UCF poaching Auburn players!

Auburn transfer 'Big Kat' Bryant, once aiming for Oklahoma, picks UCF
Bryant earned All-SEC recognition and was considering a transfer to Oklahoma, but encountered too many hurdles and will play for Central Florida
JOHN E. HOOVER8 HOURS AGO

https://www.si.com/college/okl...g-kat-bryant-picks-ucf

Thank You Tennessee for improving UCF coaching staff & for the money.

"Tennessee is now on the hook for more than $10 million in buyouts and/or settlements following Pruitt's ouster. Tennessee is paying Heupel's $3.6 million buyout at UCF along with new athletic director Danny White's $2.5 million buyout at UCF."

https://www.espn.com/college-f...etained-receive-salary

So CentroDave ..... you think that Malzahn is an upgrade from Heupel ?

-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

Heupel's 3 seasons at UCF: 12-1, 10-3, 6-4, final year with discipline problems and a humiliating bowl loss... the downward trajectory was not good.

Losing a head coach and AD in the same off-season suggests maybe Heupel was not a great fit, or Heupel and White were both encountering friction from the UCF admin.

I guess now was as good a time as any to make a clean break. Maybe Malzahn will get off on the right foot with the administration, and if he can poach any SEC talent, that will be a plus. He's beaten some good SEC teams, including Alabama 3 times in 8 years.

I didn't survey the entire horizon, but who else besides Malzahn would have been a good, realistically available candidate?

Since Malzahn got beat by UCF in the 2016 bowl game, maybe he has some real respect for the potential in Orlando.

Edited: 03/12/2021 at 07:37 AM by CurtisEflush

LBLARRY, yes. Thanks for asking. But, time will tell. I bet you UCF will be better than Tennessee this year!

Indeed time will tell. Malzahn was on the cutting edge of the uptempo / no huddle offense some years ago (and drove Sabin crazy!! ) .... but defenses and rule changes caught up, Gus failed to evolve and his offenses stagnated.
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Bet ya that Heupel would rather play UCF's schedule that an SEC East one.



-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

If one thing Malzhan is better at than Heupel is the press conference. He wins those. Heupel was very boring, tight lipped, not inspirational. Malzhan is definitely more entertaining and engaging.

Score: Malzhan 1 Heupel 0


One on one with new UCF football coach Gus Malzahn
UCF starts spring training on Monday
https://www.clickorlando.com/n...-coach-gus-malzahn/#//

UCF Football: Gus Malzahn talks after first day of spring practice




I basically stopped listening to Coach Heupel pre and post game interviews as he never said anything but coachspeak, blamed lack of execution of the players and basically lost the team last year. I liked Heupel, however, he was slipping. Probably similar Malzhan at Auburn. Defenses caught up, had film study, and Heup would continue to run the same 3 plays. It was so predictible. He is a great coach and hopefully turns Tennessee around and make them respectable again. Just like Scott Frost, wish him the best as well, but the next chapter has begun.

I hope Malzhan has learned from the past. He has mentioned it in media interviews that the 8 weeks he had off he self reflected. Hope it works! Go Knights.

UCF Football QB Dillon Gabriel: 'This coaching staff really cares'

I bumped into a guy today whose son played at UCF under both Frost and Heupel. Conversation too long to re-create here, but from his semi-insider perspective, he thinks Malzahn is a good catch and a good fit.

Both Malzahn and Heupel will be gone from UCF & Tenn in 3-5 years.
Malzahn to greener pasures and more $$$$
Heupel down to non "power 5" conference school or perhaps a coordinator position.


-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

The dad I spoke with cited continuity as an issue; those recruited under Frost and those recruited under Heupel never really quite gelled with each other.

If you can get 5 years out of a coach, you can take one player from redshirt thru senior year, and develop a program around one stable philosophy.

If Malzahn can last that long and have successful seasons (including some high-profile games against Power-5 teams, either by bowls or by deliberate scheduling), he will have done his job. UCF might be ready to join a tougher conference and lure another high-profile coach by then.

The dad mentioned Malzahn's $21M severance from Auburn and his interest in having grandkids come to Orlando as reasons he might stay longer, or at least not need to go anywhere else. But Malzahn is still young enough to get "the itch" and go to those greener pastures. We'll just have to wait and see. I don't think UCF could have done any better this cycle.

Agreed

-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

"Malzahn to greener pasures and more $$$$"

That would mean he was successful at UCF then. Buckle UP for the next 3-5 years!

reported that season tix sales have gone up since hiring Malzhan. April 10th is UCF spring game. 25% capacity. Although my past spring game attendance and its kind of boring to watch I may go if schedule allows. Its nice to have college football in our backyard and accessible!

Bounce-back teams in college football: How these six programs can re-emerge as contenders in 2021 season
2020 wasn't kind to every team, but there are reasons for optimism for this group in 2021
By Ben Kercheval
12 min read

UCF
Of the teams listed, UCF is the only one that finished above .500 in 2020. So what's the problem? Let's just put it this way: how many Knights fans were disappointed when coach Josh Heupel left for Tennessee? Going 6-4 in a pandemic year isn't the end of the world, but it's harder to swallow when you won 35 games in the three seasons prior. Notably, UCF's defense took a big step back, and there were stretches of games in which the Knights failed to put opponents away. With the arrival of new coach Gus Malzahn, here's how UCF can get back into the New Year's Six conversation in 2021:

Find RB1: Malzahn's offenses run at their best when they have a 1,000-yard workhorse. The Tre Masons, Cameron Artis-Paynes and Kerryon Johnsons of the world make those offenses hum. UCF hasn't had that type of productive back in years outside of Greg McCrae. What's more is that McCrae and Otis Anderson, the top two backs from last year, are gone. Who steps in? Bentavious Thompson is the most experienced, but the RB1 job is up for grabs.

Overhaul the defense: This was a talking point of Malzahn's at his introductory press conference, and it's not hard to figure out why. After fielding some of the AAC's better defenses over the past few years, the Knights took a massive step back on that side of the ball in 2020, allowing 33 points per game and 6.2 yards per play. They were also one of the worst teams in the conference at giving up big plays of 20 yards or more. New defensive coordinator Travis Williams comes as a highly-respected recruiter and talent developer. The latter may be more important in the immediate future with some notable transfers like Big Kat Bryant coming in from Auburn to help the pass rush.

https://www.cbssports.com/coll...GpbLoU9k6SwBMd6Wzlqei8

I found it interesting that Malzahn wrote and published a book about the No-Huddle, Hurry-Up Offense philosophy in 2003, while he was still coaching at the high-school level:

Book on Amazon

I think he will succeed ..... given his coaching abilities and UCF's schedule



-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

Like I said earlier .... he was on the forefront of this type of offensive. Then D's and the rules caught up and he didn't evolve. UCF best hope he has found his mojo.



-------------------------
"Most people would die sooner than think; in fact, they do." - Bertrand Russell


"Morality is doing what is right, regardless of what you are told. Religion is doing what you are told, regardless of what is right.


If I do not answer you .... nothing personal, I just have you on ignore.

after 4th spring practice. He seems like a hard worker. Looks a little tired in this post practice media conf.

UCF spring practice saturday apr10.

nice espn article covering Malhan.

https://www.espn.com/college-f...ghts-cfp-promised-land