UCF Recruiting & National Signing Day Thoughts
Now that the UCF Knights have 13 high school prospects signed, as well as cornerback Ja’Maric Morris signed from Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College, it’s time for some reflection and the beginning of some of the backstories to recruiting.
Keep in mind, this is the tip of the iceberg. There’s still another National Signing Day in February. Who knows? Maybe another player emerges for UCF.
Also, a comment from Gus Malzahn’s press conference today:
“I mean, we lost our two coordinators in the middle of last week, which is extremely tough to do and still have this kind of class.
“We signed one of the best classes in school history, if not the best class in school history.”
There will be more about Malzahn’s comments tomorrow, and more in depth as well, but wanted to let those comments sink in for UCF fans.
Until then, a few thoughts about UCF commitments and then some news more geared towards the national side of things.
Late Additions – Whether Transfer Portal, prep players or Morris, UCF found a way to add talent down the stretch of the recruiting process. Before diving into positions, that needed to be mentioned.
More specifically, the coaching staff sticking to their guns and going after the players that they wanted to add to the roster. It’s a long and arduous process. UCF made the most of the opportunities and won some tough recruiting battles. Now onto more specific criteria.
UCF’s Defensive Line Class – Awesome! UCF did what it needed to do to establish itself with other members of the Big 12 Conference. Having John Walker, Andrew Rumph, and the flip of Isaiah Nixon from Florida to UCF, all in the same class, gave a plethora of options to newly promoted defensive coordinator Addison Williams and the defensive staff as a whole.
Cornerback – Having gained a cornerback the day before National Signing Day – Morris – was great. Keeping Braeden Marshall from signing with Auburn was just as important. Do not forget about Jason Duclona either.
All three of the cornerbacks signed have their own unique traits. Morris is likely to play boundary from what he told Inside The Knights. Marshall is definitely a candidate to play nickel cornerback, in situations, while still being able to play on the perimeter. Duclona has shown to be a long cornerback that could find a fit at multiple cornerback spots as well.
Quarterback – Not enough has been said about Dylan Rizk, the quarterback from Cardinal Gibbons in South Florida. He’s a quarterback that will bring more competition to the roster and be a great teammate along the way.
Those are a few of the position points that needed to be made. There will be some breakdowns of how each position is impacted from National Signing Day, and soon. Lastly though, thoughts about a key element that UCF gained today.
Team Speed – On both sides of the football, UCF found players that could run. Not just skill position players either. Wide receiver, tight end, offensive line, defensive line, etc., you name it, the Knights added speed.
National Recruiting Notes – A quick note on national recruiting before ending this article. There’s a literal arms race going on right now and the NCAA is in a tough spot. The schools that are making inducements are fairly obvious. Those of us in the media are getting some detailed information without much effort, literally.
It’s mind blowing.
Those are oftentimes the same programs that make the NCAA the most cash. Keep that in mind. Talk about conflict of interest.
Will the NCAA do anything about it or continue to be a farce of an organization as it relates to infractions and governance? Point blank, there needs to be immediate investigations that include transparency. No exceptions.
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