Nov. 6, 2008
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Since the Knights began official practices in mid-October, head coach Kirk Speraw and his staff have been spending the majority of their time teaching. With seven true freshmen and 11 total underclassmen on the roster, installation and film study have been imperative for the Knights.
Newcomers like freshman guard Isaac Sosa (Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) are expected to learn UCF's offensive and defensive schemes. At the same time, the youngsters are also getting acclimated to the college game.
"The intensity of the practices is difficult," Sosa said. "It is training that we have never done before in high school. A lot is expected of you."
Sophomore forward A.J. Tyler (Palm Harbor, Fla.), who sat out last season after transferring from Clemson, has been impressed with the freshmen so far and believes that they will pickup the schemes soon.
"All of the guys have been working hard. They all have a good work ethic," he said. "(The offensive system) can be complicated. You just need to focus. Once you figure it out, it is not that hard of a system to handle."
On Saturday evening, the Knights will give fans a sneak peek at this season's team at the inaugural UCF Postgame Madness. The free event at the UCF Arena is set to begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the UCF-Southern Miss football game. Prior to an intra-squad scrimmage, fans will have the opportunity to select their season ticket seat location. Other highlights of the event include an autograph session and numerous free giveaways.
UCF will open the regular season on Nov. 16, hosting North Carolina A&T. Season tickets are currently available. To order your season tickets today, and to learn more about the Fastbreak Club and other premium seating options, call the UCF ticket sales office at (407) UCF-1000.
For the latest news on the Knights, log on to UCFAthletics.com - the official site for UCF varsity sports. The site, which also contains ticket and Golden Knights Club donor information, is also the home of UCF's new online apparel store. Also visit UCFPhotos.com, the exclusive fan source for UCF action sports pictures.
Notes: Last night, Speraw served as a judge at the annual UCF Homecoming Skit Night... Single-game tickets for the upcoming campaign are now available at all Ticketmaster outlets.