COACH AND PROGRAM
There may come a time in the not-too-distant future when the 13 other football-playing institutions in the Mid-American Conference start to rue Nov. 1, 2001 -- the day the University of Central Florida was admitted as a football-playing member.
It’s not that UCF is a bad program, in fact, it’s quite the opposite. With an 11-4 record against MAC schools since moving up to Division I in 1996, UCF has altered an adage. It can beat them, but it still joined them.
Still, the deal works for both sides. First of all, it gives UCF a home. No more scrambling to fill a schedule, no more having to almost run the table to receive postseason consideration, no more playing for pride rather than a trophy. With eight conference games, the Golden Knights only need to find four games on their own. They are also eligible to win the conference championship and receive an automatic bowl berth, which is not an option for independent schools.
The MAC also benefits from having a 14th football-playing team. The addition of UCF balances the schedule by dividing the conference into two seven-team divisions. Each team will now play an equal number of games in the conference, something that didn’t happen in the past. The Golden Knights give the league exposure in a growing southern market and add another quality team to a league that has a wide discrepancy from top to bottom.
The Golden Knights ranked 16th nationally in total defense last season, but will need senior defensive end Elton Patterson and senior cornerback Asante Samuel to provide a steadying influence during the early transition stages. Expect several talented junior-college transfers to step in to key spots. If they click, this unit could end up being better than last year’s.
"I don’t think we’ve fallen off too much because of graduation," Kruczek said of the defense.
The offense, which returns eight starters, should also be improved. Junior quarterback Ryan Schneider has a big-time target in senior receiver Doug Gabriel and will benefit from an improved running game.
QUARTERBACKS
The arrival of UCF in the MAC means one more thing: A good quarterback league just got better.
Schneider enters his third season as the starter and is further ahead statistically than Minnesota Vikings quarterback and former UCF All-American Daunte Culpepper was after two seasons.
Schneider (6-2, 220), whose father, Carl, played at Purdue, sees the whole field and usually makes the right throw.
The steady play of Schneider has also affected the backup situation as Ryan Miller has been shifted to tight end after playing behind Schneider for two seasons.
Sophomores Jon Rivera and Brandon Sumner enter summer camp locked in a tight race for the No. 2 job. Rivera (6-2, 195) was UCF’s third quarterback last season, seeing his first and only action against Liberty.
RUNNING BACKS
Kruczek, who admits he would have liked to play in a UCF-type offense during his All-America quarterback career at Boston College, knows the Golden Knights must improve their ground game in order to succeed on a regular basis in the MAC. An improved offensive line and the healthy return of sophomore tailback Alex Haynes should help boost a rushing attack that just barely averaged 100 yards per game.
Haynes (5-11, 210) gained 690 yards and scored nine touchdowns as a red-shirt freshman despite missing two games with a hip-pointer last season. He was voted UCF’s Outstanding Offensive Back and Outstanding Offensive Rookie and he should be even better this fall.
Haynes topped 100 yards four times in 2001 and ran for a school-record four touchdowns against Tulane. A 1,000-yard season is well within his reach this fall.
Tailback depth will come from red-shirt freshman Keith Williams (5-10, 190) and freshman Dontavius Wilcox. The powerful Wilcox (5-11, 202) has 4.5 speed and ran for nearly 1,300 yards while leading Rockledge (Fla.) High School to the state championship as a senior.
Senior Sean Gaudion (6-2, 240) returns at fullback, where he is likely to share time with the versatile Dee Brown . Gaudion, who has played linebacker and fullback, has good hands out of the backfield and is now settled on offense. Brown (5-11, 235), who missed spring practice because he is a starting outfielder on UCF’s baseball team, could also see time at tailback or alone in the backfield in the Golden Knights’ one-back set.
WIDE RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS
Tavirus Davis and Thad Ward, UCF’s leaders in receptions last year, are gone, but the Golden Knights still have plenty of options at the receiver spots. Need proof? Up to seven players could see time in the regular rotation this season.
"We’re as deep as we’ve ever been," Kruczek said.
UCF is deep in more ways than one. The Golden Knights don’t just have a fleet of talented receivers, they have a fleet of talented receivers who can flat-out fly.
The leader is Gabriel (6-2, 205), who Kruczek considers to be among the top 12 receivers in the country. Gabriel, who turned down the opportunity to play defensive back at Florida State coming out of junior college, has exceptional size and speed. How good is Gabriel? Analyst Mel Kiper Jr. termed him a "sleeper" while ranking him 10th on his list of 15 early prospects for the 2003 NFL draft.
Senior Jimmy Fryzel (6-0, 195) brings consistency and leadership to the other starting receiver spot. A three-year starter and senior captain, Fryzel has caught at least two passes in 21 straight games and was third on the team with 39 catches for 664 yards and two touchdowns in 2001.
Because UCF often uses three or more receivers, there will be ample opportunities for others to contribute. Sophomores Tavaris Capers (5-9, 165) and Luther Huggins (5-11, 175) both played in all 11 games as red-shirt freshmen last season and should play increased roles this year. Red-shirt freshmen Darcy Johnson (6-6, 220) and Al Peterson (6-2, 195) and seniors Ivery Gaskins (6-1, 205), Britt McGriff (5-10, 175) and Josh Taylor (6-0, 170) will also push for playing time. Johnson is an intriguing prospect. A natural tight end, he also has the speed (4.6 in the 40) to play outside.
Miller’s move gives UCF several choices at tight end. A true competitor, Miller (6-5, 240) made the switch in hopes of getting on the field more often. He will compete for time with senior Mario Jackson (6-3, 250), junior Michael Gaines (6-3, 265) and newcomer Brennis "Big Country’’ Smith (6-5, 267), a transfer from Hinds (Miss.) Junior College.
OFFENSIVE LINE
The Golden Knights are confident this will be one of the most improved and strongest units on the team. Three seniors return to anchor the left side and a pair of junior-college transfers should step in immediately to take care of the right side. Throw in a handful of talented returnees and -- despite some untimely injuries in the spring -- UCF may have as much talent up front as it did in 1998, the year it finished seventh in the country in total offense.
Senior Brian Huff (6-7, 290) is back at left tackle after a solid 2001 season. A good pass blocker with exceptional leg strength, Huff graded out at 79 percent and made 75 knockdown blocks last season.
Taylor Robertson, UCF’s first Canadian signee, brings tremendous versatility to the line. Robertson (6-6, 320) has good hands and feet and could play any position up front.
Mike Mabry (6-2, 285) arrived at UCF from Southwest Mississippi Community College and immediately replaced four-year starter Chris Lorenti at center. Mabry made 97 knockdown blocks and graded out at 79 percent for the season. He was a team captain and offensive MVP, a rare honor for a lineman, at SMCC.
Juniors David Ashkinaz (6-4, 310) and Alex Mendez (6-6, 320) came to Orlando from California junior colleges in December and took over the starting spots vacated at right guard and tackle by Willie Comerford and Steve Edwards, respectively. Ashkinaz showed a mean streak throughout the spring that grabbed the attention of his teammates.
Mendez originally signed with UCF, but did not qualify and went to Reedly (Calif.) Community College, where he was chosen all-conference and all-state. He endured an ankle sprain in the spring but will be ready to go when camp opens.
Senior Garrett McCray (6-4, 315), a three-year letter winner, and sophomore Travis Muse (6-6, 320) are capable backups at guard and Johnovan Morgan (6-4, 275 and massive junior-college import Kyle Watkins (6-8, 340) will compete for the reserve tackle spots. Morgan, who played tight end for one season at Alabama before transferring to Jones Community College, is the brother of the late Derrick Thomas (Kansas City Chiefs). Red-shirt freshman Jeff Harper (6-9, 305) was expected to compete for a spot on the two-deep at tackle, but tore his ACL during spring ball and is out until at least October.
DEFENSIVE LINE
Two starters, including defensive MVP Josh McKibben, must be replaced, but UCF has enough talent and depth that this unit should continue to be strong with left end Patterson as the cornerstone.
Patterson (6-2, 275) is coming off a monster season where he finished with 85 tackles, 21 tackles for losses, nine sacks and five forced fumbles. An honorable mention All-American in 2001, Patterson has the speed (4.6 in the 40) and strength to be a dominant force.
He will be joined up front by a couple of "hired guns" in Roy Williams and DeMarcus Johnson , both of whom transferred from Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Johnson (6-4, 295) takes over McKibben’s tackle spot and will line up to a familiar face in Patterson, his high school teammate at Tallahassee’s Rickards High School. Johnson had 73 tackles and seven sacks at Southwest Mississippi last season. Rivals.com called Johnson "a big-time, highly recruited player that will make an impact wherever he goes." Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Clemson and Auburn recruited Johnson and he committed to both Florida and Alabama before deciding on the Golden Knights.
Williams (6-2, 275) will take over the starting right end spot. Williams, a former high school All-American, chose UCF over Mississippi State and South Carolina. He totaled 62 tackles and four sacks in his sophomore season at SMCC despite missing four games with an injury.
Senior Jake McKibben (6-1, 290), Josh’s younger brother, started 10 games at nose guard last season but had off-season back surgery and his status will not be known until August. Junior Larry Brown (6-2, 290) split time with Jake McKibben last season and could assume the starting role. Brown has worked hard to make himself a valuable contributor.
UCF has plenty of quality players in reserve roles, too. Rashad Jeanty (6-3, 230) shared the right end spot with the departed Boma Ekiyor in 2001 and was selected a third-team freshman All-American by The Sporting News after registering 58 tackles and four sacks.
LINEBACKERS
When defensive coordinator Gene Chizik left UCF to take over the same job at Auburn, linebackers coach Bill D’Ottavio was promoted to fill Chizik’s spot. One of his first challenges was to find three new starting linebackers, which he basically did in the spring.
Junior Chad Mascoe will fill the biggest hole, the middle linebacker spot occupied by Tito Rodriguez while he was leading the Golden Knights in tackles each of the last two seasons. The fact that Mascoe (6-2, 250) is even at UCF is a bit of a surprise, he signed with Florida State out of Osceola High School and was expected to join the Seminoles after spending two seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
"I think he’ll be a fairly dominant guy," Kruczek said.
Senior Chris Pilinko (6-1, 225), a former walk-on, hobbled through spring practice on a bad ankle but still earned the starting job on the strong side. Junior Antoine Poe (6-0, 220), a part-time starter in 2001, will get the nod on the weak side.
Sophomore Savarris Brown (6-0, 220) is an emotional player who will back up Mascoe in the middle. Sophomore Gerren Brey (6-0, 215) and red-shirt freshmen James Cook (6-4, 210) and Dee Williford (6-1, 215) will battle for time behind Pilinko and Stanford Ruhle (5-11, 230), who made 25 tackles as a true freshman in 2001, backs up Poe. Red-shirt freshman Lemec Bernard (6-0, 190) may also play his way onto the field.
DEFENSIVE BACKS
This is all you need to know about Samuel, the only returning starter in the secondary. He played opposite of Travis Fisher, who was taken in the second round by the St. Louis Rams with the 64th pick in April’s NFL draft, and was every bit his equal.
Samuel (5-11, 185) is an outstanding cover man who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds and has a 34-inch vertical leap. He made 41 tackles, two interceptions and broke up 13 passes as a junior and will be counted on for even more this season.
Competition will be intense for the spot vacated by Fisher. Senior Carlos Thompson (5-10, 175) has the most experience, but was pushed by sophomore Rovell Hamilton (6-0, 185), a transfer from Maryland, and Omar Laurence (5-11, 175) throughout the spring and the job is still up for grabs. Laurence also provides at both safety positions.
Speaking of the safety spots, sophomores Atari Bigby and Peter Sands are expected to hold them down for the next three seasons.
"They will end up being the best tandem that we’ve ever had," Kruczek said without hesitation.
Bigby (5-11, 195), a hard hitter with exceptional speed, will replace Albert Snyder at free safety. He made 38 tackles and an interception while splitting time last season. He was the team’s co-MVP on special teams last season and will be backed up by junior James Cody (6-1, 210) and sophomore Alphonzo Hopkins (5-11, 175).
Sands (6-2, 190) was one of a few freshman to see significant playing time last season, making 23 tackles. He has good size and covers a lot of ground. He is backed up by sophomore Damani Fagan (6-1, 185) and red-shirt freshman Anthony Willis (5-11, 180).
RECRUITING CLASS
The headline on the press release says it best: "UCF Signs 20 Football Players in Best Class Ever."
"For the last couple of years we talked about that year’s class being the best we’ve ever signed," Kruczek said. "But I can honestly say that this is by far the best group of young men we’ve ever signed. We evaluated what our needs were and then went out and filled those needs."
Eleven of the 20 players signed are linemen, and six of them came from junior colleges and worked out with the Golden Knights this spring.
Because UCF is such a young program, playing time is a selling point to recruits. The Golden Knights also rely on the junior college ranks to give them some older, more experienced players.
BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
There’s no more wondering about if or when the University of Central Florida will join a conference and what conference that will be. The Golden Knights begin their first season as members of the Mid-American Conference with a chance to be very competitive in the league.
We’ll find out how well UCF stacks up quite early. The Golden Knights play preseason favorite Marshall in their first league game on Sept. 20, and the outcome will serve as a pretty good indicator of how close this team is to the top.
The program has enjoyed success against MAC schools under Kruczek, and that should continue in its first season of conference play. UCF should win at least seven games and finish second or third in its division.
