Where was this Gus Malzahn when he was coaching at Auburn? Gus has made "some of" the best moves of his coaching career this postseason.
KEEPING THE BEST PLAYERS IN HOUSE: Aside from losing Javon Baker to the NFL, Gus has kept the best UCF players in the fold with crafty NIL allocations. (Thornton is perhaps the only player who left for greener pastures.) UCF will likely have to wait until after Spring Ball to refill its NIL coffers and sign a true X receiver out of the portal. In the meantime, Kobi Hudson and Goldie Lawrence will get the first cracks at the position this spring.
'ROSTA MAN'AGEMENT: For the first time in his career, Gus is operating like an ELITE college football head coach, not "an old high school coach." Gus has sheered from the roster seven (or eight) scared bird scavengers, including two starters (three if you count Alec Holler), inherited from the old staff. Gus even showed six (four transfers and two HS signees) of his own out. Gus may have been a fan of Hammer in the '90s, but Vanilla would definitely stan for this 2024 Gus:
LOCKING UP QB1 FOR 2024 AND BEYOND: Gus is bringing in the highest profile quarterback transfer (who didn't get kicked out of his previous school) in Gus's and UCF's history: A 3-year starter who is arguably the greatest QB in Arkansas football history and fits Gus's offense "perfectly." It is hard to upgrade a position more than replacing a converted position player under center with K.J. Jefferson. (In comparison to JRP, Jefferson has accounted for nearly 10,000 yards and almost 80 touchdowns in 38 starts at the position he will be playing at UCF.) Gus also pulled another coup by getting EJ Colson to reclassify and sign in the Class of 2024. Given Colson's success on the field and how he was trending in the 2025 rankings, it is highly doubtful the Knights would have held onto his commitment had he played his senior season of high school football.
WORKING MAGIC ON A BUDGET: Gus and UCF do not have the funding to match other programs on transfer portal acquisitions. The Knights, however, are putting the final touches on a Top 10 portal class of "mids" ($1 to
@LoboCane). UCF has signed three transfer safeties with 50 combined starts, two transfer linebackers with 30 combined starts, and an FCS All-American edge rusher with 22 career starts.
PREPPING FOR THE FUTURE: UCF is bringing in the highest rated class in school history. The majority of defensive signees are early enrollees. Crazy to think the greatest class of incoming freshmen ever at UCF is so low on the totem pole of importance for Year 2 in Big 12 play. Most signees, however, will receive a redshirt.
ALL THINGS CONSIDERED: UCF has held pat or upgraded every offensive and defensive position, except wide receiver, offensive line, defensive end, and maybe cornerback. This offseason has witnessed the best program advancement of Gus's career, but there's still work to do...
ADDRESSING THE COACHING STAFF: The coaching contracts expire Jan. 31. It will be interesting to see what changes are made to the defensive assistants. Gus has already disposed of wide receivers coach Grant Heard and hired a new Strength & Conditioning Coach and an Associate AD show(wo)man.
FILLING HOLES: UCF will need to continue to make roster changes in the next portal cycle. The Knights are a deep threat X receiver, strongside defensive end, and possibly an offensive guard away from contending for a Big 12 championship and CFP spot in Year 2 of league play.
