Monday marks the start of preparations for UCF’s football squad as they embark on their inaugural season in the Big 12.
Monday marks the commencement of the Knights’ fifteen scheduled practices, culminating in the annual spring game slated for 6:30 pm at FBC Mortgage Stadium on April 14.
The University of Central Florida’s football program has declared that the spring game will occur on a Friday night and the team will be divided into two squads known as the Knights and the Citronauts. UCF football announces Friday night spring game, squad split into Knights and Citronauts
NOTABLE PLAYERS FROM THE CENTRAL FLORIDA REGION: 10 prospects from the Orlando area high schools are currently being recruited by UCF for the 2024 class.
UCF concluded their tenure in the American Athletic Conference with a 9-5 record, falling in the championship game to Tulane who would go on to win the Cotton Bowl. The Knights had to cope with the departure of their two coordinators prior to the Military Bowl, while a large number of players opted to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
UCF has added 25 new athletes to the Knights, 15 of them coming from high school and junior college, while the remaining 10 have been acquired from the portal. This should create an abundance of competition among some of the team’s more important positions, aiding in their transition into a Power Five status.
We will analyze six Knights that should be observed during the upcoming month, which are arranged in alphabetical order.
Bowmans’s Demarkcus
UCF made no effort to go after a running back in the 2023 recruiting cycle or to acquire one through the portal during the winter window of 45 days.
Isaiah Bowser has achieved his graduation and is striving to make his NFL dreams come true, leaving RJ Harvey and Johnny Richardson as the chief running backs. Additionally, Trillion Coles, Mark-Antony Richards and Jordan McDonald have all had their moments in the backfield.
UCF’s DeMarcus Bowman has the potential to be a major force for the Knights in the Big 12. A five-star recruit, Bowman sat out last season after transferring from two schools, Clemson and Florida. His rushing stats from the 2020 and 2021 seasons totaled to 23 attempts for 113 combined yards.
Thomas Castellanos and Timmy McClain
Two individuals, Thomas Castellanos and Timmy McClain, are the focus of this piece.
We are doing something a little out of the ordinary, however, it is important to keep tabs on the quarterback reps, since the current starter John Rhys Plumlee shares his time between the Knights’ football and baseball teams. As of Monday, Plumlee was having a good season batting an average of .317 with four home runs, 10 RBIs, and seven stolen bases while playing center field consistently.
When Plumlee was injured, Castellanos used up a year’s worth of eligibility by entering the American Athletic Conference’s championship game at Tulane. This was the fourth time he played throughout the season, including a few other instances of relief duty. Even so, he demonstrated amazing dual-threat capability, especially in a 37-yard touchdown rush in a lopsided victory against Temple.
McClain, on the other hand, took measures to maintain his eligibility when he switched schools from South Florida in August, losing the competition to be the starter to Gerry Bohanon. The Sanford local was on UCF’s practice team throughout the last year, nevertheless he racked up 1,888 yards with five TD’s and seven interceptions in 2021 as a freshman.
Darin Hinshaw, UCF’s new offensive coordinator, is allowing the four quarterbacks on the roster a fresh start and desires to increase the vertical passing game, thus possibly making the competition for the position more unpredictable than expected.
Henderson, Ja’Cari
Following Travis Williams leaving for Arkansas, Addison Williams, a co-defensive backs coach, has been appointed defensive coordinator. He will be tasked with addressing the weaknesses in the UCF secondary.
In December, Davonte Brown, a top boundary cornerback, moved to Miami to join his brother Damari. Justin Hodges, who was the starting nickel corner, was released from the team on January 20th after being arrested for home invasion robbery with a firearm and a mask.
Nikai Martinez appears to be the natural selection for the role, and Corey Thornton and Brandon Adams have both started on the outside before. Nonetheless, Henderson’s participation was heightened in the Military Bowl defeat to Duke. The gifted 6-foot, 165-pounder tallied his first three tackles and a pass break-up.
Ja’Cari, Demari Henderson (his twin brother) and Kam Moore, who were all sought-after recruits from Sanford Seminole in 2022, had impressive contributions as freshmen and appear likely to be integral components of the defensive team for the foreseeable future.
The Person Known as John Walker
When the Knights brought on their prized recruit, he had already gotten some practice in as he signed his letter of intent in late December ahead of the Military Bowl. His record of success at Osceola High in Kissimmee, along with his talent, made it no surprise when he showed his worth in those few brief glimpses.
‘PROGRAM CHANGER’: On National Signing Day, John Walker of Osceola High School, who has been designated as an All-American, has become UCF’s most highly ranked recruit.
Malzahn commented on the first day of the early signing period that the player had his pick of destinations, with some schools showing “HARD” pursuit. Despite this, the player remained loyal and Malzahn believes he’ll make a great addition to the team.
The Knights should benefit quickly from Walker’s presence on the defensive line, with him joining Ricky Barber and Lee Hunter to create a powerful trio. Meanwhile, Tre’mon Morris-Brash and Josh Celiscar have already secured their positions as the starting edge-rushers.
Trent Whittemore: A Person of Note
UCF needs to make up for some big losses on the offensive line, especially left guard Samuel Jackson, right tackle Ryan Swoboda, and center Matt Lee who transferred to Miami.
The vacancy at slot receiver is apparent, as Ryan O’Keefe has left to reunite with Darrell Wyatt at Boston College. Whittemore, a transfer from Florida, is one of the potential replacements and could bring a unique element to the team at 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds.
Different Look:Trent Whittemore is shaping up to present a unique challenge for the Gators at slot wide receiver
Whittemore is on the brink of becoming the next Knight; his dad, the one-time Buchholz chief instructor Mark Whittemore, was a companion of Hinshaw’s in the mid-90s. He caught 33 passes in 29 matches for the Gators, amassing a sum of 425 yards and two touchdowns.
Chauncey Magwood, who transferred from Kentucky, along with second-year players Xavier Townsend and Quan Lee, plus redshirt senior Amari Johnson—having recovered from the ankle injury that kept him out of the whole 2022 season—are potential starters alongside Javon Baker and Kobe Hudson at UCF.
