May 9, 2007
Orlando, Fla. (www.UCFAthletics.com) - The following story is part five in a series of eight short features detailing the history, legacy and folklore behind the making of the Florida Technological University (FTU) and University of Central Florida (UCF) name, logo and mascot. Accompanying each story on-line at UCFAthletics.com is a corresponding photo gallery displaying historical images from each era of UCF Knights athletics.
To the players of the inaugural University of Central Florida football team it all began on an early hot summer day in 1979 in the middle of the university's golf driving range. There stood Dr. Jack O'Leary in front of an assorted crew of about four dozen students. Some were talented and some weren't; some came ready and seasoned, while some were just too dumb to know any better.
Area players were ecstatic that there was now an opportunity to play in front of a hometown crowd. When the four dozen met with O'Leary that first time at the golf driving range each of them knew history was about to be made. O'Leary was standing there holding a brown paper grocery bag; he slowly pulled out a football uniform for display and proclaimed "We are going to look like Notre Dame". With black jerseys, gold pants and solid gold helmets, the team would also be known as the "Fighting Knights".
UCF football began play at the NCAA Division III level. Regardless of the class, it had no reflection on how tough a brand of college football that UCF was playing. Supporters of the athletics program for some time had likened the Knights' style of play to a team that could put up a strong fight anywhere or anytime. That swagger led UCF into the era of the "Fighting Knights".
References to the football team, from the pocket schedule cards and annual media guides to newspaper headlines, were as the "Fighting Knights". UCF's official logo took a change during this time, too, displaying a round logo that featured a Knight atop a kicking horse, with the verbiage "Fighting Knights" running underneath.
The popular surname continued to spread throughout the athletics department and many programs soon adopted their own brand of "Knights".
Torchy Clark's men's basketball team, and later Kirk Speraw's, became the "Runnin' Knights". Jay Bergman's baseball club was the "Diamond Knights". The men's tennis team turned to "Smashing Knights". For the most part, all UCF women's teams were referenced as the "Lady Knights".
The days of the "Fighting Knights" would come to a close at the end of the 1993 calendar year eventually giving way to another prominent era in UCF Athletics history when UCF's athletic teams began to refer to themselves as the "Golden Knights".
Did You Know: They were known as the football team's most-dedicated fans. They herded together in the stands and cheered on the Knights every Saturday night for the first three seasons. So just ahead of the 1982 season, the team's fourth and first moving up to NCAA Division II, this group officially took on the name, the "Saturday Knight Herd".
It was noted that "the players on the field and the people in the opposite stands couldn't miss the sea of white t-shirts at the T-Bowl Saturday night, which is becoming known as the `Herd'. The clanging of the cowbells was answered with a steady moo-oo-oo! It was `udderly' terrific." There was incentive to be a part of this early form of season ticket holders, receiving a seat in the Herd, an official Herd T-shirt, cow bell and discount coupons. The "Herd" logo was the silhouette of a herd of cattle nestled between the words "Saturday Knight Herd".