Orlando's Hometown National Champions

[dcluley98]

UCF has already been pretty decent in college soccer and has had several players make it to MLS. Will be good for both UCF and Orlando City/Pride.  Weird thing about soccer is that typically the best players don't ever go to college, they would be directly in the academy to get to the top leagues much earlier. Can't hurt having a good collegiate program in town as well, though. 

Edited August 21, 2021 by dcluley98

[spenser1058]

The Head Ball Coach believes Gus can take the Knights to the Promised Land in the first year:

UCF’s Gus Malzahn needs to channel inner Spurrier in his first season | Commentary
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/mike-bianchi-commentary/os-sp-gus-malzahn-ucf-steve-spurrier-award-gators-mike-bianchi-20210821-lgze3ljvnnelzbzdfhq5inxik4-story.html

From Bianchi at The Sentinel 

As we know, SOS is never wrong - Charge On!

*Btw, @jrs2, did you catch the pic of Steve with Ray Graves playing in Miami and his jersey #11? That’s DG’s number, also? An omen!?!

Edited August 21, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Looks like Blake Bortles is done after being released by Green Bay. It would be nice if he could come home (his parents are still  in Oviedo, I think - after you live close to the Town House, how could you ever leave?)

Maybe he could help out Lee Corso (who lives in Heathrow) with ESPN duties or do some announcing for the Knights. Who knows, maybe even some coaching?

Whatever he chooses (word is he’s living in San Diego), the best of luck to him. He’s a good guy and has been good to UCF and Oviedo. Charge On!
 

Edited August 21, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

CBS Sports on what’s different (and better) for Gus at UCF:

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/gus-malzahn-relishes-chance-to-start-over-as-a-ball-coach-while-helping-ucf-raise-its-national-profile/

And all of this is possible thanks to Tennessee and Auburn (it also made the Knights one of the few Division 1 teams to end up in the black after COVID).

I’m beginning to think the SEC really likes us!

Edited August 23, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Are you ready for some football? Just 11 more days! 9/2/21 7pm ESPN or at the Bounce House!

[spenser1058]

Who’s the highest ranked player in Florida, according to ESPN? Dillon Gabriel, of course!

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/ucf-knights/os-sp-dillon-gabriel-ucf-knights-espn-college-football-top-100-player-rankings-20210824-x37ky274xrb3phpug6d6ynyzr4-story.html

From The Sentinel 

 

Charge On!

[jrs2]

On 8/20/2021 at 8:42 PM, aent said:

From the presentation, the top floors would be entirely club seating. The lower level flat deck area would have a flex space club area in the front with coaches offices in the back facing the lazy river. The idea is no doubt to maximize $$$, while using the structure they build to also free up space for other areas of the expanding program. This is no doubt what they should have built on the east side of the stadium, instead of the nutrition building.

I think a big reason for the "expansion" on the student side is each of these renovations to create more premium seating has ultimately led to a reduction of seats in the section (although it increased the profitability of those sections). I think the capacity of the stadium is actually down like 3-4,000 since it opened, and the south side upgrades probably will take off another thousand seats. The stadium probably is in danger of falling below 40,000 seats after the new club is built, so the new sections on the north side probably are only going to bring it slightly above original capacity.

 

they need to do what they did at Akron for the Zips.  That stadium is nuts first class.  I'm sure they got big money donations from like the polymer juggernauts and/or rich alums.  But when you see that stadium for a program like the Zips, and you see UCF's stadium, you're wondering where's the disconnect with between the UCF alumni base and the school when it comes to donations.

[spenser1058]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

they need to do what they did at Akron for the Zips.  That stadium is nuts first class.  I'm sure they got big money donations from like the polymer juggernauts and/or rich alums.  But when you see that stadium for a program like the Zips, and you see UCF's stadium, you're wondering where's the disconnect with between the UCF alumni base and the school when it comes to donations.

Just a guess, but I think you’re right that it’s not only companies with money but a rock-solid commitment to their hometown. It’s a definite weak spot for Orlando. Harris Rosen, for example, has been a godsend to UCF’s hospitality school (so much so that it’s one of the top such schools in the country and internationally).

I know the Dardens have close ties to South Georgia so I wasn’t surprised they didn’t do much in the area, but I’ve always been a little disappointed at just how little the Hughes family got involved locally after selling to Home Depot.

I’m reading a bio about Martin Andersen right now and it’s  amazing just how interconnected the families in town were in those days.

[jrs2]

26 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Just a guess, but I think you’re right that it’s not only companies with money but a rock-solid commitment to their hometown. It’s a definite weak spot for Orlando. Harris Rosen, for example, has been a godsend to UCF’s hospitality school (so much so that it’s one of the top such schools in the country and internationally).

I know the Dardens have close ties to South Georgia so I wasn’t surprised they didn’t do much in the area, but I’ve always been a little disappointed at just how little the Hughes family got involved locally after selling to Home Depot.

I’m reading a bio about Martin Andersen right now and it’s  amazing just how interconnected the families in town were in those days.

Infocision Stadium at Summa Field.  Summa as in Summa Health, which is a big regional healthcare system.

Time to market to Advent...

The club seats  endzone structure UCF wants to put are tiny compared to this:

 

[spenser1058]

57 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

Infocision Stadium at Summa Field.  Summa as in Summa Health, which is a big regional healthcare system.

Time to market to Advent...

The club seats  endzone structure UCF wants to put are tiny compared to this:

 

Now, the only problem is the Zips are a lousy team even when they have a Bowden coaching! <eg>

Edited August 24, 2021 by spenser1058

[spenser1058]

Brett McMurphy’s preseason pick for the Fiesta Bowl - UCF vs. UNC:

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-brett-mcmurphy-preseason-predictions-projected-spreads
https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-brett-mcmurphy-preseason-predictions-projected-spreads?utm_source=article&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=brettmcmurphy

From The Action Network

 

Charge On!

[AmIReal]

The Athletic has a good look at UCF (behind paywall) https://theathletic.com/2785167/2021/08/24/ucf-has-money-fans-and-a-new-facilities-plan-in-conference-realignment-will-someone-notice/

UCF has money, fans and a new facilities plan. In conference realignment, will someone notice?

Some highlights- "UCF would very much like an invitation from the Big 12 if the remaining eight teams stay together... A repurposed Big 12 without Texas and Oklahoma would still likely command more television and College Football Playoff money than the Group of 5 conferences"

"UCF has made racing forward its priority, pacing and planning be damned."

"A real fan base developed. The football team sold out all 28,000 season tickets in 2019. Its online army is relentless in the college football Twitter world. As of July 2019, UCF athletics ranked in the top 10 nationally in Twitter, Facebook and Instagram engagement."

Last Thursday, AD Mohajir laid out a 3 phase plan to the Board ..."for the “football campus” around the current football setup. Phase 1 involves the creation of a plaza outside the stadium, highlighted by the lazy river the school has planned for years (technically called “Recovery Cove”). It’ll be the front porch to the stadium for fans. Phase 2 will be a football operations building attached to the stadium and an expanded student section. Phase 3 will be a renovation of the locker room, training room, sports performance center and equipment facility."

He also said UCF has had the 9th most nationally televised games on major networks since 2018.

[spenser1058]

The Palm Beach Post looks at where UCF is headed in the Mohajir/Malzahn era:

https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/sports/college/2021/08/24/terry-mohajir-guz-malzahn-land-ucf-right-side-realignment/8253316002/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ncaafb/dangelo-mohajir-positioning-ucf-to-land-on-right-side-of-realignment/ar-AANH1FR

Fun fact: did you know Orlando is now in a larger TV market than MIA/FLL?

 

Edited August 24, 2021 by spenser1058

[jrs2]

2 hours ago, AmIReal said:

The Athletic has a good look at UCF (behind paywall) https://theathletic.com/2785167/2021/08/24/ucf-has-money-fans-and-a-new-facilities-plan-in-conference-realignment-will-someone-notice/

UCF has money, fans and a new facilities plan. In conference realignment, will someone notice?

Some highlights- "UCF would very much like an invitation from the Big 12 if the remaining eight teams stay together... A repurposed Big 12 without Texas and Oklahoma would still likely command more television and College Football Playoff money than the Group of 5 conferences"

"UCF has made racing forward its priority, pacing and planning be damned."

"A real fan base developed. The football team sold out all 28,000 season tickets in 2019. Its online army is relentless in the college football Twitter world. As of July 2019, UCF athletics ranked in the top 10 nationally in Twitter, Facebook and Instagram engagement."

Last Thursday, AD Mohajir laid out a 3 phase plan to the Board ..."for the “football campus” around the current football setup. Phase 1 involves the creation of a plaza outside the stadium, highlighted by the lazy river the school has planned for years (technically called “Recovery Cove”). It’ll be the front porch to the stadium for fans. Phase 2 will be a football operations building attached to the stadium and an expanded student section. Phase 3 will be a renovation of the locker room, training room, sports performance center and equipment facility."

He also said UCF has had the 9th most nationally televised games on major networks since 2018.

OMG.  they had said that Texas and OU represented greater than 1/2 of the value of the Big XII.  This article just stated that the Big XII at half value still represents or commands more TV and CFP money than the Group of 5 conferences- plural!

[jrs2]

3 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

Brett McMurphy’s preseason pick for the Fiesta Bowl - UCF vs. UNC:

https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-brett-mcmurphy-preseason-predictions-projected-spreads
https://www.actionnetwork.com/ncaaf/college-football-bowl-projections-brett-mcmurphy-preseason-predictions-projected-spreads?utm_source=article&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=brettmcmurphy

From The Action Network

 

Charge On!

They presume UCF beats Cincinnati and loses to nobody else (they must be the only ones).  They also presume UGA beats Clemson in the regular season, that UNC replaces the production of those really great RB's right away, and that UF loses to Bama, LSU, and UGA and misses the NY6.  Well, isn't that in essence what UF did last year (sans UGA replaced with A&M) and made the NY6 anyway?  Unless they think UF loses 4 games...

They think Gus is that highly revered when Auburn fans hated his guts since he lost to UCF.  They did and they made excuses to cut him some slack for that loss which was 4 years after blowing the final minute vs FSU for the title.  The critiques I had to bear from Tiger fans for the past few years...  Maybe they feel that a G5 schedule for Gus is very manageable to get him 11 or 12 wins and into the NY6.  Maybe.

This is just like 2018 for UF.  UCF was Colley Matrix No.1 coming in bragging and all and UF was coming off of a bad year where their HC was fired mid year.  UF finished No.6 with their first year HC and a head case at QB.  UF's HC is in his 4th year there with a QB that has seen playing time over a 4 year span  against many top opponents. 

Ok.

[spenser1058]

41 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

OMG.  they had said that Texas and OU represented greater than 1/2 of the value of the Big XII.  This article just stated that the Big XII at half value still represents or commands more TV and CFP money than the Group of 5 conferences- plural!

 

20 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

They presume UCF beats Cincinnati and loses to nobody else (they must be the only ones).  They also presume UGA beats Clemson in the regular season, that UNC replaces the production of those really great RB's right away, and that UF loses to Bama, LSU, and UGA and misses the NY6.  Well, isn't that in essence what UF did last year (sans UGA replaced with A&M) and made the NY6 anyway?  Unless they think UF loses 4 games...

They think Gus is that highly revered when Auburn fans hated his guts since he lost to UCF.  They did and they made excuses to cut him some slack for that loss which was 4 years after blowing the final minute vs FSU for the title.  The critiques I had to bear from Tiger fans for the past few years...  Maybe they feel that a G5 schedule for Gus is very manageable to get him 11 or 12 wins and into the NY6.  Maybe.

This is just like 2018 for UF.  UCF was Colley Matrix No.1 coming in bragging and all and UF was coming off of a bad year where their HC was fired mid year.  UF finished No.6 with their first year HC and a head case at QB.  UF's HC is in his 4th year there with a QB that has seen playing time over a 4 year span  against many top opponents. 

Ok.

A question worth asking: why is Big XII commish Bob Bowlsby regularly coming apart at the seams in all this while Mike Aresco over at the AAC has been mostly placid and serene?

20 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

They presume UCF beats Cincinnati and loses to nobody else (they must be the only ones).  They also presume UGA beats Clemson in the regular season, that UNC replaces the production of those really great RB's right away, and that UF loses to Bama, LSU, and UGA and misses the NY6.  Well, isn't that in essence what UF did last year (sans UGA replaced with A&M) and made the NY6 anyway?  Unless they think UF loses 4 games...

They think Gus is that highly revered when Auburn fans hated his guts since he lost to UCF.  They did and they made excuses to cut him some slack for that loss which was 4 years after blowing the final minute vs FSU for the title.  The critiques I had to bear from Tiger fans for the past few years...  Maybe they feel that a G5 schedule for Gus is very manageable to get him 11 or 12 wins and into the NY6.  Maybe.

This is just like 2018 for UF.  UCF was Colley Matrix No.1 coming in bragging and all and UF was coming off of a bad year where their HC was fired mid year.  UF finished No.6 with their first year HC and a head case at QB.  UF's HC is in his 4th year there with a QB that has seen playing time over a 4 year span  against many top opponents. 

Ok.

Except Brett’s never been a UCF fanboi - in fact he has tended to prefer Cincy.

Edited August 25, 2021 by spenser1058

[popsiclebrandon]

Is the Akron stadium like super nice inside or something because from the field view nothing about that is impressive to me?

[jrs2]

15 hours ago, spenser1058 said:

 

A question worth asking: why is Big XII commish Bob Bowlsby regularly coming apart at the seams in all this while Mike Aresco over at the AAC has been mostly placid and serene?

Except Brett’s never been a UCF fanboi - in fact he has tended to prefer Cincy.

I think Bowlsby is worried and for good reason...he lost more than half of the conference's value and income.  To keep it together he will have to get some teams in there that have a good chance of bandaging the wounds of UT and OU leaving; I don't know if that is possible b/c money-wise UT is too big and OU is too good at the highest level with only Bama, Clemson, and TOSU as it's peers.

Picking UCF over Cincy is fine.  I think the Herbstreits of the world like Fickle b/c he was a TOSU coach, is an Ohio guy, and they are rooting for him.  Gus is an SEC guy.  So...technically...fans of SEC teams should maybe be rooting for UCF now?

[jrs2]

1 hour ago, popsiclebrandon said:

Is the Akron stadium like super nice inside or something because from the field view nothing about that is impressive to me?

Well, maybe that's why UCF fans have been content with the way thing are for so long. Just look at the comparison of overall structural size and scale and quality of construction.  UCF isn't called the bounce house because of construction quality.

[spenser1058]

3 minutes ago, jrs2 said:

I think Bowlsby is worried and for good reason...he lost more than half of the conference's value and income.  To keep it together he will have to get some teams in there that have a good chance of bandaging the wounds of UT and OU leaving; I don't know if that is possible b/c money-wise UT is too big and OU is too good at the highest level with only Bama, Clemson, and TOSU as it's peers.

Picking UCF over Cincy is fine.  I think the Herbstreits of the world like Fickle b/c he was a TOSU coach, is an Ohio guy, and they are rooting for him.  Gus is an SEC guy.  So...technically...fans of SEC teams should maybe be rooting for UCF now?

Whether intentionally or not, the SEC (via the bucks the Vols paid UCF to take both the AD & head coach and Auburn’s full payout to Gus allowed him to take a flyer on the Knights) just helped UCF’s program make a good bit of progress after stalling briefly in 2020, so heck, they might as well enjoy that investment!

Much of the stall, btw, can be laid, at least as far as the UCF faithful are concerned, at Coach Heup being a bit of a dud. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens on Rocky Top (remember Josh was way down Danny’s list but he’s the only one who said yes). 

What’s interesting about Gus is that he’s like a perfect mixture of what GOL and Frosty gave to the program.

O’Leary built the foundation and stability the program needed. Frosty gave us the razzle-dazzle that made the program exciting. Before there’s been a snap, it’s hard to say, but Gus appears to offer a little of both. If he allows us not to sell our soul (UCF’s excellent graduation statistics and being a mostly clean program) in the process, so much the better.
 

 

 

[spenser1058]

You have to start somewhere (after all, Florida Field was built over a sinkhole and the field was so muddy they had to spend a fortune for culverts to divert all the water to Lake Alice). It’s interesting to note that, until the 1960’s, what became BHG was almost the same size as the Bounce House. That’s half a century in the program’s history. I love how you think of UF as it became after 1990 but treat UCF as if it’s always the 1970’s.

[jrs2]

9 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

Whether intentionally or not, the SEC (via the bucks the Vols paid UCF to take both the AD & head coach and Auburn’s full payout to Gus allowed him to take a flyer on the Knights) just helped UCF’s program make a good bit of progress after stalling briefly in 2020, so heck, they might as well enjoy that investment!

Much of the stall, btw, can be laid, at least as far as the UCF faithful are concerned, at Coach Heup being a bit of a dud. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens on Rocky Top (remember Josh was way down Danny’s list but he’s the only one who said yes). 

What’s interesting about Gus is that he’s like a perfect mixture of what GOL and Frosty gave to the program.

O’Leary built the foundation and stability the program needed. Frosty gave us the razzle-dazzle that made the program exciting. Before there’s been a snap, it’s hard to say, but Gus appears to offer a little of both. If he allows us not to sell our soul (UCF’s excellent graduation statistics and being a mostly clean program) in the process, so much the better.
 

to be fair, I would say that Heupel was given a slight raw deal with KZ's injury.  He was a franchise player and he went down in a shocking way.  UCF still took LSU to task with a backup (what ever happened to him- that black QB?).  Heupel then had to break in a new guy from scratch, Gabriel- true freshman in 2019?  2020 was a weird year that affected every program.

I think UT is thinking that Josh can turn 1st year players into productive players quick- he did that with UCF.  UT lost alot of players to the portal b/c of their issues, but got a few new ones in.  Heupel was down the list for White, but, he brought him to UT or Heupel brought White along- package deal either way.

UT somehow has devolved and their play ethic seems like a bunch of JV players.  They used to be so scary.  That's a top down thing though.  It scares me b/c I saw it happen with UF under Muschamp in year 3 and under MacElwain when they fired him; there was no core ethic to play hard left.  I've seen this at UT and I can't understand it.  Some say it's b/c of Fulmer- the curse of Fulmer or whatever.  Whatever it is, it's horrible for a program like that.  It's happened to UGA a few times, though, I think b/c they like to rest their laurels on stellar recruiting and think the players will coach themselves it seems.

UCF can't afford to do that, and as a result, since 2016 under Frost, they seems to have been for the most part a cohesive group playing team football which has translated to W's.  It doesn't take all that much to beat a P5 team.  If your QB is pressured, he can't make the good throws.  That's why Daunte and Alcorn State QB and Brett Favre exceled b/c they could get the ball to the WR's and keep the drives alive.  That's the biggest difference I've seem when UF played scrub teams; their D pressured them and swallowed up RB's and those teams could pass worth a lick.  UCF can do the two minute drill offense well which is an issue.  Quick passes to make up for a lack of pass protection with a smart quick QB.  That's what Trask was for UF last year...  don't know how quick EJ is gonna be in 2021- but if he can't make that read, he'll take off running and he's great at that.

Gus will get Gabriel and the offense rolling; that's what Gus does.  They just need to get the defense on the same page.

[jrs2]

19 minutes ago, spenser1058 said:

You have to start somewhere (after all, Florida Field was built over a sinkhole and the field was so muddy they had to spend a fortune for culverts to divert all the water to Lake Alice). It’s interesting to note that, until the 1960’s, what became BHG was almost the same size as the Bounce House. That’s half a century in the program’s history. I love how you think of UF as it became after 1990 but treat UCF as if it’s always the 1970’s.

yes but Fla Field was built as the West and East stands first as the tall concrete "buildings" with the grandstands.  it was a full bowl but only in the subterranean portion.  this is what disappointed me the most about UCF's stadium design and what USF's president is analyzing regarding the design of their future stadium- concrete vs steel.  UF's stadium was built that way in the same manner as Tiger Stadium was in LA and probably others where dorms were within the building itself on one end and offices within the other building.  

I get what UCF is planning for their end zone facility with offices, but if money is the goal, they should maximize the club level.

[aent]

2 hours ago, jrs2 said:

I get what UCF is planning for their end zone facility with offices, but if money is the goal, they should maximize the club level.

Again, they are, if you look at the plans and comments released thus far, the indications are that the offices themselves do not have any sort of view of the field, all areas of the building that have a view of the field is being used for premium seating.

[jrs2]

10 minutes ago, aent said:

Again, they are, if you look at the plans and comments released thus far, the indications are that the offices themselves do not have any sort of view of the field, all areas of the building that have a view of the field is being used for premium seating.

what I mean is that the structure should have been designed with club level solely, and no money spent for coaches offices in that structure.  That wasn't done.  The reason Akron's stadium is superior, aside from the obvious structural differences, is because their club and box structure, which goes end zone to end zone was buil on the sideline for maximum length; UCF's is an end zone facility with less linear space to work with.  At least when UF built the North End Zone facility it was to close in the bowl, and then they later rebuilt the West stands club and box level with an enormous facility.  UCF's end zone bowl was already closed.  UCF's box tower goes from the 20 yard line to the 20 yard line- if that.  They should've made it larger instead of this project.  IMO.