Who won the offseason? We look at every Power 4 team
Nail the transfer portal? Miss a big recruit? Find a top coordinator job? All are part of a college team's offseason.
Welp Dead last in B12 16. UCF Knights
Key additions: QB Tayven Jackson, DL Sincere Edwards, OL Carter MillerKey departures: RB RJ Harvey, WR Kobe Hudson, DT Lee Hunter
Top incoming recruits: RB Taevion Swint, DT RyShawn Perry, CB Rukeem Stroud
Biggest coaching move: Scott Frost is back at the program he elevated to national prominence with a 13-0 season in 2017. Frost, out of college football since being fired by Nebraska early in the 2022 season, oversees a coaching staff with notable names such as defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, offensive line coach Shawn Clark and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton, the former UCF star.
What went wrong: The transition that Gus Malzahn set off by leaving for the Florida State OC job had quite a cost in terms of roster attrition. The Knights have had 34 scholarship players depart this offseason, including 11 who started games last season. They were hit especially hard along the offensive line with Adrian Medley (Florida State), Marcellus Marshall (Minnesota), Caden Kitler (Arkansas) and Waltclaire Flynn (Georgia) moving on. Hunter, an All-Big 12 selection, became one of the most coveted players in the portal and landed at Texas Tech. Tight end Randy Pittman Jr. also followed Malzahn to the Seminoles. Add in a large senior class moving on and you get a major roster rebuild for Frost and his new staff.
What went right: The Knights have attacked their needs well in the portal windows and have loaded up with 34 transfer signees. Frost is working with a rebuilt QB room featuring Jackson, who started six games at Indiana, competing with Jacurri Brown, Cam Fancher (FAU) and Davi Belfort (Virginia Tech). Running back Jaden Nixon, a first-team All-MAC pick at Western Michigan last season, will try to help replace Harvey's production. There are lots of new faces at receiver and on the offensive line, and Grinch is working with 16 new transfers on defense.
Connelly's take: Last time Frost took over in Orlando, he was inheriting pieces from an 0-12 team. So it has been worse! But UCF has the lowest returning production levels in the conference, and Frost will start out with an offense that boasts almost literally no proven pieces. This renovation might take a little while.
