Sept. 5, 2009
Recap | Final Stats | Quotes
UCF-Samford Notes
AT ORLANDO - SEPT. 5, 2009
Team Notes
- UCF is now 19-12 all-time in season openers, the program's fourth-straight opening day victory.
- UCF improves to 17-0 all-time against FCS (formerly Division I-AA) schools since joining FBS (formerly I-A) in 1996. The Knights have outscored their foes 651-217 in those 17 meetings.
- UCF is 23-8 all-time in home openers, including wins in eight of the last 10 and 12 of the previous 15.
- Head coach George O'Leary improves to 4-1 in season openers while at UCF. The Knights have defeated Villanova, NC State, South Carolina State and Samford.
- The UCF defense held Samford to 78 yards on 30 carries, an average of only 2.6 yards per carry.
- The Knights had a total of 289 return yards (190 kickoff returns, 99 punt returns). The team averaged 26.3 yards per return.
- Tonight was UCF's 11th meeting all-time with Samford, tying Georgia Southern and Liberty for the longest series in school history behind only Bethune-Cookman (15 meetings).
- The Knights hold an 8-3 record in the series against the Bulldogs. UCF is 3-0 against Samford since UCF joined Football Bowl Subdivision.
- Tonight's game captains were Rocky Ross (offense) and Cory Hogue (defense). The Scout Team Players of the Week were WR J.T. McArthur (offense) and DL Frankie Davis (defense).
Individual Notes
- Sophomore Brynn Harvey rushed the ball 31 times for 111 yards. It was Harvey's second 100-yard rushing game of his career.
- Harvey scored twice in the contest for the first multi-TD game of his career. The last time UCF had a running back cross the goal line twice was Latavius Murray on Aug. 30, 2008, against South Carolina State.
- Brett Hodges made his first career appearance as a Knight after transferring from Wake Forest. He finished the day 10-for-17 for 129 yards.
- Hodges' fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Jamar Newsome was the first of Hodges' UCF career. It was Newsome's second career touchdown reception.
- Junior Lawrence Young had 3.0 tackles for a loss in the contest. He had 10.5 tackles for a loss as a sophomore in 2008, and now has 16.0 in his career.
- When Quincy McDuffie returned the opening kickoff back for a 95-yard touchdown, it marked the sixth-longest in school history. It was also the longest since Khymest Williams' 99-yard return against SMU on Nov. 17, 2007.
- The kickoff return by McDuffie was also the first by a true freshman since Williams' return in 2007.
- Junior Darin Baldwin's 72-yard kickoff return in the third quarter was the longest of his career.
- Senior Rocky Ross returned punts for the first time in his career. Including long of 39 yards, Ross finished with six returns for 91 yards. He also caught five passes for a team-high 85 yards.
- McDuffie was one of five true freshmen that played for UCF. Others that played include: CB A.J. Bouye, PK Jamie Boyle, DB Kemal Ismael, WR/KR Quincy McDuffie and CB Josh Robinson.
- Four Knights made their first career starts today: CB Justin Boddie, HB Billy Giovanetti, LG Abré Leggins and S Reggie Weams.