With the two latest additions from the weekend, UCF has 13 total commitments heading into August. I thought I'd take a look back and just see where that stacks up in recent history.
By "summer," I mean commits prior to the season. Although timelines are changing with the December signing period, UCF has typically picked up the bulk of their commits in late May through the end of July, then another surge towards the end of the signing period.
UCF typically never adds commits in August, but that's usually because players decide at that point to commit before their camp starts or have decided to ride out the process. In fact, the last August commit was Mike Rogers in the Class of 2014, and that was Aug. 1.
As you know, I don't get caught up in rankings because it's a flawed and imperfect process especially at the lower levels - by that I mean once you get beyond the high four-stars and five-stars. When almost everybody gets three stars these days, it doesn't mean much.
I only have decommitment data in the Frost era. The Rivals and 247 databases didn't log decommit entries before then, so it's basically trying to remember off the top of your head. However, UCF never had a significant number of decommits during the GOL era (maybe 1-3 annually) because for the most part GOL wasn't big on taking "reservations."
2019: 13 summer commits. Zero decommits so far. Expected to sign around 25 players. UCF appears to have wrapped up their OL class at this point and is close to filling up at WR.
2018: Coaching change obviously impacts things here. UCF had about 12 commits at the end of the summer, but only six of those players stuck with UCF and signed with Heupel.
I counted seven eventual decommits from players who had committed during the spring/summer:
QB La'Darius Jefferson (Michigan State)
OL Thomas Lopez (Ball State, academic issue)
RB Patrick Jolly (UCLA, processed by Heupel)
TE Justin McGriff (Nebraska)
S Avonta Crim (decommitted after a couple months, had poor grades, signed with WKU)
DB Avery Thornton (NGE, processed by Heupel, signed nowhere)
LB Jontavious Ferguson (decommitted after a couple months, went to Georgia Southern)
2017: Frost's first full recruiting year and things appeared to be going well in the summer with 17 commits going into camp. However, UCF had 10 total decommits, seven of which were summer or earlier commits. Among the defections:
DE DeMarco Artis (UCF was one of four schools he commited and he just left Baylor after one season).
DE Justin Harris (Flipped to Baylor. UCF got an early commit and made the odd decision to have him OV early in the season).
OL Sebastien Dolcine (Flipped to Kentucky)
OL Viktor Beach (Got a big head, tried to visit Purdue in secret, got dropped)
DE Antwan Owens (Flipped to GT)
S Tariq Carpenter (Flipped to GT)
QB Marvin Washington (Got processed by UCF, signed with UConn).
Early 2017 class stars: Obviously only one year of sample size, but UCF's first commit - RB Otis Anderson - is already a star. Also promising futures for WR Gabe Davis and WR Marlon Williams. The two highest-rated signees - RB Cordarrian Richardson and WR Manny Greene - have already transferred out and in all honestly were disappointing when paired against other class members.
2016: The GOL/Frost transition class. Only one GOL commitment signed with Frost - WR Dontay Mayfield - and he's yet to make any sort of impact. Everybody else committed in December/January. Current starters from this class include Adrian Killins, Brandon Moore, Richie Grant, McKenzie Milton, Jordan Johnson and Dredrick Snelson.
2015: UCF had nine summer commits and went on to sign 18. Players in this class that have made on-field impacts, some larger than others, include Nevelle Clarke, Tristan Payton, Tyler Hudanick, Brendan Hayes, Aaron Cochran, Titus Davis, Pat Jasinski, Taj McGowan and Cam Stewart.
2014: 10 of the 17 signees committed in the summer. Some of the summer commits included Jamiyus Pitman, Wyatt Miller, Tre'Quan Smith, Chavis Dickey and Joey Connors. Later commits who also played key roles included Errol Clarke, Jordan Franks, Kyle Gibson and Tre Neal.
2013: 11 of the 19 signees were summer commits. Some of the early commits included D.J. Killings, Seyvon Lowry, Aaron Evans the Griffin twins. Later class members included Tony Guerad, Chequan Burkett and Will Stanback.
2012: Might be the worst class in UCF history. UCF had two summer commits - Taylor Oldham and Drico Johnson. There's a whole lot of NGE among the 18 eventual signees. The only star of the group was Jacoby Glenn. Players who played a role include Taylor Oldham, Drico Johnson, Mark Rucker (who signed late), Domenic Spencer (who signed late), Michael Campbell and Cal Bloom.
2011: On paper, this was UCF's best-ever recruiting class with a No. 39 national ranking. But that was inflated by the likes of four-star QB DaMarcus Smith and LB Leilon Willingham. Smith never enrolled and Willingham was terrible, transferring to a D2 school after one season. UCF signed 29 with 13 of those players committing in the summer. Some impact players included Joey Grant, Thomas Niles, Demetris Anderson (who eventually came back to UCF after one year at WMU), Cam Henderson, Troy Gray, Terrance Plummer, Breshad Perriman and Rannell Hall.
2010: 14 of UCF's 23 signees were summer commits. Most of the early commits turned out to NGE, but some real gems included the McCray twins, Blake Bortles and Clayton Geathers. Jordan Ozerities maybe on a tier below, but did start. The other 10 summer signees were the textbook definition of NGE, if they even made it to school. Some of the late additions in 2010 included Jeff Godfrey, Josh Reese, Jordan Akins (who returned several years later) and Torrian Wilson.
By "summer," I mean commits prior to the season. Although timelines are changing with the December signing period, UCF has typically picked up the bulk of their commits in late May through the end of July, then another surge towards the end of the signing period.
UCF typically never adds commits in August, but that's usually because players decide at that point to commit before their camp starts or have decided to ride out the process. In fact, the last August commit was Mike Rogers in the Class of 2014, and that was Aug. 1.
As you know, I don't get caught up in rankings because it's a flawed and imperfect process especially at the lower levels - by that I mean once you get beyond the high four-stars and five-stars. When almost everybody gets three stars these days, it doesn't mean much.
I only have decommitment data in the Frost era. The Rivals and 247 databases didn't log decommit entries before then, so it's basically trying to remember off the top of your head. However, UCF never had a significant number of decommits during the GOL era (maybe 1-3 annually) because for the most part GOL wasn't big on taking "reservations."
2019: 13 summer commits. Zero decommits so far. Expected to sign around 25 players. UCF appears to have wrapped up their OL class at this point and is close to filling up at WR.
2018: Coaching change obviously impacts things here. UCF had about 12 commits at the end of the summer, but only six of those players stuck with UCF and signed with Heupel.
I counted seven eventual decommits from players who had committed during the spring/summer:
QB La'Darius Jefferson (Michigan State)
OL Thomas Lopez (Ball State, academic issue)
RB Patrick Jolly (UCLA, processed by Heupel)
TE Justin McGriff (Nebraska)
S Avonta Crim (decommitted after a couple months, had poor grades, signed with WKU)
DB Avery Thornton (NGE, processed by Heupel, signed nowhere)
LB Jontavious Ferguson (decommitted after a couple months, went to Georgia Southern)
2017: Frost's first full recruiting year and things appeared to be going well in the summer with 17 commits going into camp. However, UCF had 10 total decommits, seven of which were summer or earlier commits. Among the defections:
DE DeMarco Artis (UCF was one of four schools he commited and he just left Baylor after one season).
DE Justin Harris (Flipped to Baylor. UCF got an early commit and made the odd decision to have him OV early in the season).
OL Sebastien Dolcine (Flipped to Kentucky)
OL Viktor Beach (Got a big head, tried to visit Purdue in secret, got dropped)
DE Antwan Owens (Flipped to GT)
S Tariq Carpenter (Flipped to GT)
QB Marvin Washington (Got processed by UCF, signed with UConn).
Early 2017 class stars: Obviously only one year of sample size, but UCF's first commit - RB Otis Anderson - is already a star. Also promising futures for WR Gabe Davis and WR Marlon Williams. The two highest-rated signees - RB Cordarrian Richardson and WR Manny Greene - have already transferred out and in all honestly were disappointing when paired against other class members.
2016: The GOL/Frost transition class. Only one GOL commitment signed with Frost - WR Dontay Mayfield - and he's yet to make any sort of impact. Everybody else committed in December/January. Current starters from this class include Adrian Killins, Brandon Moore, Richie Grant, McKenzie Milton, Jordan Johnson and Dredrick Snelson.
2015: UCF had nine summer commits and went on to sign 18. Players in this class that have made on-field impacts, some larger than others, include Nevelle Clarke, Tristan Payton, Tyler Hudanick, Brendan Hayes, Aaron Cochran, Titus Davis, Pat Jasinski, Taj McGowan and Cam Stewart.
2014: 10 of the 17 signees committed in the summer. Some of the summer commits included Jamiyus Pitman, Wyatt Miller, Tre'Quan Smith, Chavis Dickey and Joey Connors. Later commits who also played key roles included Errol Clarke, Jordan Franks, Kyle Gibson and Tre Neal.
2013: 11 of the 19 signees were summer commits. Some of the early commits included D.J. Killings, Seyvon Lowry, Aaron Evans the Griffin twins. Later class members included Tony Guerad, Chequan Burkett and Will Stanback.
2012: Might be the worst class in UCF history. UCF had two summer commits - Taylor Oldham and Drico Johnson. There's a whole lot of NGE among the 18 eventual signees. The only star of the group was Jacoby Glenn. Players who played a role include Taylor Oldham, Drico Johnson, Mark Rucker (who signed late), Domenic Spencer (who signed late), Michael Campbell and Cal Bloom.
2011: On paper, this was UCF's best-ever recruiting class with a No. 39 national ranking. But that was inflated by the likes of four-star QB DaMarcus Smith and LB Leilon Willingham. Smith never enrolled and Willingham was terrible, transferring to a D2 school after one season. UCF signed 29 with 13 of those players committing in the summer. Some impact players included Joey Grant, Thomas Niles, Demetris Anderson (who eventually came back to UCF after one year at WMU), Cam Henderson, Troy Gray, Terrance Plummer, Breshad Perriman and Rannell Hall.
2010: 14 of UCF's 23 signees were summer commits. Most of the early commits turned out to NGE, but some real gems included the McCray twins, Blake Bortles and Clayton Geathers. Jordan Ozerities maybe on a tier below, but did start. The other 10 summer signees were the textbook definition of NGE, if they even made it to school. Some of the late additions in 2010 included Jeff Godfrey, Josh Reese, Jordan Akins (who returned several years later) and Torrian Wilson.
