UCF Game Notes

THE USF GAME
2 0 0 8 UUCC F FFOO O T BBAA LLLL
20
Official Gameday Informaon
#19/21 USF
UCF BROADCAST INFO
Television
ESPN2 (Joe Tessitore, Rodney Gilmore)
UCF ISP Sports Radio Network & Sirius 107
Marc Daniels - Play-by-Play
Gary Parris - Color Analyst
Jerry O’Neill - Sideline Report
Sco Adams - Reporter
WQTM 740-AM (flagship)
(Orlando)
WMMV 1350-AM
(Cocoa)
WDCF 1350-AM
(Dade City)
WROD 1340-AM
(Daytona Beach)
WMMB 1240-AM
(Melbourne)
WLVJ 1040-AM/WKAT 1360-AM
(Miami/Fort Lauderdale/South Palm
Beach)
WPSL 1590-AM
(Treasure Coast/North Palm Beach)
WZHR 1400-AM
(Zephyrhills)
Internet
Live audio/stats on www.ucfathlecs.com
1-0 Overall
0-0 Big East
UCF
1-0 Overall
0-0 Conference USA
Head Coach - Jim Leavi
Career Record - 80-47 (12th Year)
Record at USF - 80-47 (12th Year)
Head Coach - George O’Leary
Career Record - 75-61 (12th Year)
Record at UCF - 23-28 (Fih Year)
Game #2 • Sept. 6, 2008 • 7:00 p.m. • ESPN2
Bright House Networks Stadium • Orlando, Fla.
WEEKLY STORYLINES
• UCF welcomes a ranked team to Bright House Networks Stadium for the second me.
• Knights looking for a 2-0 start to the season.
• UCF’s current seven-game home winning streak es for eighth longest in the naon.
• Knights are looking for their first win over the Bulls.
• UCF’s defense enters contest aer posng first shutout since 2001 last week.
• Knights have made an intercepon in each of the last nine games.
UCF opened its 2008 season with a 17-0 shutout of South Carolina
State last Saturday night at Bright House Networks Stadium. The
UCF defense turned in, stascally, its best effort of the George
O’Leary era, holding the Bulldogs to 126 yards of total offense
(UCF’s best since 2001) and zero points, recording the program’s
first shutout since 2001. True freshman Latavius Murray ran for
a pair of touchdowns to help the Knights on to victory in Michael
Greco’s debut as starng quarterback.
This week the challenge will be more stern as the USF Bulls head
east down I-4 for their BHNS debut. UCF has won each of the first
three meengs in the series and enters the game ranked in both
polls. The Bulls rolled past UT Marn, 56-7, last Saturday in their
opener. All of America will have a chance to see what happens on
Saturday night as ESPN2 broadcasts the game live with the Knights
looking to extend their home winning streak to eight games.
2008 UCF SCHEDULE/RESULTS
SCHEDULE/RESULTS
Day Date
Opponent
Result/Time
Sat. Aug. 30 South Carolina State
W, 17-0
Sat. Sept. 6 USF
7:00 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 20 at Boston College
TBA
Sat. Sept. 27 at UTEP*
8:00 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 4
SMU*
3:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 11 at Miami
TBA
Sun. Oct. 26 at Tulsa*
8:00 p.m.
Sun. Nov. 2 East Carolina*
8:00 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 8 Southern Miss*
3:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 15 at Marshall*
4:30 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 22 at Memphis*
TBA
Sat. Nov. 29 UAB*
3:30 p.m.
* Denotes Conference USA Games...All Times Eastern
TV
ESPN2
CBSCS
CBSCS
ESPN
ESPN
Series
UCF, 1-0
USF, 3-0
First Meeng
UCF, 1-0
UCF, 1-0
First Meeng
UCF, 2-1
ECU, 6-1
USM, 2-1
Tied, 3-3
UCF, 3-1
UCF, 5-0
Last Meeng Notes
Knight post first shutout since 2001
At least 45,000 have aended all three games of the series
Knights have never faced a program from Massachuses
Sixteen unanswered points in the second quarter lied UCF
Khymest Williams returned the opening kickoff 99 yards
UCF game ends a three-game homestand for Miami
Rematch of 2005 and 2007 C-USA Championship Games
Pirates scored 28 third-quarter points for a 52-38 win
Knights’ defense picked off three passes in last year’s victory
WR Brian Waers racked up six recepons for 88 yards
UCF held a 42-0 lead at halime en route to a 56-20 triumph
Kevin Smith rushed for 320 yards and four touchdowns
1
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
GENERAL INFORMATION
COACHING STAFF
School
University of Central Florida
City/Zip
Orlando, Florida 32816
Founded
1963
Enrollment
50,000
Nickname
Knights
School Colors
Black and Gold
Stadium (Capacity):
Bright House Networks Stadium (45,323)
Surface
419 Bermuda Grass
Affiliaon
NCAA Division I
Conference
Conference USA
President
Dr. John C. Hi (Ausn College, ‘62)
Director of Athlecs
Keith R. Tribble (Florida, ‘77)
Athlec Department Phone
407-823-3213
Ticket Office Phone
407-823-1000
Head Coach
George O’Leary
Alma Mater/Year
New Hampshire, ‘69
Record at UCF
23-28 (.451) (Fih Season)
Career Record (yrs)
75-61 (.551) (12th Season)
Football Office Phone
407-823-5397
Best Time to Call
Contact SID
Assistant Coaches (Alma Mater/Year)
Defensive Backs
Gary Blackney (Conneccut, ‘67)
Linebackers/Recruing Coor. Geoff Collins (Western Carolina, ‘94)
Offensive Line
Tom Freeman (San Diego State, ‘69)
Quarterbacks
George Godsey (Georgia Tech, ‘00)
Defensive Coordinator
Dave Huxtable (E. Illinois, ‘79)
Wide Receivers
David Kelly (Furman, ‘79)
Tight Ends/Special Teams
Brent Key (Georgia Tech, ‘01)
Defensive Line
Jim Panagos (Maryland, ‘96)
Offensive Coordinator
Tim Salem (Arizona St.,‘85)
HISTORY
First Year of Football
First Year of Division I-A Football
Overall All-Time Record
Overall All-Time Citrus Bowl Record
Overall All-Time BHNS Record
1979
1996
166-158-1 (.512)
112-59-1 (.654)
7-1 (.875)
TEAM INFORMATION
2008 Overall Record
C-USA Record
Basic Offense
Basic Defense
Leerwinners Returning/Lost
Offensive Leerwinners Returning/Lost
Defensive Leerwinners Returning/Lost
Special Teams Leerwinners Returning/Lost
Starters Returning/Lost
Offensive Starters Returning/Lost
Defensive Starters Returning/Lost
Specialty Starters Returning/Lost
ATHLETICS COMMUNICATIONS
Director - Football SID
Office Phone
Cell Phone
E-mail
Associate Director
Office Phone
Cell Phone
E-mail
Assistant Director
Office Phone
Cell Phone
E-mail
Assistant Director
Office Phone
Cell Phone
E-mail
Assistant Director
Office Phone
Cell Phone
E-mail
Athlecs Communicaons Fax
Press Box Phone
Website
Leigh Torbin
407-823-0994
407-325-5703
ltorbin@athlecs.ucf.edu
Doug Richards
407-823-2142
407-405-5823
drichards@athlecs.ucf.edu
Brian Ormiston
407-823-2409
407-920-1233
bormiston@athlecs.ucf.edu
Sarah Tarasewicz
407-823-6489
407-462-3214
sarah@athlecs.ucf.edu
Andrew Gavin
407-823-2464
407-405-5821
agavin@athlecs.ucf.edu
407-823-5293
407-823-6885
www.UCFAthlecs.com
1-0 (1.000)
0-0 (.000)
Mulple
Mulple, 4-3
36/24
14/10
20/10
2/3
16/10
5/6
9/2
2/2
LOGOS
PRIMARY
WORDMARK
COLLEGEPRESSBOX.COM
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USA football. Access and download weekly game notes, quotes,
stascs, media guides and more for the conference and each of
its 12 member schools throughout the season. Login informaon
will be distributed to accredited media or you can apply for a password by sending an e-mail to password@collegepressbox.com.
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UCF WEEKLY MEDIA CALENDAR
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
O’Leary’s Office
12:30-1 p.m.
Pracce
10:30-11:45 a.m.
(Closed to Media)
Pracce
9:15-11:25 a.m.
(First 25 minutes
open to Media)
Pracce
9:15-11:25 a.m.
(First 25 minutes
open to Media)
Pracce
10:10-11:40 a.m.
(Closed to Media)
No Interviews
Game Day
O’Leary C-USA
Teleconference
2:19 p.m.
Weekly Press
Conference
12 p.m.
Post-Game
Availability
O’Leary Weekly
Radio Show
6-7 p.m.
UCF head coach George O’Leary will take part in Conference USA’s weekly teleconference featuring the league’s 12 head coaches during the regular season, beginning August 25. O’Leary is scheduled from 2:19-2:25 p.m. ET each week of the teleconference (there will
NOT be a call on Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Oct. 27 or Nov. 10). Contact Russell Anderson at C-USA at (214) 774-1300 for the dial-in number. A playback of the
teleconference is available beginning at 6 p.m. ET each Monday by dialing 402-220-1009 with a replay passcode of 6828406.
THE USF GAME
SERIES NOTES
UCF FACES I-4 FOE FOR FOURTH TIME
UCF is facing USF for the fourth me with the
Bulls taking each of the previous three meetings. This game will mark the third different
venue for the series in the past four years as the
teams have previously played once at the Citrus
Bowl (2006) and twice at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa (2005, 2007).
UCF VS. THE BIG EAST
The Knights are looking for their first win over a
current Big East Conference member. All-me,
they are 0-1 vs. Louisville, 0-1 vs. Pisburgh,
0-3 vs. Syracuse, 0-3 vs. USF and 0-2 vs. West
Virginia. UCF has never faced Cincinna, Conneccut or Rutgers.
UCF VS. RANKED TEAMS
This week’s USF game will be the 18th me that
UCF has faced a ranked team and the Knights
are looking for their first win. The Bulls will be
the sixth ranked squad all-me to face UCF in
Orlando and the second to venture to Bright
House Networks Stadium in as many years. Last
fall, UCF nearly took down No. 6 Texas on opening day the Knights’ new campus home before
falling 35-32. A couple of other near-upsets for
UCF came in a 24-23 loss at No. 11 Georgia in
1999 and in a 27-24 defeat at No. 24 Penn State
in 2002.
UCF VS. THE SUNSHINE STATE
UCF holds an 11-12 record against schools from
the Sunshine State since the program’s incepon in 1979. UCF’s last win over an in-state rival
came when the Knights beat FAU in 2003. USF
is the first of two Florida-based opponents in
2008 for UCF. The Knights will also play at Miami on Oct. 11.
TAMPA BAY KNIGHTS
Although UCF has no players from Tampa proper, several Knights hail from the Tampa Bay area
including Bradenton’s Andy Slowik, Clearwater’s Jordan Becker, Land O’Lakes’ Joe Weatherford, Sarasota’s Brian Timm and St. Peterburg’s
Jamar Newsome...USF running back Moise
Plancher is the cousin of late UCF wide receiver
Ereck Plancher...In addion to the many statewide sets of friends between UCF and USF, John
Oliver of UCF and Corey Grissom of USF were
teammates at Troup County High School in LaGrange, Ga...UCF quarterbacks coach George
Godsey is a Tampa nave where he aended
Jesuit High School. Godsey also played for the
Tampa Bay Storm in 2003.
MEDIA POLICIES
ONE FOR THE MONEY, TWO FOR THE SHOW
UCF is looking to open a season at 2-0 for just
the second me in the FBS era (since 1996)
and the first since 1998 when the then-Golden
Knights beat Louisiana Tech and Eastern Illinois
before falling at Purdue in their third game. After last week’s win over South Carolina State,
UCF has now won its season opener three years
in a row but lost in week two each of the past
two seasons, falling at No. 7 Florida in 2006 and
being clipped, 35-32, last fall by No. 6 Texas.
UCF HOME WIN STREAK TIES FOR EIGHTH
UCF has won seven straight home games since
a narrow 35-32 loss to No. 6 Texas in the Bright
House Networks Stadium venue opener on
Sept. 15, 2007. The current stretch es for the
eighth longest in the naon. UCF has outscored
its opponents by a combined score of 281-120
over this span.
Top Acve Home Winning Streaks
1. Oklahoma ........................................... 18
2. Wisconsin ........................................... 15
3. Boise State .......................................... 14
4. BYU ..................................................... 13
5. Kansas ................................................ 10
6. Conneccut .......................................... 8
Tennessee ............................................. 8
8. UCF .................................................... 7
Air Force .............................................. 7
Hawaii................................................... 7
Missouri................................................ 7
ATTENDING PRACTICE
Pracce will be open to the media on Tuesday
and Wednesday only. Pracce is closed to the
media on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Media
availability is subject to change.
HEAD COACH GEORGE O’LEARY
Head coach George O’Leary will be available for
interviews during the season following pracce
on Wednesday and Thursday. The ideal interview window for O’Leary is each Tuesday as UCF
holds a weekly press conference at Bright House
Networks Stadium. The press conference begins
at 12:15 and also includes a pair of players each
week.
PLAYER AVAILABILITY
All player interviews must be arranged through
the UCF Athlecs Communicaons office. During
the season, player interviews are permied aer
pracce on Tuesday and Wednesday unless pracce has been closed by the head coach.
FILMING AT PRACTICE
On Tuesday and Wednesday only during the season, video and photo access is available during
individual drills at the beginning of pracce. No
filming is permied during team work. Tripods
are not permied on the pracce field at any
me and media members must stand at least
five yards off the sideline. Media members must
stay on the perimeter of the pracce fields. At all
mes, filming at pracce is at the discreon of
the UCF Athlecs Communicaons office personnel and the coaching staff.
CREDENTIAL REQUESTS
All requests for working media, television, radio,
online media, photography or scoung passes
should be directed to Leigh Torbin or Doug
Richards in the UCF Athlecs Communicaons
office. Requests should be made at least one
week in advance. If me permits, the credenal
will be mailed. If not, the credenal will be le
at media will call at Gate 18 of Bright House
Networks Stadium. Parking passes for media will
be distributed to the accredited pares based on
availability and priority.
ROAD CREDENTIAL REQUESTS
Working press wishing to cover UCF on the road
should make credenal requests through the
UCF Athlecs Communicaons office.
3
ON THIS DATE...
SEPT. 6, 1986
On Saturday, UCF faces a team from the west end
of I-4 but 22 years ago to the day the then-Golden Knights faced a team from the east end of I-4,
Bethune-Cookman, with UCF taking a 26-14 decision at the Citrus Bowl, then known as Orlando
Stadium. Ed O’Brien made four field goals in the
game, including boots from 43, 48 and 49 yards,
while Elgin Davis ran for a pair of touchdowns,
part of a 107-yard rushing performance. BCC led
14-13 in the third quarter aer a TD pass from
Greg Ross but UCF scored the game’s final 13
points to open its 1986 season in style.
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
C-USA
CUSA STANDINGS
TEAM NOTES
East Division
Teams
East Carolina
Marshall
Southern Miss
UCF
Memphis
UAB
C-USA
W-L
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-1
Overall
W-L
1-0
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-1
0-1
C-USA
W-L
1-0
1-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-1
Overall
W-L
1-0
1-0
1-0
0-0
0-1
0-1
West Division
Teams
Rice
Tulsa
Houston
Tulane
SMU
UTEP
This Week’s Schedule
Saturday, Sept. 6
Marshall at Wisconsin
Southern Miss at Auburn
UAB at Florida Atlanc
West Virginia at East Carolina
Houston at Oklahoma State
Tulane at Alabama
Tulsa at North Texas
USF at UCF
Rice at Memphis
Texas State at SMU
Texas at UTEP
12:00 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
4:00 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m.
10:15 p.m.
2008 C-USA PRESEASON
COACHES POLL
4
East Division
Teams
1) UCF
2) East Carolina
3) Southern Miss
4) Memphis
5) Marshall
6) UAB
Points
67
60
49
36
27
13
West Division
Teams
1) Tulsa
2) Houston
3) UTEP
4) Rice
5) SMU
6) Tulane
Points
72
59
42
32
29
18
Offensive Player of the Year
Damion Fletcher, RB, Southern Miss
Defensive Player of the Year
Gerald McRath, LB, Southern Miss
Special Teams Player of the Year
Joe Burne, PR, UCF
First-Team (UCF Players Only)
Pat Brown, OL - Offense
Joe Burne, PR - Special Teams
WHAT UCF RETURNS IN 2008
Category
Percent Returning
Starters
64.0 % (16-of-25)
Leerwinners
56.7 % (34-of-60)
Passing yards
12.2 % (303-of-2,476)
Rushing yards
21.9 % (720-of-3,287)
Receiving yards
73.7 % (1,825-of-2,476)
Passing TD’s
0.0 % (0-of-15)
Rushing TD’s
14.6 % (6-of-41)
Receiving TD’s
93.3 % (14-of-15)
Recepons
69.1 % (137-of-198)
Tackles
83.2 % (780-of-938)
Sacks
58.9 % (23-of-39)
Intercepons
100.0 % (24-of-24)
UCF PICKED TO WIN CONFERENCE USA EAST
UCF was picked to win Conference USA’s Eastern
Division by the league’s head coaches, receiving 67 of a possible 72 points, while Tulsa was
a unanimous pick to win the West, receiving all
72 points. If the coaches’ poll holds true, the
Knights and Golden Hurricane would square off
in the C-USA Championship Game set for Dec.
6 for the third me in four seasons. Each team
has won a league tle since joining the conference in 2005. UCF (67) was seven points clear
of East Carolina, which was picked to finish
second (60). Southern Miss was tabbed to finish third in the East with 49 points. Aer Tulsa
in the West were Houston in second place (59)
and UTEP in third (42).
UCF DUO ON PRESEASON C-USA LISTS
For the second-consecuve year, senior Joe
Burne was selected by the Conference USA
coaches as the league’s Preseason Special
Teams Player of the Year. The reigning first team
all-league punt returner and cornerback leads
all acve players in the NCAA Football Bowl
Subdivision with 929 career punt return yards
and his three returns for touchdowns are ed
for the most by an acve player entering the
season.
A first-team All C-USA selecon a year ago, Burne was named to the 2008 squad as a punt
returner. Burne has 12 career intercepons,
which is the second highest total in UCF history.
Brown has been a constant for the Knights at
le tackle during his tenure at UCF. A secondteam all league selecon last season, Brown
leads all le tackles naonally with 38 career
starts.
NATIONAL ACCOLADES...
Pat Brown, Sr., OT
•
Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List (Most
Outstanding Lineman)
Joe Burne, Sr., Cornerback
•
Walter Camp Award Watch List (Most Outstanding College Football Player)
•
Bronco Nagurski Award Watch List (Defensive Player of the Year)
•
Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List (Outstanding Defensive Player)
•
Jim Thorpe Award Watch List (Best Defensive Back)
Athlon Preseason Top 10 Defensive Back Units
1.
Ohio State
2.
Clemson
3.
USC
4.
Oregon
5.
UCF
6.
Wake Forest
7.
Kansas
8.
Cincinna
9.
Mississippi State
10.
Tennessee
CONFERENCE ACCOLADES...
C-USA EAST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
USA Today........................................................1
The Sporng News ..........................................1
CBS Sports.com ...............................................1
Game Plan .......................................................1
CollegeFootballPoll.com ..................................1
Pro Football Weekly ......................................T1
Lindy ................................................................2
Phil Steele ........................................................2
CollegeFootballNews.com/Scout ..................T2
Sports Illustrated .......................................... T2
Gold Sheet .......................................................2
Jim Feist ...........................................................2
Surefire Scoung .............................................2
Athlon ..............................................................3
Blue Ribbon/ESPN ...........................................3
Pat Brown, Sr., OT
NaonalChamps.net: Honorable Menon
Athlon All-C-USA: First Team
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook All-CUSA: First Team
CBS Sports.com All-C-USA: First Team
Pro Football Weekly All-C-USA: First Team
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA: First
Team
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA: #15
player
Lindy’s All-C-USA: First Team
Lindy’s All-C-USA: Best Run Blocker
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: First Team
THE USF GAME
Joe Burne, Sr., CB/PR
Athlon All-American: Third Team (PR)
Phil Steele’s All-American: Fourth Team
(DB)
NaonalChamps.net: Third Team (DB)
Athlon All-C-USA: First Team (DB/PR)
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook
All-C-USA: First Team (DB)
CBS Sports.com All-C-USA: First Team
(PR)
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA:
First Team (DB/PR)
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA: #4
player (DB/PR)
Lindy’s All-C-USA: First Team (DB)
Lindy’s: Seventh-best cornerback
naonally
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: First Team
(DB/PR)
Pro Football Weekly All-C-USA: First
Team (DB/PR)
Blake Clingan, So., P
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Third Team
Derrick Hallman, So., LB
Athlon All-C-USA: Second Team
Lindy’s All-C-USA: Second Team
Chance Henderson, Jr., LB
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Second Team
Corey Hogue, Sr., LB
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Fourth Team
Bruce Miller, So., DE
Athlon All-C-USA: Second Team
Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook
All-C-USA: First Team
Lindy’s All-C-USA: First Team
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: First Team
Latavius Murray, Fr., RB
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Fourth Team
Johnell Neal, Sr., CB
Athlon All-C-USA: Second Team
Lindy’s All-C-USA: Second Team
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Second Team
Sha’reff Rashad, Sr., SS
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA:
First Team
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA:
#9 player
Rocky Ross, Sr., WR
Phil Steele’s All-C-USA: Fourth Team
Jason Venson, Sr., FS
CollegeFootballNews.com All-C-USA:
Second Team
CURRENT GRADUATES
The 2008 roster features a quartet of
players that have already received their
undergraduate degrees from UCF. Three
of those graduates reside in the Knights’
defensive secondary as Sha’reff Rashad
and Johnell Neal both received degrees
in criminal jusce in May, 2008. Free
safety Jason Venson earned his degree in
interpersonal organizaonal communicaons, while center Mike Lavoie earned
his in psychology. Rashad has already
begun work on a master’s in criminal jusce, while Lavoie is working on his M.B.A.
Neal and Venson are pursuing second
undergraduate degrees in sports and
fitness. The four were part of a record
number of 13 Knights that graduated in
last May. The Knights had quite a year in
the classroom as the team had 39 players earn a spot on the Conference USA
Commissioner’s Honor Roll - the most of
any league football team. In addion to
these four, place kicker Daren Daly is currently enrolled in graduate school aer
receiving his bachelor’s degree from the
University of Miami.
UCF VS. USF
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
Rushing Yards
Ronnie Weaver
Michael Greco
Latavius Murray
84
57
43
Ben Williams
Moise Plancher
Mike Ford
70
65
61
Passing Yards
Michael Greco
90
Ma Grothe
B.J. Daniels
96
86
Recepons
Khymest Williams
Rocky Ross
Corey rabazinski
5
3
1
A.J. Love
Dontavia Bogan
Jessie Hester
4
3
3
Points Scored
66 HONORED AS “SCHOLAR-BALLERS”
A total of 66 UCF football student-athletes will be wearing a special helmet
decal throughout the 2008 season in recognion of being a “Scholar-Baller.” The
disncon was earned by either maintaining a cumulave grade point average
of at least 3.0, by reaching that plateau
for the last semester, or by earning an undergraduate degree regardless of GPA.
With help from Kristy Belden, Associate
Director of Academic Services for Student-Athletes, and her staff, the Knights
have been every bit as successful in the
classroom since the arrival of head coach
George O’Leary as they have been on the
field. The team’s combined cumulave
grade point average presently stands at
2.969 and has stood as high as 3.035 following the 2007 summer semester.
The Scholar-Baller program was created
to help bridge the gap between educaon
and sports and was founded by UCF professor Dr. C. Keith Harrison. The program
now encompasses 51 major colleges and
universies, 24 of which compete in the
Football Bowl Subdivision.
Latavius Murray
Daren Daly
17
5
Moise Plancher
Mike Ford
Jesse Hester
12
12
12
Total Tackles
Jordan Richards
Chance Henderson
Lawrence Young
7
6
5
Chris Robinson
Tyrone McKenzie
Sabbath Joseph
5
5
5
Intercepons
Jason Venson
1
Carlton Williams
Team Category
UCF
USF
Total Offense
Rushing Offense
Passing Offense
Scoring Offense
First Downs For
First Downs Against
Third Down Conversions
Third Downs - Opponents
Turnovers-INT/Fumbles
TOs Forced-INT/Fumbles
Turnover Margin
Total Defense
Rushing Defense
Passing Defense
Scoring Defense
Time of Possession
Penales-Yards
318.0
228.0
90.0
17.0
19
5
39%
18%
2-1/1
1-0/1
-1
126.0
52.0
74.0
0.0
38:10
4-25
520.0
300.0
220.0
56.0
25
6
58%
7%
4-1/3
1-1/0
-3
97.0
59.0
38.0
7.0
31:22
5-25
1
5
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
UCF & O’
O’LEARY
BY THE NUMBERS
Games (w/o 1992 exhibion game)
1
9/22/79
St. Leo
50 9/8/84
at Louisiana-Monroe
100 10/8/88
New Haven
150 11/21/92
at Samford
200 9/27/97
at Auburn
250 11/24/01
Louisiana-Lafayee
300 9/9/06
at Florida
326 9/6/08
South Florida
Wins
1
9/22/79
50 10/28/89
100 11/9/96
150 11/19/05
166 8/30/08
W
L
L
L
L
W
L
St. Leo
Liberty
at UAB
at Rice
South Carolina State
21-0
33-30
35-13
31-28
17-0
Home Games (w/o 1992 exhibion game)
1
9/29/79
Fort Benning
W
50 11/15/86
Samford
W
100 10/16/93
Western Illinois
W
150 11/30/02
Ohio
W
182 9/6/08
South Florida
Home Wins
1
9/29/79
50 12/1/90
100 10/26/02
119 8/30/08
Fort Benning
William & Mary
Akron
South Carolina State
Away Games
1
9/22/79
50 10/26/91
100 11/4/00
146 9/20/08
at St. Leo
at Georgia Southern
at Louisiana Tech
at Boston College
W
L
W
W
L
L
George O’Leary Head Coaching Games
1
11/12/94
at Clemson
L
50 9/4/99
at Navy
W
85* 12/1/01
at Florida State
L
86** 8/31/04
at Wisconsin
L
100 10/1/05
at Louisiana-Lafayee W
137 9/6/08
South Florida
*Final game at Georgia Tech
**First game at UCF
George O’Leary Head Coaching Wins
1
9/2/95
Furman
52* 11/17/01
at Wake Forest
53** 9/24/05
Marshall
75 8/30/08
South Carolina State
*Final win at Georgia Tech
**First win at UCF
21-0
20-6
20-16
21-0
49-20
Milestone Division I Era Wins
1
8/29/96
William & Mary
50 10/21/05
Tulane
69 8/30/08
South Carolina State
6
7-6
66-7
35-17
42-32
7-6
52-38
28-17
17-0
Milestone Away Wins
1
9/22/79
at St. Leo
47 11/24/07 SMU
Division I Era Games
1
8/29/96
William & Mary
50 10/7/00
at Northern Illinois
100 11/13/04
at Ball State
142 9/6/08
South Florida
21-0
49-21
31-23
20-13
41-14
31-0
42-0
39-33
40-20
21-17
39-33
34-24
17-0
20-10
49-14
28-17
34-6
24-21
51-7
38-33
23-13
17-0
FREQUENT FLYER MILES IN 2008
Using the zip code of the college campus to
the zip code of the opponent’s stadium, Rivals.com compiled this season’s driving distances for each Division I-A football program,
excluding Hawaii (its road games are not drivable). Fresno State gets the top prize as its
road games cover an esmated 18,190 miles.
UCF placed 12th on the list with 12,056 miles
round trip. Conference USA brethren UTEP is
second naonally with 15,016 miles covered.
Among UCF’s travels this season are trips
to Chestnut Hill, Mass. (Boston College), El
Paso, Texas (UTEP), Miami Gardens, Fla. (Miami), Tulsa, Okla. (Tulsa), Hunngton, W.Va.
(Marshall) and Memphis, Tenn. (Memphis).
The UTEP game will mark the longest UCF
has travelled to play a regular season game
since its 2002 trip to Tempe, Ariz. to face Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium.
UCF SETS WIN TOTAL RECORD IN 2007
UCF’s 10 wins in 2007 established a team record for victories in a season since moving up
to the Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly
Division I-A) in 1996. Only one other me
since UCF began playing football 29 seasons
ago in 1979 has a team forged a 10-win season. The 1990 team went 10-4 during the
Knights first season playing in Division I-AA.
UCF’s next best single-season performance
came in 1998, when the Daunte Culpepperled Knights finished 9-2 with no bowl appearance. George O’Leary’s 2005 squad went 8-5
and also made trips to the C-USA Championship Game and Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. A total
of 15 FBS programs in 2007, including UCF,
had double-digit wins and only seven schools
had more then 10 wins.
The Knights’ 7-1 Conference USA regular season mark in 2007 ed their best league finish
from the 2005 season. However, UCF would
best its 2005 effort by defeang Tulsa in
the conference championship game for the
league tle and AutoZone Liberty Bowl berth.
UCF did go 6-2 in its first league season in the
Mid-American Conference in 2002.
MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS OF SPRING
Sophomore defensive end David Williams
and freshman ght end Adam Nissley were
both voted by the coaching staff coming
out of spring pracce as the team’s most
improved players on defense and offense,
respecvely. Williams saw acon in all 14
games a year ago as a special-teams contributor, but now has his name among the twodeep at defensive end. Nissley redshirted in
2007 and made major strides in the spring
to fill the void le by graduated senior Mike
Merri, who was draed by the Kansas City
Chiefs in the seventh round.
TOP RECORD TURNAROUNDS
For the second me in three seasons, head
coach George O’Leary has orchestrated one
of the top turnarounds in the NCAA. UCF
finished 2007 at 10-4 and has posted a sixgame turnaround from its 4-8 mark in 2006.
The six-game swing was the second-best
turnaround in the naon to Illinois’ sevengame jump to 9-4 from 2-10. O’Leary led
the Knights to the fourth-best turnaround in
NCAA history back in 2005 when the Knights
also won the C-USA East tle, posng an 8-5
record overall aer going winless (0-11) in
2004.
2007 turnarounds
Team
2006
Illinois
2-10
UCF
4-8
Kansas
6-6
Air Force
4-8
UConn
4-8
Memphis
2-10
2007
9-4
10-4
12-1
9-4
9-4
7-6
Turnaround
+7
+6
+6
+5
+5
+5
EIGHT MAKE COACHES’ ALL-C-USA TEAMS
IN 2007
Reigning Conference USA Champion UCF had
eight players recognized on the 2007 Coaches’ All-C-USA first and second teams. C-USA’s
12 head coaches also placed a league-high
four Knights on their all-freshman team.
Kevin Smith along with defensive end Leger
Douzable, cornerback/punt returner Joe
Burne and long snapper Michael Buscemi
were all named to the coaches’ first team
- which were honors that the same quartet
received from the league’s media. Senior
defensive tackle Keith Shologan and junior
strong safety Sha’reff Rashad were named
to the league’s second team defensive unit.
The Knights were well represented on the
all-freshman team, equaling East Carolina
with four players on the squad. Offensive
tackle Jah Reid, who started four games and
saw acon in all 13 games on special teams,
was joined on the squad by a trio of defensive Knights. Linebackers Derrick Hallman
and Darius Nall were also rewarded for their
first year play. Hallman led all UCF rookies
with 45 tackles and he added three sacks,
while Nall totaled 22 takedowns and a sack.
Defensive end Bruce Miller earned a spot
aer registering seven sacks in his first campaign for the Knights. Miller was also one
of six Knights named honorable menon AllConference USA by the league’s head coaches. Joining Miller on that list were offensive
tackle Pat Brown, ght end Mike Merri,
defensive back Jason Venson, kick returner
Curs Francis and place-kicker Michael Torres.
THE USF GAME
GEORGE O’LEARY, KEVIN SMITH TAKE HOME
C-USA TOP HONORS IN 2007
Both head coach George O’Leary and Kevin
Smith earned their second C-USA individual
awards of their careers as the media and
coaches have tabbed O’Leary as the league
coach of the year for the second me in
three seasons and Smith shared the media’s
co-offensive player of the year honors with
Tulsa’s Paul Smith aer geng freshman of
the year honors in 2005. Both the league’s
media and 12 head coaches named Southern
Miss Linebacker Gerald McRath the defensive player of the year, East Carolina senior
Chris Johnson the special teams player of the
year honors, Houston quarterback Case Keenum the freshman of the year and Tulsa wide
receiver Brennan Marion the newcomer of
the year.
FIRST-YEAR RECAP AT BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS STADIUM
With a 6-1 home record at its brand-new
on-campus Bright House Networks Stadium,
which included six straight wins and one gutsy
performance against Texas in the opener, the
Knights have quickly forged a true home-field
advantage.
In seven games at Bright House Networks
Stadium, UCF totaled 296 points - good for an
average of 42.3 ppg. That mark was a record
for UCF since moving up to the FBS in 1996.
In comparison, the 2006 Knights played
seven regular season home contests at the
Florida Citrus Bowl and scored a total of 143
points. From a historical perspecve, in their
first year playing at the FCS level in 1990, the
Knights scored 298 points playing eight home
games, including the I-AA playoffs.
UCF fans broke the single-season aendance
mark in six regular season games (264,001)
in 2007, surpassing the school record
220,980 that aended seven home games
at the Citrus Bowl during 2006. Along with
the UCF-hosted C-USA tle game, a total of
308,129 fans saw the Knights play at home
– a figure that placed the school 48th naonally. The average aendance of 44,018 fans
per game ranked 50th naonally. UCF home
aendance was at 97.17 percent of capacity,
a figure that ranked 34th naonally.
CONFERENCE USA TEAM SUCCESS
Since joining Conference USA prior to the
2005 campaign along with five other school
instuons, the Knights have won 17 league
games, which is ed with Tulsa for the most
by the newcomers. Marshall, Rice and UTEP
each have 10 wins and SMU has won eight
games since joining the league. UCF has gone
7-1, 3-5 and 7-1 in its three seasons, while
Tulsa has finished 6-2, 5-3 and 6-2.
UCF FAIRS WELL IN NFL DRAFT, FREE AGENT
SIGNINGS
Consensus All-American Kevin Smith did not
have to wait long to hear his name called
on day two of the 2008 NFL Dra as the Detroit Lions traded up to the top of the third
round to take the consensus All-American
with the 64th pick overall and first of the
proceedings. Smith will be joined in the
NFC’s North Division by one of his offensive
lineman as the Green Bay Packers used one
of their two fourth-round choices to select
Josh Sion with the 135th pick overall. In the
dra ’s seventh round, Kansas City selected
ght end Mike Merri with the 32nd pick of
the final round. Merri went with the 239th
overall selecon.
This is the first me since the 2003 dra that
the Knights had mulple players selected.
Asante Samuel (4th round, New England),
Doug Gabriel (Oakland, 5th), Mike Mabry
(Balmore, 7th) and Elton Paerson (Cincinna, 7th) were the four Knights draed that
season. Smith was the highest UCF player
draed since Travis Fisher was selected late
in the second round of the 2002 NFL Dra by
the St. Louis Rams. Fisher was also the 64th
overall selecon that year.
Sion’s fourth-round selecon is the highest
for a UCF offensive lineman. He is the second
Knight to be draed by the Packers (Charles
Lee, WR, 7th - 2000), while Smith is the first
UCF player to be draed by Detroit. The last
UCF ght end taken in the dra was Michael
Gaines in 2004, when Carolina used a seventh-round selecon on him.
Two more Knights signed on with teams as
priority free agents the day aer the Dra.
Leger Douzable signed a deal with the Minnesota Vikings, while Keith Shologan inked
his name with the San Diego Chargers. The
Kansas City Chiefs would then ink L.J. Anderson and Sergio Joachim to elevate the number to seven players from the C-USA Championship team to either get draed or signed
by an NFL franchise this off-season.
GAME CAPTAINS
Each week head coach George O’Leary selects a pair of players to serve as captains for
that game. The 2008 choices are below:
SC STATE: Patrick Brown (offense), Sha’reff
Rashad (defense).
EAGLE SCOUTS
UCF does not overlook the reless efforts of
its scout teamers and rewards a pair of Scout
Team Players of the Week, granng each a
spot on the travel squad. The 2008 recipients are:
SC STATE: Anthony Davis (offense), Jordan
Rae (defense).
LARGEST CROWDS IN
UCF HISTORY
The first eight home games at Bright House
Networks Stadium have resulted in seven of the
top 10 all-me home aendance figures in school
history. Three of the eight games have been
sellouts, which were the first in school history.
Largest Home Crowds in UCF History
Opponent (Year)
Aendance
1. Tulsa (2005)
51,978
2. Virginia Tech (2000)
50,220
3. South Florida (2006)
46,708
4. Marshall (2007)
46,103*
5. Texas (2007)
45,622*
6. Tulsa (2007)
45,510*
7. Tulsa (2007 - C-USA Champ.)
44,128
8. Louisiana-Lafayee (2007)
42,646
9. Memphis (2007)
42,153
10. S.C. State (2008)
42,126
*Sellout
Largest Away Game Crowds in UCF History
Opponent (Year)
Aendance
1. Penn State (2002)
103,029
2. Penn State (2004)
101,715
3. Florida (2006)
90,210
4. Georgia (1999)
86,117
5. Florida (1999)
85,346
6. Alabama (2000)
83,818
7. South Carolina (2005)
82,753
8. Wisconsin (2004)
82,116
9. Auburn (1997)
82,109
10. South Carolina (1997)
81,908
Milestone Home Aendance Marks
•
Including an exhibion game against Moscow
in 1992, a total of 3,158,763 have aended
UCF home games during its 30 seasons.
•
Including all games, home and away, in 30
seasons a total of 6,678,161 have watched
the Knights play in person.
•
UCF fans broke the single-season aendance
mark in 2007, surpassing the school record
220,980 that aended seven home games
at the Citrus Bowl in 2006. In seven games
last year, 308,129 fans saw the Knights play
at the new on-campus stadium - an average
of 44,018 fans!
•
The 45,622 at the Bright House Networks
Stadium opener vs. Texas on Sept. 15, 2007,
marked the all-me largest home seasonopening crowd for UCF, surpassing the
40,112 that came to see the Purdue game
in 1999.
7
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
CHARTING THE STARTS
Player
Kamar Aiken
Emery Allen
Patrick Brown
Joe Burne
Blake Clingan
Daren Daly
Jeremy DeVane
Michael Greco
A.J. Guyton
John Hafferty
Derrick Hallman
Chance Henderson
Cory Hogue
Ricky Kay
Parker Langley
Mike Lavoie
Bruce Miller
Cody Minnich
Darius Nall
Johnell Neal
Adam Nissley
Corey Rabazinski
Sha’reff Rashad
Jah Reid
Jordan Richards
Breon Rogers
Rocky Ross
Alex Thompson
Travis Timmons
Torrell Troup
Jason Venson
Antonio Wallace
Brian Waers
Ronnie Weaver
David Williams
Lawrence Young
Pos.
WR
DB
OL
DB
P
PK
OL
QB
WR
OL
LB
LB
LB
FB
P
OL
DE
OL
DE
DB
TE
TE
DB
OL
LB
DB
WR
LB
DL
DL
DB
DL
WR
RB
DE
LB
Starts
12
3
39
35
14
1
10
1
1
1
10
16
28
2
1
1
11
1
4
39
1
16
34
5
12
2
22
2
4
15
31
4
2
1
1
3
Streak
39
15
11
1
1
1
1
7
13
12
1
1
3
14
1
1
28
1
1
3
1
5
21
1
1
1
1
Patrick Brown leads all returning offensive players
with 39-straight starts. Overall, 36 different acve UCF players have logged at least one career
start.
8
OFFENSE NOTES
GRECO’S STARTING DEBUT SUCCESSFUL
Remarkably considering that UCF has been
a member of the FBS since 1996, Michael
Greco is just the eighth different starng
quarterback for the Knights over those 12plus seasons. Against South Carolina State
he became just the third one in the group to
win his debut start in FBS compeon and
the first since Jon Rivera led UCF past Buffalo on Oct. 4, 2003.
TRUE FRESHMAN TD
Latavius Murray had an auspicious debut for
the Knights against South Carolina State has
he ran for both of the team’s touchdowns.
In the game, he became the first freshman
to score a touchdown for the Knights since
Kevin Smith in 2005.
WHAT’S BACK FOR 2008
The UCF offense returns eight players who
logged a combined 59 starts IN 2007 including: OT Pat Brown (14), WR Rocky Ross (13),
WR Kamar Aiken (12), TE Cory Rabazinski
(7), OG Jeremy DeVane (6), OT Jah Reid (4),
FB Ricky Kay (2) and WR Brian Waers (1).
Receiver A.J. Guyton also had one start, but
will redshirt the 2008 season with injury.
Despite losing its 2007 backfield, UCF returns much of the receiver producon from
a year ago, including both starng wide receivers (Ross and Aiken), who combined for
88 catches, 1,242 yards and seven touchdowns.
REPLACING KEVIN SMITH
2007 Consensus All-American running back
Kevin Smith re-wrote the record books and
captured the aenon of a naon during his
memorable junior campaign. Second allme to Barry Sanders in the history of Division I football, Smith rushed for 2,567 yards,
while scoring 30 touchdowns. Smith is currently a top back for the Detroit Lions, joining the club with the first pick of the third
round in the NFL Dra. Redshirt freshman
Ronnie Weaver is among a group of talented
newcomers primed to tote the ball for the
Knights in 2008. Joining Weaver is a quartet
of true freshmen Brandon Davis, Bryn Harvey, Brendan Kelly and Latavius Murray.
• Weaver, the lone back to take pracce
snaps prior to this fall, came to UCF as a
walk-on out of Vero Beach High School
in 2007, but would earn a scholarship
aer a strong fall camp.
• Davis owns the Peachtree Ridge High
School rushing record aer totaling
more than 5,000 yards on the ground
in his career.
• Harvey was one of the top rushers in
•
•
the state of Florida as a senior for Largo
High School in 2007. He ended his final
prep campaign with a Pinellas County record 2,567 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, ironically the same amount of rushing yards as Kevin Smith at UCF in 2007.
Kelly comes to UCF as ESPN.com’s No. 6
fullback out of Shoreham-Wading River
High School in Shoreham, Long Island, NY.
Murray was the New York State Gatorade
Player of the Year in 2007 aer his secondconsecuve 2,000-yard rushing season at
Onondaga High School in Nedrow, N.Y.
FOUR-YEAR STARTER PAT BROWN BOLSTERS
NEW UCF O-LINE
Senior le tackle Patrick Brown enters the 2008
season with 38 career starts, the most by any
senior at his posion in the country. Other returning leerwinners with starng offensive
line experience include Jah Reid (four starts at
right tackle) and Jeremy DeVane (six starts at
le guard).
RECORD TOUCHDOWNS IN 2007
The UCF offense has accounted for 56 of the
Knights’ school-record 62 touchdowns in 2007.
The team has also scored six non-offensive
touchdowns (two kickoff returns, one punt
block return, one punt return and two intercepon returns). In 12 games a year ago, the
UCF offense totaled 25 of the team’s 27 touchdowns. The Knights 35.9 ppg placed them second in C-USA to Tulsa (41.1) and 17th naonally.
In league games only, UCF finished first with 42
ppg. Both scoring averages are school records.
UCF’s 2007 scoring came in a variety of ways.
Outside of the 62 touchdowns, which also included 41 rushing and 15 receiving, UCF recorded two safees and a two-point conversion.
Addionally, UCF made a school-record 22 field
goals and 58 extra points. Twenty different
players scored for the Knights. In 12 contests
last year, only 10 Knights recorded points.
SECOND QUARTER SCORING PREVALENT In
2007, the majority of UCF scoring came in the
second quarter, as the Knights tallied 187 of
their 502 points in that period (37.3 percent).
Both figures are school records for single-quarter scoring. In the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, UCF’s
lone scoring, a 45-yard Michael Torres field goal,
was kicked in the second quarter. In the prior
conference championship against Tulsa, UCF put
21 points on the board in the second quarter.
EARLY BIRD SCORING IN 2007
The Knights nearly doubled-up their opponents
in the first half last season, outscoring them
319-171 (+148) in 14 games. A year ago, UCF
scored 130 first-half points in 12 games. In fact,
THE USF GAME
the Knights’ 187 second-quarter points is one more than the 183 points
the team has scored in the second half of games all of last season.
RUSHING OFFENSE EXCEEDS PASSING
The Knights totaled 3,287 yards on the ground and 2,476 yards passing.
In 28 seasons prior to 2007, UCF finished a season with more rushing
yards than passing yards for just the second me. In 1990, UCF had 3,017
yards on the ground and 2,546 via the air. In its third year of football, UCF
also achieved the feat in 1981 (1,374 rushing; 1,313 passing).
RUSHING SCORES APLENTY
Last season, five different players scored rushing touchdowns for UCF,
including Kevin Smith (29), Kyle Israel (5), Phillip Smith (4), Michael Greco
(2) and Curs Francis (1). UCF ranked third naonally with its 41 rushing
TDs behind Navy (53) and West Virginia (49). The Knights had at least two
rushing touchdowns in 11 of 14 games last season. The team averaged
234.8 yards on the ground this season, which ranks first in C-USA and
ninth naonally.
LARGE NUMBER OF RECEIVERS GAINED EXPERIENCE IN 2007
A total of 15 players snagged at least one recepon in 2007, eight of
which are returning in 2008. Rocky Ross led all receivers with 50 recepons for a team-high 658 yards. His 50 grabs are also a new career-high,
surpassing his 36-catch total in 2006. Kamar Aiken was second on the
team in both catches (33) and yards (584). A.J. Guyton finished fourth in
catches (23) and third in yards (253). Aiken led all Knight receivers with
five touchdowns, followed by Brian Waers’ three and Guyton, Ross and
Corey Rabazinski with two each.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIES GET PASSING GRADES IN 2007
Six freshmen, including five true frosh, combined for 78 of UCF’s 198 recepons in 2007. Kamar Aiken led the rookie group with 33 catches, followed by A.J. Guyton with 23. Brian Waers (14), Ricky Kay (6), Sidney
Haynes (1) and Khymest Williams (1) complete the grouping. The previous
season in 2006, a true freshman did not record a catch for the Knights.
Aiken and Guyton became the first true freshmen duo to haul in touchdown passes in the same game since the Knights made the move to the
Football Bowl Subdivision in 1996. Aiken corralled a 21-yard scoring recepon in the first quarter and Guyton added a 39-yard score in the second quarter against East Carolina (Oct. 6). The two rookies combined for
14 catches and 194 yards in the loss to the Pirates. Aiken teamed with
another rookie in the Southern Miss game to haul in touchdown recepons in the same game as both he and redshirt freshman Brian Waers
hauled in eight-yard scoring strikes from Kyle Israel.
ROOKIES FOUND THE END ZONE IN 2007
True freshmen accounted for nine of UCF’s team-record 62 touchdowns
in 2007. Kamar Aiken paced all rookies with five touchdowns - all on recepons. A.J. Guyton had a pair of 39-yard receiving touchdowns as well.
Darin Baldwin and Khymest Williams scored on an intercepon and kickoff return, respecvely.
KAMAR AIKEN SET ROOKIE RECEIVING RECORDS IN 2007
Kamar Aiken had 33 catches for 584 yards and five touchdowns as a true
freshman in 2007. All three of those totals set a new UCF freshmen record (since 1996 when UCF moved to the FBS). Aiken set the recepons’
mark with a 10-yard grab vs. Tulsa (Oct. 20). The mark was previously
held by Mike Walker when he had 21 recepons for 337 yards in 2003.
Aiken also broke the single-game recepons record by a freshman with
his eight catches against East Carolina (Oct. 6). Walker’s previous record
mark was his four catches against Florida Atlanc in 2003. Classmate
A.J. Guyton’s 23 recepons also bested Walker’s rookie receiving total.
Guyton’s five catches for 21 yards in the 2007 season-opener at NC State
(Sept. 1) was the previous high by a UCF freshman in a single game unl
Aiken passed him.
DEFENSE NOTES
KNIGHT DEFENSE STOPS BULLDOGS IN OPENER
UCF produced the top stascal defensive effort of the George O’Leary
era in its season-opening shutout of South Carolina State. The shutout
itself was the Knights’ first since a 31-0 whitewashing of Louisiana-Lafayee on Nov. 24, 2001. By holding the Bulldogs to just 126 yards of total offense, it was the best defensive yardage performance by UCF since
holding UAB to 111 yards on Oct. 6, 2001.
AN INTERCEPTION A DAY KEEPS THE OFFENSE AT BAY
The Knights have recorded at least one intercepon in each of their last
nine games. The last team not to have a pass intercepted by the UCF
defense was USF on Oct. 13, 2007. The Knights then picked off at least
one pass in each of the final eight games of the 2007 season and Jason
Venson kept the streak alive by snaring a South Carolina State pass in this
year’s season opener.
ALL FOUR DEFENSIVE BACKS IN INTERCEPTION LEADER CHART
Jason Venson collected his seventh career intercepon in the first quarter
of UCF’s season-opening win over South Carolina State. It moved him into
a e of UCF’s career record chart and gave the Knights an interesng situaon. All four of UCF’s starng defensive backs are in UCF’s all-me top
10 in intercepons. Joe Burne is second with 12, Sha’reff Rashad is ed
for third with nine, Johnell Neal is ed for fih with eight and Venson is
ed for 10th with seven.
VETERAN DEFENSE HIGHLIGHTS 2008 ROSTER
• The UCF defense returns nine starters in 2008, including a heralded
defensive backfield of cornerbacks, Joe Burne and Johnell Neal,
and safees, Sha’Reff Rashad and Jason Venson.
• The top seven tacklers also return, led by Rashad, who totaled 103
during a season that saw him earn second team All C-USA honors.
• The Knights’ defense ranked third naonally in intercepons a year
ago with 24 and each player who accounted for a pick in 2007 will be
back for another go around in 2008. Of those 24 intercepons, this
year’s seniors totaled 18 of them with Burne and Neal becoming
the first UCF tandem to intercept six passes each in a season.
• The Knights’ defense also racked up a league-leading 39 sacks during their run to the 2007 C-USA Championship and UCF will have
12 players back who recorded at least one sack. Sophomore Bruce
Miller anchors that group aer he ranked fih in C-USA with seven
sacks in 2007 earning All C-USA second-team honors and Freshman
All-America recognion.
UCF’S VETERAN DEFENSIVE SECONDARY
UCF enters the 2008 season with the most experienced defensive secondary in the country and is one of only three teams naonally with all
four senior secondary starters back joining Western Michigan and Utah
State. Seniors Joe Burne (CB), Sha’reff Rashad (SS), Jason Venson (FS)
and Johnell Neal (CB) have combined for 138 starts during their respecve tenures with the Knights and combined for 36 intercepons.
CB JOHNELL
NEAL
39 STARTS
CB JOE
BURNETT
35 STARTS
SS SHA’REFF
RASHAD
34 STARTS
FS JASON
VENSON
31 STARTS
9
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
A different member of the quartet has led the team in tackles in each
of the last three seasons as well. Venson led the team in 2005 with 85
tackles, Neal led the team in 2006 with 66 and Rashad was the 2007 team
leader with 103. Burne, Neal and Rashad are also ranked in the top 10
on the UCF career charts with intercepons. Burne is in second with 12,
only one behind all-me leader Keith Evans. Rashad ranks in a e for third
with nine, while Neal is ed for fih with eight.
UCF SECONDARY AMONG NATION’S TOPS IN INTERCEPTIONS
The UCF defensive secondary finished the 2007 season with a school-record 24 intercepons, good for No. 3 naonally behind Cincinna (26) and
Boston College (25). UCF had entered the bowl season at the top of the
charts with the Bearcats, but UC nabbed three picks in the Papajohns.com
Bowl to surge ahead while UCF had one in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.
The 24 picks is more remarkable than many realize, as the defense went a
stretch of 19 consecuve quarters without an INT, parally spanning over
six games from the fourth quarter of the Texas game (Sept. 15) in week
two through halime of the Tulsa game (Oct. 20) in week seven. UCF had
only three intercepons through the season’s first six games, and then responded with 21 over its last eight. The former school-record for intercepons in a season was 20, which was registered twice (1981 and 1992.)
The team’s 24 intercepons were also returned for a school-record 392
yards on the year. The previous team record for intercepon return yards
was 292 set in 1992.
Nine different Knights have registered at least one pick this season. It is
no surprise that the teams top three pass bandits in 2007, Joe Burne (6
INT), Johnell Neal (6) and Sha’Reff Rashad (4), are also among UCF’s allme top 10 leaders in the category and all rank among the top 100 this
season in the FBS.
JOE BURNETT, JOHNELL NEAL FINISH 2007 TIED FOR C-USA LEAD IN INTERCEPTIONS
Joe Burne and Johnell Neal each finished the 2007 season with six intercepons, ed for the league-high with USM’s Brandon Sumrall. Both
finished ed for 25th naonally.
Burne enters the season with 12 career intercepons, ed for the most
by any acve player in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision. He is within one INT of former Knight Keith Evans (1986-88), UCF’s career record
holder with 13 career intercepons. Burne ’s career total of 12 is also
ed for sixth on the C-USA career charts. Burne ’s six intercepons were
a career-high, surpassing the five he had during 2005 when he earned
freshman All-America honors. Burne is UCF’s intercepon leader during the FBS era.
10
Neal established new single-season school record in 2007 with 159 intercepon return yards on his career-high six intercepons. Many of the
yards came in back-to-back weeks when he returned a pick 72 yards for
a score at SMU (Nov. 17) and had a 59-yard INT return at UAB (Nov. 10).
Perhaps his two biggest intercepons came in the C-USA Championship
Game against Tulsa star quarterback Paul Smith, which most likely kept
14 addional Golden Hurricane points off the scoreboard in a 44-25 victory. His first pick came in the second quarter on UCF’s own five-yard
line, which was returned 26 yards. Neal also snuffed Tulsa on their opening drive of the third quarter snaring a Smith pass in the UCF end zone
for a touchback.
Ironically, Neal established a new single-season record of 162 intercepon return yards aer he nabbed of his second pick in the C-USA tle
game propelling him past Ray Irvin’s 17-year-old record of 161 yards in
1990. However, Neal’s pick in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl went for -3
yards, thus moving back down behind Irvin’s mark.
MODEL STUDENT-ATHLETE SHA’REFF RASHAD
Senior strong safety Sha’Reff Rashad has made a college career of excelling both on the field and in the classroom. The Jacksonville nave
led the team with 103 tackles as a junior earning All-C-USA second-team
recognion. Rashad also earned his second consecuve All-C-USA Academic Team selecon, second all-me CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine AllAcademic District 3 honor and second consecuve lisng on the Arthur
Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar Football First-Team as chosen by Diverse magazine. All of these honors came as the 2007 UCF Male Scholar Athlete of
the Year graduated with a degree in criminal jusce in May. Rashad was
most recently named to the 2008 Naonal Football Foundaon Hampshire Honor Society.
2007 ROOKIES GET FAIR SHARE OF TURNOVERS
Veteran defensive players can claim a fair share of 28 turnovers recorded
in 2007, but five freshmen defenders made their impact accounng for
five intercepons and two fumble recoveries. Four true freshmen tallied
intercepons – cornerbacks Darin Baldwin and Jusn Boddie and linebackers Derrick Hallman and Lawrence Young. Boddie became the first
true freshman since Joe Burne in 2005 to register picks in back-to-back
games with his third-quarter intercepon against Marshall (Nov. 3). Baldwin turned his first-career intercepon into a touchdown, taking the intercepon back 37 yards for a score against Marshall. Redshirt freshman
defensive end Bruce Miller has a fumble recovery, as does Hallman.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
JOE BURNETT SETS YET ANOTHER RECORD
Joe Burne connued to assault the record books in the 2008 season
opener as his 83 punt return yards against South Carolina State not only
pushed him past the 1,000 career yard plateau at 1,009, but also helped
him set a Conference USA record. The previous benchmark had been 972
yards by Arnold Jackson of Louisville (1997-2000).
In 2007, Burne wound up finishing 28th naonally with his 31 returns
for 331 yards, a 10.7 per punt average. He placed second in the conference to UTEP’s Quenn Demps (13.3 avg.). Burne leads all players
naonally in career punt return yardage with his 1,009, well ahead of
second place Brandon Tate of UNC’s total of 819.
Burne became the school’s all-me leader in punt return yardage during the 2007 season. His 74 career returns currently places him second
to Mike Dickinson (1989-92) and his 85 returns. For his career, Burne
is second all-me at UCF with 13.6 yards per return, sing only behind
Siaha Burley (1997-98) and his 13.95 ypr average.
BLAKE CLINGAN RETURNS AS TOP PUNTER
Sophomore Blake Clingan enters the 2008 season ready to retain his role
as UCF’s top punter. As a true freshman a year ago, Clingan averaged 40.7
yards for his 59 punts, leaving 14 of them inside the 20 yard line. In his
2008 season debut, he le two of his three punts inside South Carolina
State’s 20 yard line.
DALY GIVES THIRD FLORIDA SCHOOL A TRY
UCF’s new starng kicker for 2008 is a familiar face to college football
fans all over the Sunshine State. Coral Springs nave Daren Daly will kick
for his third different school this fall as he lines up for the Knights. Daly
began his academic career at Florida State before transferring to Miami.
Daly handled the Hurricanes’ kickoffs in 2007 and connected on four of
his six field goal tries. He received his bachelor’s degree from UM and will
pursue a master’s degree this fall at UCF. A recently repealed NCAA rule
had briefly allowed student-athletes who had earned their undergraduate degree before exhausng their eligibility to transfer to another instuon without the standard year penalty to pursue a graduate program
not offered by their current school.
THE USF GAME
BRIGHT HOUSE NETWORKS STADIUM
THE NATION’S NEWEST COLLEGE FOOTBALL STADIUM
The crown jewel in UCF’s impressive athlecs complex, Bright House Networks Stadium opened in 2007. The 45,000-seat on-campus
facility gives the Knights one of the top venues in the southeast. Aer spending their previous 28 seasons at the Florida Citrus Bowl in
downtown Orlando, the Knights made their debut at Bright House Networks Stadium on Sept. 15, 2007 facing naonal power Texas. A
capacity crowd was on hand for the game, which was televised naonally on ESPN2.
In its inaugural campaign at the stadium, UCF capped the season with six straight wins at home, including a 44-25 victory over Tulsa in
the Conference USA Championship Game. UCF has presently won each of its last seven home games. The Knights have outscored their
opponents 281-120 over this stretch.
LONGEST ACTIVE HOME WINNING STREAKS
1.
Oklahoma ................... 18
2.
Wisconsin ................... 15
3.
Boise State .................. 14
4.
BYU ............................. 13
5.
Kansas ......................... 10
6.
Conneccut .................. 8
Tennessee ..................... 8
8.
UCF .............................. 7
Air Force ....................... 7
Hawaii ........................... 7
Missouri ........................ 7
2007 CONFERENCE USA ATTENDANCE LEADERS
1.
UCF ..................... 44,108
2.
East Carolina ........ 41,537
3.
UTEP .................... 36,569
4.
Marshall ............... 30,020
5.
Memphis.............. 29,670
6.
Southern Miss ...... 26,721
7.
Tulane .................. 26,112
8.
Tulsa ..................... 24,539
9.
Houston ............... 20,955
10. SMU ..................... 17,171
11. UAB ...................... 16,706
12. Rice ...................... 13,353
11
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
- Third-team Freshman All-America selecon by The Sporng News
- All-Conference USA First Team and All-Freshman Team selecon
- Earned first-team defense and special teams honors
- First player in school history to be named a first-team freshman All-American
- Led C-USA and ranked sixth in the naon in punt returns (16.5)
- Made collegiate debut at South Carolina (Sept. 1), posng two tackles
- Two intercepons in 34-24 victory against Tulane (Oct. 21)
- Seven tackles and an intercepon at East Carolina (Oct. 29)
- Team-leading fourth intercepon of the season preserved the win at UAB (Nov. 12)
- At Rice (Nov. 19), had a 58-yard punt return for a TD for UCF’s first score of the game
- Totaled five tackles and sealed the win with an intercepon on Rice’s final drive of the game
- In the C-USA tle game versus Tulsa (Dec. 3), had a 68-yard punt return for a touchdown
JOE BURNETT
EUSTIS, FLA. • EUSTIS
SR.
•
CB
•
5-11
•
185
ALL-AMERICAN CANDIDATE
C-USA PRESEASON SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
WALTER CAMP AWARD WATCH LIST
CHUCK BEDNARIK AWARD WATCH LIST
BRONCO NAGURSKI AWARD WATCH LIST
JIM THORPE AWARD WATCH LIST
19
JUNIOR SEASON (2007)
- One of five defensive players to start all 14 games during the season
- Earned first-team All-Conference USA honors as a punt returner for the third-consecuve
season and first team honors as a defensive back for the second me in his career
- Recorded an intercepon and a tackle for loss in a win at NC State (Sept. 1)
- Posted a pick in his second-straight game, this me vs. Texas (Sept. 15)
- Set the UCF career mark for punt return yardage at East Carolina (Oct. 6
- Notched an intercepon and a 21-yard return at UAB (Nov. 10)
- Moved into second place on the UCF career INT chart with two picks at SMU (Nov. 17)
- Nabbed an intercepon for the third-straight game when he notched his sixth of the year vs.
UTEP (Nov. 24), which ranked as the second-most in a single season by a Knight
- Matched his season-high with eight solo tackles and returned a punt 83 yards for a score to
help the Knights defeat Tulsa, 44-25, in the C-USA Championship Game (Dec. 1)
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2006)
- Named first team punt returner on the Conference USA Coaches’ all-league team
- Started eight games at cornerback before injuring his ankle in the Houston game (Oct. 28)
- Sat out two games before returning against Tulane (Nov. 18) as a punt returner
- Returned two punts for a total of 12 yards and recorded three solo tackles and one tackle for
a loss, while breaking-up one pass and forcing a fumble vs. Villanova (Sept. 2)
- At Florida (Sept. 9), led the team in tackles with a career-high 10 (nine solo, one assist)
EUSTIS HIGH SCHOOL
- Second team Class 2A defensive back selecon, coached by Steve Moser
- Impressive athlete who leered four years in football and basketball
- Nominated for the McDonald’s All-America game in basketball
- Also earned three leers in track and one in baseball
- Second in Florida history with 31 career intercepons
- Ranked as the No. 85 prospect in the state of Florida according to the Orlando Sennel
- First team all-state selecon and named regional MVP
- Earned defensive player of the year honors in both football and basketball
- Tallied five intercepons with 78 solo tackles and 24 assists as a senior
- Also contributed 689 passing and 874 rushing yards offensively
- Producve junior season featured nine picks, along with 68 solo tackles and 20 assists
- Rushed for 20 touchdowns and 1,300 yards as a junior, and posted 528 kick return yards and
340 punt return yards as well
PERSONAL
Burne is the son of Tammy Bedford
- Majoring in Criminal Jusce
Burne’s Career Defensive Stascs
Year
G
TKL
AST
2005
13
55
8
2006
10
32
18
2007
14
55
9
2008
1
1
0
Totals
38
143
35
Total
63
50
64
1
178
Burne’s Career Punt Return Stascs
Year
G
No.
YDS
2005
13
28
463
2006
11
11
132
2007
14
31
331
2008
1
4
83
Totals
39
74
1009
AVG
16.5
12.0
10.7
20.8
13.6
Sack
0
0
0
0
0
TFL
2.5
2.0
3.0
0.0
7.5
TD
2
0
1
0
3
PBU
9
3
12
0
24
INT
5
1
6
0
12
LG
68
50
83
31
83
TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON (2005)
- First-team Freshman All-American according to the Football Writers Associaon of America,
Rivals.com and CollegeFootballNews.com
BURNETT IN THE CAREER RECORD
RECORD BOOKS
UCF
PUNT RETURNS
1. Mike Dickinson ................. 85/717 ..................... 1989-92
2. Joe Burne .................... 74/1009........... 2005-present
3. Asante Samuel .................. 63/673 ..................... 1999-02
PUNT RETURN YARDAGE
1. Joe Burne .................... 1009/74........... 2005-present
2. Mike Dickinson ................. 717/85 ..................... 1989-92
3. Asante Samuel .................. 673/63 ..................... 1999-02
12 AVERAGE PER PUNT RETURN
(minimum 2 years/20 returns)
1. Siaha Burley ................. 14.0 (293/21) ................ 1997-98
2. Joe Burne ............... 13.6 (1009/74) ...... 2005-present
3. Sean Beckton ............... 11.6 (314/27) ................ 1987-90
PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS
Career
1. Mike Dickinson ...................... 3 .......................... 1989-92
Joe Burne .......................... 3 ................ 2005-present
INTERCEPTIONS
1. Keith Evans ........................... 13 ......................... 1986-88
2. Joe Burne ......................... 12 ............... 2005-present
3. Reggie Edwards...................... 9 .......................... 1984-87
Sha’reff Rashad .................... 9 ................ 2004-present
5. Johnell Neal ......................... 8 ................ 2005-present
INTERCEPTION RETURN YARDAGE
INTERCEPTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
1. Anthony Floyd, Louisville ...... 18 ......................... 1999-02
......
5. Two ed with ........................ 13
6. Three ed with ..................... 12
Joe Burne, UCF ................. 12 ............... 2005-present
Ray Irvin ............................. 223/8 ...................... 1988-90
Reggie Edwards.................. 203/9 ...................... 1984-87
Keith Evans ....................... 183/13 ..................... 1986-88
Rick Hamilton .................... 177/8 ...................... 1989-92
Joe Burne ..................... 159/12............ 2005-present
Johnell Neal ..................... 159/8 ............ 2005-present
7. Jason Venson ................... 121/6 ............ 2004-present
NCAA ACTIVE LEADERS
CON
ONFERENCE
FERENCE USA
PUNT RETURN YARDAGE
1. Joe Burne, UCF ............... 1009 ............. 2005-present
2. Arnold Jackson, Louisville .... 972 ........................ 1997-00
MOST PUNT RETURNS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Arnold Jackson, Louisville .... 100 ........................ 1997-00
John Wilson, Tulane .............. 81 ......................... 1997-00
Ryan Johnson, Memphis ....... 76 ......................... 1999-01
Joe Burne, UCF ................. 74 ............... 2005-present
MOST PUNT RETURNS
1. Brandon Tate, UNC ............... 75 .................2005-present
2. Joe Burne, UCF ................. 74 ............... 2005-present
PUNT RETURN YARDAGE
1. Joe Burne, UCF ............... 1009 ............. 2005-present
2. Brandon Tate, UNC .............. 819 ................2005-present
AVERAGE PER PUNT RETURN
1. Brandon James, Florida ..... 13.96...............2006-present
3. Joe Burne, UCF ...............13.64 ............. 2005-present
3. Jeremy Maclin, Missouri .... 12.52...............2007-present
AVERAGE PER PUNT RETURN
1. Keith Stokes, ECU ................ 15.5........................ 1999-00
2. Damien Dorsey, Louisville ... 15.4........................ 1999-02
3. Joe Burne, UCF ................13.6 .............. 2005-present
Travis Williams, ECU............ 13.2........................ 2004-06
5. Marvin Young, USM ............ 12.7........................ 2001-04
PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS
1. Tinker Keck, Cincinna ........... 4 .......................... 1997-99
2. Joe Burne, UCF .................. 3 ................ 2005-present
INTERCEPTIONS
1. Alphonso Smith, WF ............. 15 .................2005-present
2. Christopher Owens, SJSU...... 13 .................2005-present
3. Joe Burne, UCF ................. 12 ............... 2005-present
Jairus Byrd, Oregon............... 12 .................2006-present
THE USF GAME
2008 OPPONENTS AT A GLANCE
South Carolina State Bulldogs
SMU Mustangs
(0-1, 0-0 MEAC)
(0-1, 0-1 C-USA)
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27
10/4
10/11
10/25
11/1
11/8
11/15
11/22
at UCF
Benedict
vs. Bethune-Cookman*
at Clemson
at Winston-Salem State*
at Florida A&M*
Norfolk State*
Hampton*
at Delaware State*
Howard*
at Morgan State*
at North Carolina A&T*
L, 0-17
6 p.m.
4 p.m.
1 p.m.
6 p.m.
6 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
2 p.m.
TBA
7:30 p.m.
4 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
8/29
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/25
10/4
10/11
10/18
10/25
11/8
11/15
11/29
at Rice*
Texas State
at Texas Tech
TCU
at Tulane*
at UCF*
Tulsa*
Houston*
at Navy
Memphis*
at UTEP*
Southern Miss*
USF Bulls
Miami Hurricanes
(1-0, 0-0 Big East)
(1-0, 0-0 ACC)
8/30
9/6
9/12
9/20
9/27
10/2
10/18
10/25
10/30
11/15
11/23
12/6
Tennessee-Marn
at UCF
Kansas
at Florida Internaonal
NC State
Pisburgh*
Syracuse*
at Louisville*
at Cincinna*
Rutgers*
Conneccut*
at West Virginia*
W, 56-7
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
TBA
TBA
7:30 p.m.
TBA
TBA
7:30 p.m.
TBA
8 p.m.
TBA
8/28
9/6
9/20
9/27
10/4
10/11
10/18
10/25
11/1
11/13
11/20
11/29
Charleston Southern
at Florida
at Texas A&M
North Carolina*
Florida State*
UCF
at Duke*
Wake Forest*
at Virginia*
Virginia Tech*
at Georgia Tech*
at NC State*
Boston College Eagles
Tulsa Golden Hurricane
(1-0, 0-0 ACC)
(1-0, 1-0 C-USA)
8/30
9/6
9/20
9/27
10/4
10/18
10/25
11/1
11/8
11/15
11/22
11/29
at Kent State
Georgia Tech*
UCF
Rhode Island
at NC State*
Virginia Tech*
at North Carolina*
Clemson*
Notre Dame
at Florida State*
at Wake Forest*
Maryland*
W, 21-0
12 p.m.
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
8/30
9/6
9/20
9/27
10/4
10/11
10/18
10/26
11/1
11/15
11/22
11/29
at UAB*
at North Texas
New Mexico
Central Arkansas
Rice*
at SMU*
UTEP*
UCF*
at Arkansas
at Houston*
Tulane*
at Marshall*
UTEP Miners
East Carolina Pirates
(0-1, 0-0 C-USA)
(1-0, 0-0 C-USA)
8/28
9/6
9/20
9/27
10/4
10/11
10/18
11/1
11/8
11/15
11/22
11/29
at Buffalo
Texas
New Mexico State
UCF*
at Southern Miss*
Tulane*
at Tulsa*
Rice*
at Louisiana-Lafayee
SMU*
at Houston*
at East Carolina*
L, 17-42
10:15 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
8 p.m.
7 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
8 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
7 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
1 p.m.
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27
10/11
10/18
11/2
11/8
11/15
11/22
11/29
Virginia Tech
West Virginia
at Tulane*
at NC State
Houston*
at Virginia
Memphis*
at UCF*
Marshall*
at Southern Miss*
at UAB*
UTEP*
Southern Miss Golden Eagles
(1-0, 0-0 C-USA)
L, 27-56
8 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
3 p.m.
9:05 p.m.
3 p.m.
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
10/4
10/11
10/18
10/25
11/1
11/8
11/15
11/29
Louisiana-Lafayee
at Auburn
at Arkansas State
Marshall*
UTEP*
Boise State
at Rice*
at Memphis*
UAB*
at UCF*
East Carolina*
at SMU*
W, 51-21
12:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
3 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
3 p.m.
3 p.m.
Marshall Thundering Herd
(1-0, 0-0 C-USA)
W, 52-7
8 p.m.
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
TBA
7:30 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
TBA
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27
10/3
10/18
10/28
11/8
11/15
11/22
11/29
Illinois State
at Wisconsin
Memphis*
at Southern Miss*
at West Virginia
Cincinna
at UAB*
Houston*
at East Carolina*
UCF*
at Rice*
Tulsa*
W, 35-10
12 p.m.
7 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8 p.m.
4 p.m.
8 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
4:30 p.m.
3 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
Memphis Tigers
(0-1, 0-0 C-USA)
W, 45-22
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
2 p.m.
5 p.m.
3 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27
10/2
10/10
10/18
10/25
11/8
11/22
11/29
at Mississippi
Rice*
at Marshall*
Nicholls State
Arkansas State
at UAB*
Louisville
at East Carolina*
Southern Miss*
at SMU*
UCF*
Tulane*
L, 24-41
8 p.m.
7 p.m.
8 p.m.
2 p.m.
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
12 p.m.
8 p.m.
3 p.m.
TBA
2 p.m.
UAB Blazers
(0-1, 0-1 C-USA)
W, 27-22
4:30 p.m.
3 p.m.
TBA
3:30 p.m.
TBA
12 p.m.
8 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
TBA
4 p.m.
1 p.m.
8/30
9/6
9/13
9/20
9/27
10/2
10/9
10/18
11/1
11/15
11/22
11/29
Tulsa*
at Florida Atlanc
at Tennessee
Alabama State
at South Carolina
Memphis*
at Houston*
Marshall*
at Southern Miss*
at Tulane*
East Carolina*
at UCF*
L, 22-45
4 p.m.
1:30 p.m.
4 p.m.
TBA
8 p.m.
8 p.m.
4 p.m.
8 p.m.
3 p.m.
4 p.m.
TBA
13
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
2008 UCF FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL NUMERICAL ROSTER
No. Name
14
2
Michael Greco*
3
A.J. Guyton*
4
Rob Calabrese
5
Rocky Ross***
6
Brian Waers*
7
Brandon Davis
9
Jamar Newsome
10 Vance King
11 Richard Jackson
12 Daren Daly
13 Parker Langley*
14 Shaun Shaffner
15 Chad Alexander
17 Joe Weatherford
18 Andy Slowik
19 Joe Burne***
20 Anthony Davis
21 Darin Baldwin*
22 Emery Allen**
23 Jusn Boddie*
24 Brendan Kelly
25 Lyle Dankenbring
26 Jordan Becker
26 Nick Caoi
27 Nick Giovane
28 Latavius Murray
29 Sha’reff Rashad***
31 Johnell Neal***
31 Ausn Hudson
32 Rashad Shaheed
32 Billy Giovane
34 Brynn Harvey
35 Ronnie Weaver
37 Breon Rogers***
38 Derrick Hallman*
39 Omar Hansborough
40 Reggie Weams*
41 Blake Clingan*
41 Nick Black
42 Loren Robinson
43 Ricky Kay*
44 Antonio Wallace***
45 Jason Venson***
46 Rashidi Haughton
47 T.J. Harnden
48 David Williams*
49 Bruce Miller*
50 Josh Linam
51 D.J. Williams
52 Jack Carter
53 Darius Nall*
54 Chance Henderson**
55 Alex Thompson**
56 Jordan Richards**
57 Lawrence Young*
58 Tom Lewis
59 Cory Hogue***
60 Charley Hughle
61 James Getsee
62 Mike Lavoie***
63 Steven Robinson
64 Jarien Moreland
65 John Hafferty
66 Jeramy DeVane**
67 Jake Goray
68 Cody Minnich
70 Dean Wegerif
71 John Oliver
72 Billy Offu
73 Ian Busllo*
73 Kevin Garvy
74 Chad Hounshell
75 Mike Buxton
76 Jah Reid*
77 Nick Pieschel
78 Patrick Brown***
79 Adam Nissley
79 Zac Norris
80 Sidney Haynes*
81 Kamar Aiken*
82 Khymest Williams*
83 John Lubischer
84 Corey Rabazinski**
85 Willie Gaetjens
87 J.T. McArthur
89 Kyle Madden
90 Ash Weekley
91 Theo Goins
92 Jordan Rae
93 Brian Timm
94 Wes Tunuufi Sauvao
95 Travis Timmons**
97 Robert Pritchard
98 Torrell Troup**
99 Jarvis Geathers
* Denotes leers earned
Pos. Ht.
QB
WR
QB
WR
WR
RB
WR
WR
WR
PK
P
PK
WR
QB
QB
DB
WR
DB
CB
DB
RB
DB
DB
PK
DB
RB
DB
DB
WR
DB
RB
RB
RB
DB
LB
DB
DB
P
LB
LB
FB
DE
FS
DE
DT
DE
DE
LB
LB
LB
DE
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
LB
SN
SN
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
DE
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
OL
WR
WR
WR
TE
TE
FB
WR
TE
DE
DT
DT
DE
DT
DT
DE
DT
DE
6-3
5-11
6-2
6-2
6-2
5-9
6-2
6-0
6-2
6-1
5-11
5-9
6-2
6-4
6-0
5-11
5-9
5-11
5-9
6-2
6-3
5-10
6-4
6-5
5-9
6-3
6-0
5-10
6-1
5-9
5-11
6-1
6-0
6-3
6-0
6-2
6-0
6-3
5-11
6-3
6-3
6-2
5-11
6-3
6-3
6-2
6-2
6-3
6-1
6-2
6-3
6-1
6-2
6-2
6-0
6-2
6-1
6-4
6-2
6-5
6-3
6-4
6-2
6-3
6-5
6-3
6-5
6-6
6-6
6-2
6-3
6-4
6-8
6-7
6-7
6-5
6-6
6-3
6-4
6-2
5-10
6-4
6-3
6-5
5-10
6-3
6-4
6-4
6-2
6-3
6-3
6-4
6-4
6-3
6-2
Wt. Year Hometown/High School (Previous School)
211
188
215
196
180
190
195
195
202
180
176
155
208
198
186
185
155
190
176
190
235
180
206
190
185
215
198
176
195
175
200
215
202
207
205
186
187
221
225
195
245
251
211
255
242
234
249
224
205
219
230
241
231
226
212
205
228
250
200
292
305
330
295
300
260
296
248
270
305
312
230
300
314
320
298
292
260
260
214
205
171
252
238
225
184
250
235
285
275
230
300
285
225
320
215
RJr.
So.
Fr.
Sr.
RSo.
Fr.
RSo.
Fr.
RSo.
Sr.
RSo.
Fr.
RFr.
RFr.
RFr.
Sr.
Sr.
So.
Jr.
So.
Fr.
Fr.
RFr.
Fr.
So.
Fr.
RSr.
RSr.
RSo.
Jr.
Fr.
Fr.
RFr.
Sr.
So.
RFr.
So.
So.
Fr.
Fr.
So.
Sr.
RSr.
RSo.
RJr.
RSo.
So.
Fr.
Fr.
RFr.
So.
Jr.
RJr.
RJr.
So.
RFr.
Sr.
Fr.
RFr.
RSr.
Fr.
Fr.
RSr.
Jr.
RFr.
RJr.
RFr.
Fr.
RFr.
RJr.
Fr.
Fr.
RSo.
RSo.
RFr.
Sr.
RFr.
Fr.
So.
So.
So.
RSo.
Jr.
RFr.
RFr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
Jr.
RSo.
Jr.
Fr.
Jr.
Jr.
Ft. Laurderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons (Pearl River C.C.)
Homestead, Fla./Homestead
Islip Terrace, N.Y./East Islip
Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles School
Rome, Ga./Rome
Suwanee, Ga./Peachtree Ridge
St. Petersburg, Fla./Boca Ciega
Stockbridge, Ga./Stockbridge
Clermont, Fla. / East Ridge (Notre Dame)
Coral Springs, Fla./Taravella (Miami (Fla.))
Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot
Mims, Fla./Astronaut
Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales
Land O’Lakes, Fla./Land O’Lakes
Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch
Euss, Fla./Euss
Boyton Beach, Fla./Boyton Beach Community
Homestead, Fla./South Dade
Milton, Fla./Milton
Atlanta, Ga./ North Atlanta
Shoreham, N.Y./Shoreham-Wading River
Stuart, Fla./Marn County
Clearwarter, Fla./Central Catholic
Tampa, Fla./Gaither
Winter Park, Fla./Bishop Moore (Georgia Southern)
Nedrow, N.Y./Onandaga Central
Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
Baton Rouge, La./Redemptorist
Gainesville, Fla./Bucholz (Air Force)
Pembroke Pines, Fla./Everglades (Florida A&M)
Winter Park, Fla./Bishop Moore
Largo, Fla./Largo
Wabasso, Fla./Vero Beach
Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson
Fort Pierce, Fla./ Fort Pierce Central
Homestead, Fla./Homestead
Baton Rouge, La./Redemptorist
Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs
Bemus Point, N.Y./Maple Grove
Longwood, Fla./Lynam
Deltona, Fla./DeLand
Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach
Mariea, Ga./Mariea
Miami, Fla./Hialeah
Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln
Lexington, S.C./White Knoll
Canton, Ga./Woodstock
Tavares, Fla./Tavares
Ft. Lauderdale, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons
Miami, Fla./ Coral Reef
Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill
Conyers, Ga./Heritage
Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz
Cary, N.C./Cary/Hargrave Military Academy
Pensacola, Fla./Woodham
Seminole, Fla./Osceola
Naples, Fla./Naples
Tampa, Fla./Hillsborough
Miami, Fla./ Hialeah-Miami Lakes
Sanford, Fla./Seminole
Tallahassee, Fla./Lincoln
Belle Glade, Fla./Glades Central
Alpharea, Ga./Chaahootchee (West Virginia)
Ormond Beach, Fla./Seabreeze
Fort Walton Beach, Fla./Choctawhatchee
Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley
Merri Island, Fla./Merri Island
LaGrange, Ga./Troup County
Winter Park, Fla./Lake Howell
Miami, Fla./Killian
Palm Beach, Fla./Cardinal Newman
Mentor, Ohio/Lake Catholic
Bonita Springs, Fla./Estero
Haines City, Fla./Haines City
Fort Laurderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North
Cumming, Ga./South Forsyth
Port St. Joe, Fla./Port St. Joe
Suwanee, Ga./ Peachtree Ridge
Miami, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna
Lutcher, La./Lutcher
Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton Community (Duke)
Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park
Titusville, Fla./Titusville
Laurens, S.C./Laurens
Kennesaw, Ga./Harrison
Jacksonville, Fla./Bolles
Fort Bend, Texas/Hightower
Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay
Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota
Leesville, La./Leesville
Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz
Suwanee, Ga./North Gwine
Conyers, Ga./Salem
Andrews, S.C./Andrews (Feather River C.C.)
COACHING STAFF
Head Coach
George O’Leary (New Hampshire, 1969)
Defensive Backs
Gary Blackney (Conneccut, 1967)
Linebackers/Recruing Coordinator
Geoff Collins (Western Carolina, 1994)
Offensive Line
Tom Freeman (San Diego State, 1969)
Quarterbacks
George Godsey (Georgia Tech, 2001)
Defensive Coordinator
Dave Huxtable (Eastern Illinois, 1979)
Wide Receivers
David Kelly (Furman, 1979)
Tight Ends/Special Teams Coordinator
Brent Key (Georgia Tech, 2001)
Defensive Line
Jim Panagos (Maryland, 1993)
Offensive Coordinator
Tim Salem (Arizona State, 1985)
Assistant AD/Director of Football Operaons
Marty O’Leary (Georgia Tech, 2002)
Director of Strength & Condioning
Ed Ellis (Alabama, 1987)
Head Athlec Trainer
Mary Vander Heiden (UW-Eau-Claire, 1998)
Team Physicians
Michael Jablonski, MD
Kenneth Krumins, MD
Douglas Meuser, MD
Daniel Monee, MD
Director of Video Services
John Kvatek (Miami (Ohio), 1995)
Equipment Coordinator
Robert Jones (Carson Newman, 1984)
Director of Player Personnel
Steve Rubio (UCF, 2007)
Graduate Assistants
Michael Buscemi (UCF, 2008)
Andrew Thacker (Furman, 2008)
Mark Cammack (UCF, 2007)
PRONUNCIATIONS
Jusn Boddie ......................................body
Ian Busllo ................................ bus-TEE-yo
Rob Calabrese ......................cal-ah-BREEZE
Nick Caoi......................................cah-TOY
Jeramy DeVane ........................... deh-VAIN
Willie Gaetjens............................. gate-gins
James Getsee ..................................gets-ee
Rashidi Haughton ......................... HAW-n
Mike Lavoie ..................................... lah-voy
Josh Linam ..................................... line-um
John Lubischer ....................... LOO-bish-err
Johnell Neal ................................... john-ell
Billy Offu .........................................ah-FIT
Nick Pieschel ................................. pie-shell
Corey Rabazinski............. rah-bah-ZIN-skee
Sha’reff Rashad .......................... shah-REEF
Andy Slowik ................................ slow-wick
Wes Tunuufi Sauvao tuh-NOO-fee sow-vow
Dean Wegerif ..............................weg-err-if
Khymest Williams .........................kim-mist
THE USF GAME
DEPTH CHART
OFFENSE
WR
WR
LT
LG
C
RG
RT
TE
QB
TB
FB
5
80
6
82
78
75
66
63
62
64
65
77
79
76
84
83
2
17
4
35
34
28
7
43
85
Rocky Ross
Sidney Haynes
Brian Waers
Khymest Williams
Patrick Brown
Mike Buxton
Jeramy DeVane
Steven Robinson
Mike Lavoie
Jarien Moreland
John Hafferty
Nick Pieschel
Adam Nissley
Jah Reid
Corey Rabazinski
John Lubischer
Michael Greco
Joe Weatherford
Rob Calabrese
Ronnie Weaver
Brynn Harvey
Latavius Murray
Brandon Davis
Ricky Kay
Willie Gaetjens
SPECIALISTS
PK
H
P
12
26
13
5
41
13
Daren Daly
Nick Caoi
Parker Langley
Rocky Ross
Blake Clingan
Parker Langley
Sr.
So.
RSo.
So.
Sr.
RSo.
Jr.
Fr.
RSr.
Fr.
RSr.
RFr.
RFr.
RSo.
Jr.
RSo.
RJr.
RFr.
Fr.
RFr.
Fr.
Fr.
Fr.
So.
RFr.
6-2
6-4
6-2
5-10
6-5
6-8
6-3
6-3
6-5
6-4
6-2
6-7
6-6
6-7
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-4
6-2
6-0
6-1
6-3
5-9
6-3
6-5
196
214
180
171
292
314
300
305
292
330
295
298
260
320
238
252
211
198
215
202
215
215
190
245
225
RSr.
Fr.
RSo.
Sr.
So.
RSo.
6-1
6-5
5-11
6-2
6-3
5-11
180
190
176
196
221
176
DEFENSE
LE
LT
RT
RE
OLB
MLB
OLB
FS
SS
LC
RC
LS
KR
PR
48
44
47
95
94
98
46
91
49
99
38
56
54
55
59
57
45
37
40
29
21
31
22
19
23
David Williams
Antonio Wallace
OR
T.J. Harnden
Travis Timmons
Wes Tunuufi Sauvao
Torrell Troup
Rashidi Haughton OR
Theo Goins
Bruce Miller
Jarvis Geathers
Derrick Hallman
Jordan Richards
Chance Henderson
Alex Thompson
Cory Hogue
OR
Lawrence Young
Jason Venson
Breon Rogers
OR
Reggie Weams
Sha’reff Rashad
Darin Baldwin
Johnell Neal
Emery Allen
Joe Burne
Jusn Boddie
RSo.
Sr.
RJr.
Jr.
RSo.
Jr.
RSo.
Fr.
RSo.
Jr.
So.
RJr.
Jr.
RJr.
Sr.
So.
RSr.
Sr.
So.
RSr.
So.
RSr.
Jr.
Sr.
So.
6-2
6-2
6-3
6-4
6-3
6-3
6-3
6-4
6-2
6-2
6-0
6-2
6-1
6-2
6-1
6-0
5-11
6-3
6-0
6-0
5-11
5-10
5-9
5-11
6-2
234
251
242
285
300
320
255
285
249
215
205
226
241
231
228
212
211
207
187
198
190
176
176
185
190
60
50
82
21
19
45
Charley Hughle
James Getsee
Khymest Williams
Darin Baldwin
Joe Burne
Jason Venson
Fr.
RFr.
So.
So.
Sr.
RSr.
6-4
6-2
5-10
5-11
5-11
5-11
250
200
171
190
185
211
GAME-BY-GAME STARTERS - OFFENSE
Opp.
S.C. State
USF
Boston College
UTEP
SMU
Miami
Tulsa
East Carolina
Southern Miss
Marshall
Memphis
UAB
WR
Ross
WR
Waers
LT
Brown
LG
DeVane
C
Lavoie
RG
Hafferty
RT
Reid
TE
Rabazinski
QB
Greco
TB
FB
PK
Weaver Nissley (TE) Daly
GAME-BY-GAME STARTERS - DEFENSE
Opp.
LE
LT
S.C. State
Williams Timmons
USF
Boston College
UTEP
SMU
Miami
Tulsa
East Carolina
Southern Miss
Marshall
Memphis
UAB
RT
Troup
RE
Miller
OLB
MLB
Richards Henderson
15
OLB
Young
FS
Venson
SS
Rashad
LC
Neal
RC
Burne
P
Clingan
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
HEAD COACH
GEORGE O’
O’LEARY
FIFTH YEAR AT UCF
The 2007 football campaign at UCF was marked
by historic firsts for the program: games in front
of sellout crowds, dozens of individual accolades
for the Knights, a conference championship and a
trip to a presgious bowl game. For head coach
George O’Leary, it was business as usual.
In only four campaigns at UCF, O’Leary has helped
the program reach new heights. On and off the
field, the veteran head coach has molded his program into a consistent winner.
His hard work contributed to the construcon of Bright House Networks
Stadium. Interest in the program has never been higher. His student-athletes are enjoying record success in the classroom. Most importantly for
O’Leary, the Knights are winning on the football field.
In 2007, O’Leary guided the Knights to arguably the finest campaign
in program history. UCF won 10 contests, claimed the Conference USA
Championship and parcipated in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in front of
a naonally-televised audience on ESPN.
There was lile suspense as to who would garner C-USA Coach of the
Year honors. O’Leary was recognized with the award for the second me
in three campaigns. For the Knights and their fans, 2007 was truly a year to
remember. For the college football world, the season was more evidence
that O’Leary has built the Knights into a powerful program.
16
HELPING UCF ARRIVE ON THE NATIONAL SCENE
In four years at UCF, O’Leary has already le his stamp on the Knights’
program. When he arrived in Orlando in 2004, UCF was not a factor on
the regional or naonal scenes.
O’Leary rebuilt the program from the ground up. He lobbied for new
facilies, toured the state to gain publicity, restocked the Knights with top
recruits and made sure his student-athletes excelled in their studies.
The growth of the program was no more evident than in 2007. UCF
posted a school-record seven-game winning streak during the season. The
conference championship was the first in program history.
The 10 wins during the year established a program record at the
Football Bowl Subdivision level. Naonally, only 19 teams won at least 10
contests during the year.
O’Leary helped tailback Kevin Smith post one of the most dominant
single-season rushing performances. The junior rushed for 2,567 yards,
good for second all-me in NCAA history, and 29 touchdowns. He became
the only rusher in the state of Florida and the 12th all-me in the NCAA
FBS to eclipse the 2,000-year mark in a season.
O’LEARY ON THE AIRWAVES
Weekly Radio Call-In Show
The George O’Leary Call-In Show, co-hosted by Marc Daniels,
airs each Monday during the football season from 7-8 p.m. on
WFLA 540 AM. The show broadcasts from Buffalo Wild Wings
on Alafaya Trail.
UCF Today with George O’Leary
UCF Today with George O’Leary, co-hosted by Pat Clarke, airs
each Sunday during the football season at 12:00 noon on WESH
NBC Ch. 2. The show has an encore broadcast statewide on Sun
Sports each Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
EXCELLENCE OFF THE FIELD
O’Leary has reshaped the UCF program in every facet, including
improved results in the classroom. The Knights turned in a successful effort in the classroom during the 2007 campaign, registering the highest
in-season grade-point-average in program history at 2.753. A total of 44
student-athletes recorded a GPA of least 3.0.
Defensive lineman Keith Shologan became the first player in school
history to receive ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America First Team
honors. Both Shologan and defensive back Sha’reff Rashad were selected
to the C-USA Football All-Academic Team.
Rashad was named to the league all-academic squad for the secondconsecuve year. In 2007, he was named the UCF Male Scholar Athlete of
the Year, becoming the second-straight football player to earn the honor.
Offensive lineman Dan Veenstra was the award winner in 2006.
GUIDING THE KNIGHTS TOWARD PROMINENCE
The 2006 season featured several memorable moments for the Knights
as they finished their final campaign at the Florida Citrus Bowl. Wide
receiver Mike Walker had a record-breaking season. The Orlando nave
broke the single-season school record for recepons with 90 and hauled
in 1,178 receiving yards just a year removed from an ACL injury. He earned
All-C-USA First Team honors and was one of five Knights recognized for
their strong play by the league office.
In 2005, O’Leary’s second season at UCF, he engineered one of the top
turnarounds in the history of college football. Just one year removed from
an 0-11 campaign, he guided the Knights to a historic season, complete
with the program’s first bowl appearance.
O’Leary led UCF to the fourth-best turnaround in NCAA history with a
record of 8-5. The Knights went 7-1 in C-USA and claimed the league’s east
division tle. The squad became just the sixth team in NCAA history to go
to a bowl game a year aer going winless as the Knights parcipated in
the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl.
The college football world took noce of the turnaround. O’Leary was
named the C-USA Coach of the Year. Both CBSsports.com and SportsIllustrated.com named him the naonal coach of the year.
Facing an 11-game schedule with just four home games, his squad
became just the fourth team in NCAA history to earn a bowl berth while
playing seven road contests. Even more remarkable, the turnaround was
made with a team of mostly underclassmen.
PIPELINE TO THE PROS
O’Leary has experience coaching on the professional
level and, as a result, has helped several Knights move
on to the NFL. Five Knights who played under O’Leary
have been selected in the NFL Dra.
Smith was one of three UCF players taken in the
2008 dra. He was the first pick of the third round
by Detroit. OL Josh Sion went to Green Bay in the
fourth round and Kansas City selected ght end Mike
Merri with its seventh-round pick.
Aer his incredible senior season in 2006, Walker
was selected by Jacksonville in the third round. In the
previous year’s dra, wide receiver Brandon Marshall
was Denver’s fourth-round selecon.
Other former Knights who played under O’Leary,
including DL Paul Carrington and TB Alex Haynes, have
also spent me in the NFL.
THE USF GAME
THE O’
O’LEARY FILE
FAST FACTS
O’LEARY’S YEAR-BY-YEAR RECORD
Date of Birth: August 17, 1946
Hometown: Central Islip, N.Y.
Educaon: B.S. in Physical Educaon, New Hampshire 1969
Year School
1994
Georgia Tech
1995
Georgia Tech
1996
Georgia Tech
1997
Georgia Tech
1998
Georgia Tech
1999
Georgia Tech
2000
Georgia Tech
2001 * Georgia Tech
2004
UCF
2005
UCF
2006
UCF
2007
UCF
2008
UCF
Total
at UCF
COACHING EXPERIENCE
2004-Present
UCF, Head Coach
2002-2003
Minnesota Vikings, Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line 2002;
Def. Coordinator 2003
1994-2001
Georgia Tech, Def. Coord./Def. Line 1994; Interim Head Coach 1994;
Head Coach 1995-2001
1992-1993
San Diego Chargers, Defensive Line
1987-1991
Georgia Tech, Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line
1980-1986
Syracuse University, Defensive Line, 1980-84; Assistant Head Coach/
Defensive Line, 1985-86
1977-1979
Liverpool (N.Y.) High School, Head Coach
1968-1976
Central Islip (N.Y.) High School, Assistant Head Coach, 1968-74; Head
Coach, 1975-76
HONORS
2007
2007
2005
2005
2005
2005
2005
2000
2000
1998
1998
1998
Conference USA Coach of the Year
Atlanta Touchdown Club C-USA Coach of the Year
Conference USA Coach of the Year
CBS SportsLine.com Naonal Coach of the Year
SportsIllustrated.com Naonal Coach of the Year
Finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
Finalist for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award
Bobby Dodd Naonal Coach of the Year Award
Atlanc Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Atlanc Coast Conference Coach of the Year
Region I Coach of the Year (AFCA)
Finalist for Eddie Robinson Naonal
Coach of the Year Award (FWAA)
SUCCESS AT GEORGIA TECH
O’Leary was the head coach at Georgia Tech from 1994-01. He took over
as interim head coach for the final three games of the 1994 season. During
his seven-year snt at Georgia Tech, O’Leary guided the Yellow Jackets to
a 52-33 record. The squad made five bowl appearances under O’Leary.
From 1995-01, Georgia Tech recorded five winning seasons in six years.
His 1998 squad won the Atlanc Coast Championship and played in the
Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day. O’Leary’s Georgia Tech teams won at least
seven games on four occasions , including a 10-win campaign in 1998 and
nine victories in 2000. The 2000 Bobby Dodd Naonal Coach of the Year,
O’Leary was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 1998 and 2000.
One trademark of O’Leary’s tenure as a head coach has been the quality of his coaching staffs. While at Georgia Tech, he had three assistants
who later garnered head coaching jobs. Ralph Friedgen (Maryland), Randy
Edsall (Conneccut) and Ted Roof (Duke) all served under O’Leary. Both
Friedgen and Edsall have led their schools to BCS conference tles.
NFL EXPERIENCE
Prior to coming to UCF, O’Leary served on Minnesota’s NFL coaching
staff for two seasons. In 2003, he was the Vikings’ defensive coordinator.
In his first season with the team in 2002, he guided the defensive line into
becoming the strength of the Minnesota defense. He also served as the
squad’s assistant head coach.
Under O’Leary’s direcon, defensive tackle Chris Hovan emerged as
one of the top players in the game at his posion. He finished the season
with a team-high 36 quarterback hurries and was selected to the Sports
Record
Notes
0-3
Interim head coach
6-5
5-6
7-5
Carquest Bowl
10-2
Gator Bowl, ACC Co-Champs
8-4
Gator Bowl
9-3
Peach Bowl
7-5
Seale Bowl
0-11
8-5
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl
4-8
10-4 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, C-USA Champs
1-0
75-61
23-28
O’LEARY’S BOWL HISTORY
4-5 overall, 2-4 as head coach
(years as head coach in bold)
Season Bowl
Result
1985
Cherry
Maryland 35, Syracuse 18
1991
Citrus
Georgia Tech 45, Nebraska 21
1991
Aloha
Georgia Tech 18, Stanford 17
1997
Carquest
Georgia Tech 35, W. Virginia 30
1998
Gator
Georgia Tech 35, Notre Dame 28 (Jan. 1, 1999)
1999
Gator
Miami 28, Georgia Tech 13 (Jan. 1, 2000)
2000
Peach
LSU 28, Georgia Tech 14
2001
Seale
Georgia Tech 24, Stanford 14 *
2005
Sheraton Hawaii
Nevada 49, UCF 48 (OT)
2007
AutoZone Liberty
Mississippi State 10, UCF 3
* Coached Georgia Tech for its first 12 games of the 2001 season, but
did not coach the Yellow Jackets in the Seale Bowl.
Illustrated All-Pro squad. The Vikings’ defense ranked 10th in the NFL in
2003. Prior to his snt with the Vikings, O’Leary le Georgia Tech and was
named head coach at Notre Dame in December of 2001.
O’Leary served as the defensive line coach for San Diego from 1992-93.
In 1992, the defense had 51 sacks as the Chargers won the AFC West with
an 11-5 record.
MOVING UP THE RANKS
O’Leary had the first of two snts at Georgia Tech from 1987-91. He
served as the defensive coordinator/defensive line coach. The team
finished 11-0-1 in 1990 and won the naonal championship, defeang
Nebraska in the Florida Citrus Bowl.
A Long Island nave, O’Leary received his first coaching job at the collegiate level at Syracuse (1980-86). He coached the defensive line and was
also the assistant head coach his final two seasons.
He started his coaching career at the high school level. From 1968-76,
he coached at Central Islip (N.Y.) High School. O’Leary was the head coach
at the school from 1975-76, before taking over as the head coach at Liverpool High School. He posted a 37-8-1 record in five seasons as a prep
head coach, including a perfect 10-0 campaign in 1979.
O’Leary was born in Central Islip, N.Y., and aended Central Islip High
School. He aended the University of New Hampshire and earned his
degree in physical educaon. O’Leary and his wife, Sharon, have two
daughters, Chris and Trish, and two sons, Tim and Marty. The O’Leary’s
welcomed their first grandchild in 2006 as Tim and his wife Jennifer gave
birth to a son named Tate.
17
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
UCF RECORD SEEKERS
CAREER - PUNTS
CAREER - PUNT RETURN YARDAGE
CAREER - INTERCEPTIONS
1. Charlie Pierce........ 173/7,111........... 1993-96
2. Aaron Horne ......... 162/6,493........... 2004-06
3. Javier Beorlegui .... 151/6,209........... 1998-01
4. Russ Salerno ......... 112/3,852........... 1989-91
5. Glenn McCombs ... 100/4,123........... 1983-84
6. Jim Hogan .............. 89/3,384............ 1985-86
7. Barrie Kee .............. 87/3,284............ 1987-88
8. Doug Friedlander ... 81/3,067............ 1981-82
9. Ma Prater ............ 64/3,044............ 2002-05
10. Blake Clingan ...... 62/2,519 .. 2007-present
1. Joe Burne ........... 1,009/74 .. 2005-present
2. Mike Dickinson ....... 717/85 ............. 1989-92
3. Asante Samuel ........ 673/63 ............. 1999-02
4. Mark Whiemore ... 420/43 ............. 1991-94
5. Tavaris Capers ......... 372/40 ............. 2001-04
1. Siaha Burley ..... 14.0 (293/21) .......... 1997-98
2. Joe Burne .... 13.6 (1,009/74) . 2005-present
3. Sean Beckton ... 11.6 (314/27) .......... 1987-90
4. Tim Kiggins ...... 10.7 (236/22) .......... 1979-80
Asante Samuel . 10.7 (673/63) .......... 1999-02
1. Keith Evans ................. 13 ................. 1986-88
2. Joe Burne ................ 12 ....... 2005-present
3. Reggie Edwards ........... 9 .................. 1984-87
Sha’reff Rashad ........... 9 ........ 2004-present
5. Ray Irvin ....................... 8 .................. 1988-90
Rick Hamilton ............... 8 .................. 1989-92
Steve Wright ................ 8 .................. 1990-94
Asante Samuel ............. 8 .................. 1999-02
Johnell Neal ................ 8 ........ 2005-present
10. Bill Giovane ............ 7 .................. 1979-82
Eric Buckley ............... 7 .................. 1988-91
Jason Venson ........... 7 ........ 2005-present
CAREER - PUNT RETURN TOUCHDOWNS
CAREER - INT RETURN YARDAGE
CAREER - PUNT YARDAGE
1. Charlie Pierce........ 7,111/173........... 1993-96
2. Aaron Horne ......... 6,493/163........... 2004-06
3. Javier Beorlegui .... 6,209/151........... 1998-01
4. Glenn McCombs ... 4,123/100........... 1983-84
5. Russ Salerno ......... 3,852/112........... 1989-91
6. Jim Hogan .............. 3,384/89............ 1985-86
7. Barrie Kee .............. 3,284/87............ 1987-88
8. Doug Friedlander ... 3,067/81............ 1981-82
9. Ma Prater ............ 3,044/64............ 2002-05
10. Blake Clingan ...... 2,519/62 .. 2007-present
CAREER - AVERAGE YARDAGE PER PUNT
1. Ma Prater ................47.6 ............... 2002-05
2. Glenn McCombs ........41.2 ............... 1983-84
3. Charlie Pierce.............41.1 ............... 1993-96
4. Javier Beorlegui .........41.1 ............... 1998-01
5. Blake Clingan ............40.6 ...... 2007-present
6. Aaron Horne ..............40.1 ............... 2004-06
7. Jim Hogan ..................38.0 ............... 1985-86
CAREER - AVERAGE PER PUNT RETURN
1. Mike Dickinson ............ 3 .................. 1989-92
Joe Burne ................. 3 ........ 2005-present
3. Thad Ward ................... 2 .................. 1999-01
Tavaris Capers .............. 2 .................. 2001-04
5. 13 ed with one
CAREER - KICK RETURN TOUCHDOWNS
1. Todd Cleveland ............ 4 ............ 1994, 96-97
2. Ted Wilson ................... 2 .................. 1983-86
3. Paul Miranda ............... 1 .................. 1996-98
Curs Francis ............... 1 .................. 2004-07
Khymest Wiliams ........ 1 ........ 2007-present
1. Ray Irvin ................... 223/8 .............. 1988-90
2. Reggie Edwards ....... 203/9 .............. 1984-87
3. Keith Evans ............. 183/13 ............. 1986-88
4. Rick Hamilton .......... 177/8 .............. 1989-92
5. Joe Burne ............ 159/12.... 2005-present
Johnell Neal ............ 159/8..... 2005-present
7. Jason Venson .......... 121/7..... 2004-present
CAREER - PASSES BROKEN UP
1. Asante Samuel ............ 38 ................. 1999-02
2. Greg Aerberry .......... 34 ................. 1981-85
3. Davin Bush .................. 32 ........... 1996, 98-00
4. Jimmie Roberts ........... 24 ................. 1987-90
Reginald Doster........... 24 ................. 1996-98
Joe Burne ................ 24 ....... 2005-present
Johnell Neal ............... 24 ....... 2005-present
CAREER - PUNT RETURNS
1. Mike Dickinson ....... 85/717 ............. 1989-92
2. Joe Burne ........... 74/1,009 .. 2005-present
3. Asante Samuel ........ 63/673 ............. 1999-02
4. Mark Whiemore ... 43/420 ............. 1991-94
5. Tavaris Capers ......... 40/372 ............. 2001-04
18
Jason Venson intercepted his seventh career pass vs.
SCSU Aug. 30. That pick allowed him to move into a
e for 10th on the UCF all-me list, as all four current
starng DBs now rank in the top 10.
THE USF GAME
THE LAST TIME
A kickoff was returned for a touchdown
UCF - Khymest Williams (99 yards) at SMU, 11/17/07
Opponent - Chris Johnson (96 yards), East Carolina, 10/7/07
500 yards passing
UCF - Never
Opponent - Tim Raay (62-46-1, 561, 5 TD), La. Tech, 10/23/99
A punt was returned for a touchdown
UCF - Joe Burne (83 yards) vs. Tulsa, 12/1/07
Opponent - Joe Hunter (recovered in end zone), West Virginia, 11/1/03
400 yards passing
UCF - Ryan Schneider (52-37-2, 497, 3 TD) vs. FAU, 9/13/03
Opponent - Paul Smith (55-28-3-426, 3 TD), Tulsa, 12/1/07
A blocked punt was returned for a touchdown
UCF - Augustus Ashley (19 yards) vs. Louisiana, 9/29/07
Opponent - N/A
300 yards passing
UCF - Kyle Israel (45-28-2, 313, 2 TD) at East Carolina, 10/7/07
Opponent - Paul Smith (56-34-4, 316, 3 TD), Tulsa, 10/20/07
An intercepon was returned for a touchdown
UCF - Johnell Neal (72 yards) at SMU, 11/17/07
Opponent - Quinn Demps (100 yards), UTEP, 11/24/07
75-yard touchdown recepon
UCF - Doug Gabriel (80 yards) at Arizona State, 9/7/02
Opponent - Carlton Mitchell (75 yards), at USF, 10/13/07
A safety was scored
UCF - at USF, 10/13/07
Opponent - Tulsa, 12/1/07
70-yard non-scoring recepon
UCF - Jeff Froehlich (72 yards) vs. Southeastern La., 9/18/82
Opponent - Jeff Klein (78 yards), at Auburn, 11/6/99
A shutout was recorded
UCF - vs. South Carolina State, 8/30/08 (17-0)
Opponent - at Florida, 9/9/03 (42-0)
Team gained 500 yards passing
UCF - Never
Opponent - 597, Louisiana Tech, 10/23/99
A fumble was recovered for a touchdown
UCF - Josh McKibben (in end zone) vs. UAB, 10/6/01
Opponent - Sterling Doty, Houston (in end zone), 11/5/05
Player rushed for five touchdowns
UCF - Never
Opponent - Lee Suggs (30-143-5 TD), Virginia Tech, 11/11/00
Player with two intercepons
UCF - Johnell Neal vs. Tulsa, 12/1/07
Opponent - Derek Pegues, vs. Mississippi State, 12/29/07
Player rushed for four touchdowns
UCF - Kevin Smith (39-284-4 TD), Tulsa, 12/1/07
Opponent - Walter Reyes (31-241-4 TD), at Syracuse, 9/20/03
Player passed for six touchdowns
UCF - Darin Hinshaw (29-21-0, 350, 6 TD) vs. Liberty, 11/6/93
Opponent - Jose Davis (51-32-3, 551, 6 TD), Kent St., 10/4/97
Player rushed for three touchdowns
UCF - Kevin Smith (33-170-3 TD), vs. Tulsa, 10/20/07
Opponent - Jackie Bale 14-70-3 TD), Houston, 10/28/06
Player passed for five touchdowns
UCF - Ryan Schneider (42-25-2, 360, 5 TD) at Buffalo, 11/9/02
Opponent - Dusn Almond (37-23-1-277, 5 TD), Southern Miss, 10/15/05
30 rushing aempts
UCF - Kevin Smith (35-119-0 TD), vs. Mississippi State, 12/29/07
Opponent - Anthony Sherrell (43-155-TD), at EMU, 11/8/03
50 pass aempts
UCF - Ryan Schneider (52-37-2, 497, 3 TD) vs. FAU, 9/13/03
Opponent - Paul Smith (55-28-3-426, 3 TD), Tulsa, 12/1/07
200 yards rushing
UCF - Kevin Smith (39-284-4 TD), Tulsa, 12/1/07
Opponent - Walter Reyes (31-241-4 TD), at Syracuse, 9/20/03
40 pass aempts
UCF - Kyle Israel (45-28-2, 313, 2 TD) at East Carolina, 10/7/07
Opponent - Paul Smith (56-34-4, 316, 3 TD), Tulsa, 10/20/07
150 yards rushing
UCF - Kevin Smith (20-177-2 TD), at SMU, 11/17/07
Opponent - Jamaal Charles (22-153-1 TD), Texas, 9/15/07
40 pass compleons
UCF - Never
Opponent - Tim Raay (62-46-1, 561, 5 TD), La. Tech, 10/23/99
30 pass compleons
UCF - Steven Moffe (41-30-2, 322, 2 TD), vs. Akron, 10/16/04
Opponent - Paul Smith (56-34-316-3 TD), Tulsa, 10/20/07
19
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
GAME 1
SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 0
UCF
17
August 30, 2008
Bright House Networks Stadium (Orlando, Fla.)
ORLANDO, Fla. - Posng its first shutout since
2001, UCF (1-0) opened the 2008 season with
a 17-0 victory over vising South Carolina State
(0-1) on a rainy Saturday night at Bright House
Networks Stadium. Playing in front of a crowd
of more than 42,000, the Knights’ earned their
third-straight win in season openers.
A nine-play, 40-yard drive was capped by a
one-yard touchdown run by freshman Latavius
Murray to give the Knights a 7-0 lead with 11:18
le in the second quarter. A 30-yard pass from
junior Michael Greco to senior Rocky Ross at
the three converted a fourth-and-17 to keep
the drive alive. The Knights limited the Bulldogs
to just five first downs and 126 yards of total
offense in the game, including just 35 yards in
a dominant second half performance.
UCF took the opening kickoff, returned by Darin
Baldwin 24 yards to its own 48, and marched to
the S.C. State 20 before Daren Daly’s 37-yard
field goal missed wide le.
On the Bulldogs’ opening drive, UCF’s Bruce
Miller forced a fumble on a completed pass to
S.C. State’s Markee Hamlin. The Knights’ Travis
Timmons recovered the fumble for the team’s
first takeaway of the young season.
Jason Venson’s intercepon of Malcolm Long’s
pass, the senior free safety’s seventh career
intercepon, with just under a minute le in the
opening quarter gave the Knights excellent field
posion at the S.C. State 40-yard line.
20
The Knights drove into Bulldogs’ territory once
again late in the second quarter, but stalled at
the 33-yard line, turning the ball over on downs
aer a Greco run came up short of the first down
marker with 1:53 remaining.
UCF held a 7-0 halime lead thanks in large part
to their defense. The unit held S.C. State to 91
total yards of offense on 24 plays, an average
of just 3.8 yards per play. The Knights held the
ball for over 20 minutes in the period, totaling
155 yards on 40 plays.
Aer the Bulldogs went three-and-out on the
opening possession of the first half, UCF senior
Joe Burne returned the punt 31 yards, breaking the Conference USA all-me record for punt
return yardage. Barnett finished the
night with 83 yards
on four returns, going over 1,000 for
his career.
The Knights
marched inside the
five with a 10-play
drive for 57 yards
in the third quarter,
but UCF turned the ball over on a Greco fumble
that was recovered at the two-yard line.
Aside from that Knights’ possession, neither
offense was able to manage significant offense
in the third quarter. The Bulldogs had just one
first down and 26 total yards in the third while
UCF had 74 total yards.
UCF stretched its lead to 10-0 with 11:25 le
in the fourth on Daly’s 27-yard field goal, his
first made field goal as a Knight. UCF’s 11-play,
26-yard Knights’ drive lasted 5:02 and included
a fourth down conversion and a 14-yard strike
from Greco to Ross on third-and-10 from the
Bulldogs’ 24.
Aer the defense forced another three and
out, UCF mounted another long drive to ice
the game, capped by Murray’s second rushing
TD of the night from seven yards out. The play
ended a 12-play, 62-yard drive, the Knights’
fourth drive of 10 or more plays.
Running backs Ronnie Weaver and Murray
combined for 141 yards rushing on 36 carries
to lead a UCF rushing aack that accumulated
228 yards on 59 carries.
Making his first career start, Greco finished the
game 9-for-16 for 90 yards. The junior added 72
yards rushing on 13 carries.
The defensive unit was led by junior Jordan
Richards, who had six solo and seven total
tackles. Fellow junior Chance Henderson added
six tackles, and T.J. Harnden had three tackles
and the squad’s lone sack.
BOX SCORE
South Carolina State 0
Record: (0-1)
UCF
0
Record: (1-0)
Scoring Summary:
2nd 11:18 UCF
4th 11:25
3:15
UCF
UCF
0
0
0 - 0
7
0
10 - 17
MURRAY, Latavius 1 yd run
(DALY, Daren kick)
DALY, Daren 27 yd field goal
MURRAY, Latavius 7 yd run
(DALY, Daren kick)
FIRST DOWNS
RUSHES-YARDS (NET)
PASSING YDS (NET)
Passes A-Comp-Int
TOTAL OFFENSE PLAYS-YARDS
Fumble Returns-Yards
Punt Returns-Yards
Kickoff Returns-Yards
Intercepon Returns-Yards
Punts (Number-Avg)
Fumbles-Lost
Penales-Yards
Possession Time
Third-Down Conversions
Fourth-Down Conversions
Red-Zone Scores-Chances
Sacks By: Number-Yards
SCSU
5
23-52
74
21-11-1
44-126
0-0
0-0
3-44
0-0
7-43.3
1-1
4-35
21:50
2 of 11
0 of 1
0-0
3-15
UCF
19
59-228
90
16-9-0
75-318
0-0
4-83
1-24
1-0
3-38.3
2-1
4-25
38:10
7 of 18
3 of 5
3-5
1-8
RUSHING: UCF-WEAVER, Ronnie 23-84; GRECO,
Michael 13-57; MURRAY, Latavius 11-43; HARVEY,
Brynn 9-34; DAVIS, Brandon 2-7; WILLIAMS, Khymest
1-3. SCSU-FORD, William 12-36; LONG, Malcolm 4-12;
JAMISON, Travil 4-6; SMALLS, Kenneth 1-2; CLARK,
DeWain 2-(-4).
PASSING: UCF-GRECO, Michael 9-16-0-90. SCSU-LONG,
Malcolm 11-21-0-74; CLARK, DeWain 0-0-0-0.
RECEIVING: UCF-WILLIAMS, Khymest 5-32; ROSS, Rocky
3-58; RABAZINSKI, Corey 1-0.
INTERCEPTIONS: UCF-VENSON, Jason 1-0. SCSUNone.
FUMBLES: UCF-GRECO, Michael 1-1; WEAVER, Ronnie
1-0. SCSU-CAMPBELL, Anthony 1-1.
Stadium: BHNS Aendance: 42,126.
THE USF GAME
UCF PLAYER CAREER HIGHS
(81) Kamar Aiken Career Highs
Recepons: 8 (ECU, 2007)
Receiving Yards: 131 (Memphis, 2007)
Receiving TDs: 1 (5X, last me SMU, 2007)
Longest Recepon: 72 (Memphis, 2007)
(22) Emery Allen Career Highs
Total Tackles: 7 (2X, last me NC State, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 7 (NC State, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (USM, 2006)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (Houston, 2006)
Kick Returns: 5 (NC State, 2007)
Kick Return Yards: 118 (NC State, 2007)
Longest Kick Return: 37 (Tulane, 2006)
(21) Darin Baldwin Career Highs
Total Tackles: 6 (Texas, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 5 (Texas, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 1 (3X, last me SMU, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (Marshall, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (SMU, 2007)
Kick Returns: 3 (2X, last me ECU, 2007)
Kick Return Yards: 67 (Texas, 2007)
Longest Kick Return: 42 (NC State, 2007)
(23) Jusn Boddie Career Highs
Total Tackles: 5 (UAB, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 3 (4X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 2 (UAB, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (USM, Marshall, 2007)
(19) Joe Burne Career Highs
Total Tackles: 10 (Florida, 2006)
Solo Tackles: 9 (Florida, 2006)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (USF, 2006)
Intercepons: 2 (2X, last me SMU 2007)
Fumble Recovery: 1 (SMU, 2007)
Punt Returns: 5 (2X, last me Memphis 2007)
Punt Return Yards: 83 (2X, last time SCSU,
2008)
Longest Punt Return: 83 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
Punt Return Touchdowns: 1 (3X, last me Tulsa2, 2007)
Kick Returns: 1 (Rice, 2006)
Kick Return Yards: 31 (Rice, 2006)
Longest Kick Return: 31 (Rice, 2006)
(41) Blake Clingan Career Highs
Punts: 11 (USF, 2007)
Yards: 463 (USF, 2007)
Longest Punt: 55 (Mississippi State, 2007)
(12) Daren Daly Career Highs
Field Goals Made: 1 (SCSU, 2008)
Field Goals Aempted: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Longest Field Goal: 27 (SCSU, 2008)
Kickoffs: 4 (SCSU, 2008)
Kickoff Yards: 214 (SCSU, 2008)
(7) Brandon Davis Career Highs
Rushes: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing Yards: 7 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing TDs: 0 (SCSU, 2008)
Longest Rush: 4 (SCSU, 2008)
(99) Jarvis Geathers Career Highs
Total Tackles: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Solo Tackles: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Assisted Tackles: 0
(43) Ricky Kay Career Highs
Recepons: 4 (Memphis, 2007)
Receiving Yards: 35 (Memphis, 2007)
Longest Recepon: 19 (Marshall, 2007)
(2) Michael Greco Career Highs
Passing Aempts: 16 (2X, last me SCSU, 2008)
Compleons: 11 (Memphis, 2007)
Longest Pass: 42 (USF, 2007)
Passing Yards: 151 (Memphis, 2007)
Passing TDs: 0
Intercepons: 1 (ECU, 2007)
Rushing Aempts: 13 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing Yards: 77 (Memphis, 2007)
Rushing TDs: 2 (Memphis, 2007)
Longest Rush: 25 (SCSU, 2008)
(13) Parker Langley Career Highs
Punts: 4 (Louisiana, 2007)
Yards: 153 (Louisiana, 2007)
Longest Punt: 41 (Louisiana, 2007)
(3) A.J. Guyton Career Highs
Recepons: 6 (ECU, 2007)
Receiving Yards: 96 (UTEP, 2007)
Receiving TDs: 1 (2X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Longest Reception: 39 (2X, last time UTEP,
2007)
Total Tackles: 2 (Memphis, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 2 (Memphis, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 2 (Marshall, 2007)
(38) Derrick Hallman Career Highs
Total Tackles: 7 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 6 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (2X, last me MSU, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (3X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (Tulsa, 2007)
(47) T.J. Harnden Career Highs
Total Tackles: 3 (SCSU, 2008)
Solo Tackles: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Assisted Tackles: 1 (2X, last me SCSU, 2008)
QB Sacks: 1 (SCSU, 2008)
(34) Brynn Harvey Career Highs
Rushes: 9 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing Yards: 34 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing TDs: 0 (SCSU, 2008)
Longest Rush: 12 (SCSU, 2008)
(80) Sidney Haynes Career Highs
Recepons: 1 (SMU, 2007)
Receiving Yards: 38 (SMU, 2007)
Receiving TDs: 0
Longest Recepon: 38 (SMU, 2007)
(54) Chance Henderson Career Highs
Total Tackles: 11 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 9 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 6 (ECU, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (3X, last me Louisiana, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (UAB, 2006)
Intercepons: 1 (Tulsa, 2007)
(59) Cory Hogue Career Highs
Total Tackles: 13 (UTEP, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 9 (2X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 6 (Marshall, 2006)
QB Sacks: 1 (3X, last me ECU, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 2 (Houston, 2005)
Intercepons: 1 (Houston, 2005)
(49) Bruce Miller Career Highs
Total Tackles: 9 (Tulsa, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 8 (Tulsa, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (NC State, 2007)
QB Sacks: 2 (Tulsa, 2007)
Safees: 1 (NC State, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (2X, last me SCSU, 2008)
(28) Latavius Murray Career Highs
Rushes: 11 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing Yards: 43 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing TDs: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Longest Rush: 8 (SCSU, 2008)
(53) Darius Nall Career Highs
Total Tackles: 6 (2X, last me ECU, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 5 (Louisiana, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 4 (ECU, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (USF, 2007)
QB Sacks: 0.5 (SMU, 2007)
(31) Johnell Neal Career Highs
Total Tackles: 11 (Nevada, 2005)
Solo Tackles: 9 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 4 (UAB, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (3X, last me ULL, 2007)
Intercepons: 2 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
(9) Jamar Newsome Career Highs
Total Tackles: 1 (SCSU, 2008)
Solo Tackles: 1 (SCSU, 2008)
Assisted Tackles: 0
(84) Corey Rabazinski Career Highs
Recepons: 3 (2X, last me ECU, 2006)
Receiving Yards: 40 (ECU, 2006)
Receiving TDs: 1 (2X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Longest Recepon: 28 (ECU, 2006)
(29) Sha’reff Rashad Career Highs
Total Tackles: 12 (USF, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 10 (USF, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 5 (Marshall, 2006)
QB Sacks: 1 (MSU, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (2X, last me USF, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (9X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Punt Returns: 1 (Marshall, 2006)
Punt Return Yards: 5 (Marshall, 2006)
Longest Punt Return: 5 (Marshall, 2006)
(56) Jordan Richards Career Highs
Total Tackles: 9 (2X, last me Rice, 2006)
Solo Tackles: 8 (ECU, 2005)
Assisted Tackles: 5 (Rice, 2006)
QB Sacks: 1 (2X, last me USF, 2006)
21
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
UCF PLAYER CAREER HIGHS
(37) Breon Rogers Career Highs
Total Tackles: 3 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 3 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 0
(5) Rocky Ross Career Highs
Recepons: 9 (Tulane, 2006)
Receiving Yards: 135 (Memphis, 2006)
Receiving TDs: 2 (Rice, 2006)
Longest Recepon: 55 (Rice, 2006)
(55) Alex Thompson Career Highs
Total Tackles: 9 (NC State, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 2 (NC State, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 7 (NC State, 2007)
(95) Travis Timmons Career Highs
Total Tackles: 4 (Texas, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 3 (Tulane, 2006)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (Texas, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (3X, last me SMU, ‘07)
Intercepons: 1 (Florida, 2006)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (UAB, 2007)
(98) Torrell Troup Career Highs
Total Tackles: 3 (2X, last me SMU, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 3 (SMU, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 2 (ECU, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (2X, last me Louisiana, 2007)
(35) Ronnie Weaver Career Highs
Rushes: 23 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing Yards: 84 (SCSU, 2008)
Rushing TDs: 0
Longest Rush: 12 (SCSU, 2008)
(48) David Williams Career Highs
Total Tackles: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Solo Tackles: 2 (SCSU, 2008)
Assisted Tackles: 1 (Marshall, 2007)
(82) Khymest Williams Career Highs
Recepons: 5 (SCSU, 2008)
Receiving Yards: 32 (SCSU, 2008)
Receiving TDs: 0
Longest Recepon: 8 (SCSU, 2008)
Kick Returns: 2 (3X, last me UTEP, 2007)
Kick Return Yards: 99 (SMU, 2007)
Longest Kick Return: 99 (SMU, 2007)
(57) Lawrence Young Career Highs
Total Tackles: 9 (NC State, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 8 (NC State, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 3 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
Forced Fumbles: 2 (Texas, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (NC State, 2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (Tulsa-2, 2007)
(94) Wes Tunuufi Sauvao Career Highs
Total Tackles: 1 (2X, last me SCSU, 2008)
Solo Tackles: 1 (Marshall, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 1 (SCSU, 2008)
(45) Jason Venson Career Highs
Total Tackles: 15 (Rice, 2005)
Solo Tackles: 13 (Rice, 2005)
Assisted Tackles: 6 (ECU, 2006)
QB Sacks: 1 (Tulsa, 2005)
Forced Fumbles: 1 (3X, last me UM, 2007)
Intercepons: 1 (7X, last me SCSU, 2008)
Kick Returns: 4 (Tulsa, 2005)
Kick Return Yards: 91 (Tulsa, 2005)
Longest Kick Return: 36 (Villanova, 2006)
22
(44) Antonio Wallace Career Highs
Total Tackles: 5 (2X, last me USF, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 4 (USF, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 2 (3X, last time, NC State,
2007)
QB Sacks: 1 (3X, last me NC State, 2007)
(6) Brian Waers Career Highs
Recepons: 6 (Marshall, 2007)
Receiving Yards: 88 (Marshall, 2007)
Receiving TDs: 2 (Marshall, 2007)
Longest Recepon: 30 (Marshall, 2007)
Total Tackles: 2 (USM, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 1 (5X, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 2 (Tulsa, 2007)
(40) Reggie Weams Career Highs
Total Tackles: 2 (3X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Solo Tackles: 2 (2X, last me Tulsa-2, 2007)
Assisted Tackles: 1 (3X, last me Tulsa, 2007)
Originally a walk-on, Ronnie Weaver was UCF’s
leading rusher in the 2008 season-opener vs.
SCSU with 84 yards on 23 carries.
THE USF GAME
2008 UCF STATISTICS
UCF OVERALL TEAM STATISTICS
TEAM STATISTICS
SCORING
Points Per Game
FIRST DOWNS
Rushing
Passing
Penalty
RUSHING YARDAGE
Yards gained rushing
Yards lost rushing
Rushing Aempts
Average Per Rush
Average Per Game
TDs Rushing
PASSING YARDAGE
A-Comp-Int
Average Per Pass
Average Per Catch
Average Per Game
TDs Passing
TOTAL OFFENSE
Total Plays
Average Per Play
Average Per Game
KICK RETURNS: #-Yards
PUNT RETURNS: #-Yards
INT RETURNS: #-Yards
KICK RETURN AVERAGE
PUNT RETURN AVERAGE
INT RETURN AVERAGE
FUMBLES-LOST
PENALTIES-Yards
Average Per Game
PUNTS-Yards
Average Per Punt
Net punt average
TIME OF POSSESSION/Game
3RD-DOWN Conversions
3rd-Down Pct
4TH-DOWN Conversions
4th-Down Pct
SACKS BY-Yards
MISC YARDS
TOUCHDOWNS SCORED
FIELD GOALS-ATTEMPTS
ON-SIDE KICKS
RED-ZONE SCORES
RED-ZONE TOUCHDOWNS
PAT-ATTEMPTS
ATTENDANCE
Games/Avg Per Game
Neutral Site Games
SCORE BY QUARTERS
UCF
Opponents
UCF
17
17.0
19
16
3
0
228
251
23
59
3.9
228.0
2
90
16-9-0
5.6
10.0
90.0
0
318
75
4.2
318.0
1-24
4-83
1-0
24.0
20.8
0.0
2-1
4-25
25.0
3-115
38.3
38.3
38:10
7/18
39%
3/5
60%
1-8
0
2
1-2
0-0
3-5 60%
2-5 40%
2-2 100%
42126
1/42126
1st
0
0
2nd
7
0
OPP
0
0.0
5
1
4
0
52
64
12
23
2.3
52.0
0
74
21-11-1
3.5
6.7
74.0
0
126
44
2.9
126.0
3-44
0-0
0-0
14.7
0.0
0.0
1-1
4-35
35.0
7-303
43.3
25.7
21:50
2/11
18%
0/1
0%
3-15
0
0
0-0
0-0
0-0 0%
0-0 0%
0-0 0%
0
0/0
0/0
3rd
0
0
4th
10
0
23
Total
17
0
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
2008 UCF STATISTICS
UCF OVERALL INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
24
RUSHING
WEAVER, Ronnie
GRECO, Michael
MURRAY, L.
HARVEY, Brynn
DAVIS, Brandon
WILLIAMS, K.
Total..........
Opponents......
GP
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
A
23
13
11
9
2
1
59
23
Gain
88
72
45
36
7
3
251
64
PASSING
GRECO, Michael
Total..........
Opponents......
G
1
1
1
Effic
103.50
103.50
72.46
RECEIVING
WILLIAMS, K.
ROSS, Rocky
RABAZINSKI, C.
Total..........
Opponents......
G
1
1
1
1
1
PUNT RETURNS
BURNETT, Joe
Total..........
Opponents......
Loss
4
15
2
2
0
0
23
12
Net
84
57
43
34
7
3
228
52
Avg
3.7
4.4
3.9
3.8
3.5
3.0
3.9
2.3
TD
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
Long
12
25
8
12
4
3
25
8
Avg/G
84.0
57.0
43.0
34.0
7.0
3.0
228.0
52.0
Cmp-A-Int
9-16-0
9-16-0
11-21-1
Pct
56.2
56.2
52.4
Yds
90
90
74
TD
0
0
0
Lng
30
30
13
Avg/G
90.0
90.0
74.0
No.
5
3
1
9
11
Yds
32
58
0
90
74
Avg
6.4
19.3
0.0
10.0
6.7
TD
0
0
0
0
0
Long
8
30
0
30
13
Avg/G
32.0
58.0
0.0
90.0
74.0
No.
4
4
0
Yds
83
83
0
Avg
20.8
20.8
0.0
TD
0
0
0
Long
31
31
0
INTERCEPTIONS
VENSON, Jason
Total..........
Opponents......
No.
1
1
0
Yds
0
0
0
Avg
0.0
0.0
0.0
TD
0
0
0
Long
0
0
0
KICK RETURNS
BALDWIN, Darin
Total..........
Opponents......
No.
1
1
3
Yds
24
24
44
Avg
24.0
24.0
14.7
TD
0
0
0
Long
24
24
16
FUMBLE RETURNS No.
Total..........
0
Opponents......
0
Yds
0
0
Avg
0.0
0.0
TD
0
0
Long
0
0
SCORING
MURRAY, L.
DALY, Daren
Total..........
Opponents......
TD
2
0
2
0
FGs
0-0
1-2
1-2
0-0
|------ PATs ------|
Kick
Rush
0-0
0-0
2-2
0-0
2-2
0-0
0-0
0-0
Rcv
0
0
0
0
Pass
0-0
0-0
0-0
0-0
DXP
0
0
0
0
Saf
0
0
0
0
Points
12
5
17
0
TOTAL OFFENSE
GRECO, Michael
WEAVER, Ronnie
MURRAY, L.
HARVEY, Brynn
DAVIS, Brandon
WILLIAMS, K.
Total..........
Opponents......
G
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Plays
29
23
11
9
2
1
75
44
Rush
57
84
43
34
7
3
228
52
Total
147
84
43
34
7
3
318
126
Avg/G
147.0
84.0
43.0
34.0
7.0
3.0
318.0
126.0
Pass
90
0
0
0
0
0
90
74
THE USF GAME
2008 UCF STATISTICS
UCF OVERALL INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
FIELD GOALS
DALY, Daren
FGM-FGA Pct
1-2
50.0
01-19
0-0
20-29
1-1
30-39
0-1
40-49
0-0
50-99
0-0
Lg
27
PUNTING
CLINGAN, Blake
Total..........
Opponents......
No.
3
3
7
Yds
115
115
303
Avg
38.3
38.3
43.3
Long
47
47
50
TB
0
0
2
FC
1
1
0
I20
2
2
0
Blkd
0
0
0
KICKOFFS
DALY, Daren
Total..........
Opponents......
No.
4
4
1
Yds
214
214
46
Avg
53.5
53.5
46.0
TB
0
0
0
OB
1
1
0
Retn
Net
YdLn
44
24
42.5
22.0
27
48
ALL PURPOSE
WEAVER, Ronnie
BURNETT, Joe
ROSS, Rocky
GRECO, Michael
MURRAY, L.
WILLIAMS, K.
HARVEY, Brynn
BALDWIN, Darin
DAVIS, Brandon
Total..........
Opponents......
G
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Rush
84
0
0
57
43
3
34
0
7
228
52
Rec
0
0
58
0
0
32
0
0
0
90
74
PR
0
83
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
83
0
KOR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
24
0
24
44
IR
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Tot
84
83
58
57
43
35
34
24
7
425
170
Avg/G
84.0
83.0
58.0
57.0
43.0
35.0
34.0
24.0
7.0
425.0
170.0
56
54
57
29
45
47
48
99
19
94
31
49
98
38
9
95
DEFENSIVE LEADERS
RICHARDS, J.
HENDERSON, C.
YOUNG, Lawrence
RASHAD, S.
VENSON, Jason
HARNDEN, T.J.
WILLIAMS, David
GEATHERS, J.
BURNETT, Joe
TUNUUFI SAUVAO
NEAL, Johnell
MILLER, Bruce
TROUP, Torrell
HALLMAN, D.
NEWSOME, Jamar
TIMMONS, Travis
Total..........
Opponents......
|-------Tackles-------|
GP Solo
Ast
1
6
1
1
4
2
1
4
1
1
3
1
1
3
1
1
2
1
1
2
.
1
2
.
1
1
.
1
.
1
1
1
.
1
1
.
1
1
.
1
1
.
1
1
.
1
.
.
1
32
8
1
63
12
Total
7
6
5
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
.
40
75
TFL/Yds
.
.
1.0-2
.
.
1.5-9
.
.
.
0.5-1
.
.
.
1.0-1
.
.
4-13
6.0-23
|-Sacks-|
No-Yards
.
.
.
.
.
1.0-8
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1-8
3-15
Blk
0
|---Pass Def---|
Int-Yds
BrUp
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1-0
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1-0
1
.
2
QBH
.
1
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1
.
.
.
2
3
|-Fumbles-|
Rcv-Yds FF
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
1
.
.
.
.
.
.
1-0
.
1-0
1
1-0
2
Blkd
Kick
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Saf
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
25
2008 UCF FOOTBALL GAME NOTES
2008 UCF STATISTICS
UCF TEAM GAME-BY-GAME
|---RUSHING---|
No. Yds TD Lg
59 228 2 25
59 228 2 25
23 52 0 8
Date
Opponent
Aug 30, 2008 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Totals
Opponent
|--KICK RET--| |--PUNT RET--| tot
No Yds TD Lg No Yds TD Lg off
1 24 0 24 4 83 0 31 318
1 24 0 24 4 83 0 31 318
3 44 0 16 0 0 0 0 126
|---------TACKLES---------||-SACKS-| |-FUMBLE-|
|-Kicks--XPTS-|
Solo Ast Total TFL-Yds No-Yds FF FR-Yds Int-Yds QBH Brk Kick A-Mad Run Rcv Saf Pts
32
8
40
4.0-13 1.0-8 1 1-0
1-0
2
1
0
2-2
0
0 0 17
32
8
40
4.0-13 1.0-8 1 1-0
1-0
2
1
0
2-2
0
0 0 17
63 12
75
6.0-23 3.0-15 2 1-0
0-0
3
2
0
0-0
0
0 0
0
Date
Opponent
Aug 30, 2008 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Totals
Opponent
Date
Opponent
Aug 30, 2008 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
Totals
Opponent
|--RECEIVING--| |-------PASSING-------|
No. Yds TD Lg Cmp-A-Int Yds TD Lg
9 90 0 30
9-16-0
90 0 30
9 90 0 30
9-16-0
90 0 30
11 74 0 13 11-21-1 74 0 13
|------------------PUNTING------------------|
No Yds Avg Long Blkd TB FC
3 115 38.3 47
0
0
1
3 115 38.3 47
0
0
1
7 303 43.3 50
0
2
0
50+ I20
0
2
0
2
1
0
|--FIELD GOALS--|
A-Made Lg Blkd
2-1
27
0
2-1
27
0
0-0
0
0
|------KICKOFFS------|
No Yds Avg TB OB
4 214 53.5 0 1
4 214 53.5 0 1
46 46.0 0 0
UCF INDIVIDUAL GAME-BY-GAME
RUSHING
WEAVER, Ronnie RB
GRECO, Michael QB
MURRAY, L. RB
HARVEY, Brynn RB
DAVIS, Brandon RB
WILLIAMS, K. WR
No-Yds/TD
23-84/0
13-57/0
11-43/2
9-34/0
2-7/0
1-3/0
SCSU
23-84/0
13-57/0
11-43/2
9-34/0
2-7/0
1-3/0
PASSING
GRECO, Michael
South Carolina State
TOTALS
A
16
16
Int
0
0
RECEIVING
ROSS, Rocky WR
WILLIAMS, K. WR
RABAZINSKI, C. TE
No-Yds/TD
3-58/0
5-32/0
1-0/0
SCSU
3-58/0
5-32/0
1-0/0
PUNT RETURNS
BURNETT, Joe
No-Yds
4-83
SCSU
4-83
KICK RETURNS
BALDWIN, Darin
No-Yds
1-24
SCSU
1-24
No-Yds
1-0
SCSU
1-0
26 INT. RETURNS
VENSON, Jason
Comp
9
9
Pct
56.2
56.2
Yards
90
90
TD
0
0
Long
30
30
Sack
3
3
Yds
15
15
Effic
103.5
103.5