now and Thursday.

I asked about him making the transition to UCF and getting to know the players.

"I got here I think Dec. 28 and this is my third time to work for Coach (Gus Malzahn) so I really knew what to expect. He's evolved and changed some scheme wise a little bit here and there. As any good coach will do, he's adjusted to our personnel and what they're good at doing. Very familiar with what we've done offensively and how we approach practice. That wasn't new. It's been a great process."

He's been trying to get to know the offensive players. It's important that they know him.

"In the heat of battle, you're coaching and when you walk off that line, you can put a love arm around a guy. We're here to develop these guys and develop relationships."

He mentioned a few of the off-the-field get togethers, including bowling and ax throwing.

Lindsey added it's important to know the offensive linemen too.

"I really like our guys."

On the quarterbacks today, Lindsey said they're rotating all five evenly.

"We'll do that for a few days or when Coach decides not to do it anymore. I think what I saw in the walk-throughs and meetings is our guys took what we were teaching on to the field. That's what I like to see. Obviously physical mistakes we had and then we got tired and had a couple bad reads, but for the most part we communicated right to the o-line, a huge part of it. We got the signal. We understood where we should go with our eyes in the passing game. Read game, we missed a couple reads, but I was pleased with how all five of them approached practice. Coach Malzahn always talks about the 'Coach me, coach,' attitude. That's not a problem. Everybody on offense has that attitude."

Lindsey said players with a "Coach me, coach" attitude doesn't happen everywhere. Some players don't want to be coached or held accountable.

This is the third time Lindsey will work with Gus Malzahn. Scheme wise, he said there's new things they're doing here at UCF they only dabbled with at Auburn. He's adapted to personnel. Added it was a "no brainer" to rejoin Gus at UCF. "Great mentor."

Matt Murschel is working on an analyst story. Lindsey was a former analyst at Auburn, a job he accepted after being a longtime high school head coach. It was an interesting transition, from being in charge to being in a behind-the-scenes role that doesn't allow for much player instruction or being on the practice field. He mentioned how the analysts also play a big role in recruiting/transfer evaluation.

On Mikey Keene, Lindsey is "very impressed."

"You can tell he's played, very confident and very smart. Real high football IQ. Does what he's coached to do. Doesn't try to do too much. Knows his strengths and weaknesses. Just an eager guy. All five of those guys, I will say this, they all are eager to learn. They're all in the building watching film. Texting me and asking me different things. Obviously Mikey has played the most here and you can tell. He goes out there and is confident. The moment is not too big for him. He's got a moxie about him that I really like. He's competing. That's what I like to see."

On Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee:

"He showed a lot of really good flashes. I think the thing I noticed being on the field for the first time, we recruited him at Auburn but I wasn't on the field with him, I watched him practice a couple times, we know he's a great athlete, but I saw the ball really jump out of his hands some. It was a pleasant surprise. When I say that, it had good velocity out of his hands. Getting his body coordinated. The guy played receiver for the last 18 months. Played his freshman year (at quarterback) and in the spring of the next year was a quarterback and then went to receiver. Going from running routes and catching it to now throwing it, the fundamentals that come with it, has some work to do. But what I really like is the way comes out of his hands. He's another guy that's intelligent and really eager to learn. Wants to be really good. Holds himself to a high standard. You like to see that."

Lindsey thinks there's great leadership on this team.

Looking ahead to Thursday, Lindsey wants to see the guys finish practice better.

Is there anything different he's noticed since rejoining Gus?

"What he's been through the last couple months, it's definitely had an impact on him I think. Personally. Obviously Kristi is doing really good now. I think he's enjoying what he's doing. Not that he didn't when I was with him at other places, but I think he's refreshed and excited. I know one thing. He really likes our team. Not to say he didn't at other places. I see a passion in him. And energy. He's always had that. That's what's exciting. Some of our young guys probably don't realize they're lucky to have him as their head coach. He's excited. You can feel the energy."

On the veteran offensive line:

"Having three starters returning, Matt (Lee) I believe can be one of the best centers in the country. I've been very impressed with Lokahi (Pauole). I just think that unit obviously with Coach Hand, he's been with them a year. You add a Lokahi, Sam (Jackson) and Matt, those are three guys you can build around. Then you've got some other guys like Adrian (Medley) and Paul (Rubelt) and we brought in a couple new guys. I think that group has potential to be really special. We're not there. We're not even close yet. But what I see is a group that's already close. They like being coached and like to practice. They're fun guys. They've got great personalities. They're tough guys. Everything there is in the making for a very special group, but they've got to put the work in to do it every day."

Hard to say because practice was closed, but Ryan O'Keefe was raving about Thomas Castellanos' play-making ability. Sounds like he was turning heads.