April 22, 2010
Michael "Big Mike" Lynche UCF Football Gallery
By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - It was "Idol Gives Back" week on American Idol and former UCF defensive tackle Michael Lynche was given another week back on the show as he advanced onward into the show's final six.
Tuesday the finalists had to pick from a list of inspirational songs to perform and Lynche sang "Hero" by Chad Kroeger of Nickelback . The reviews from the judges were neutral but the voting came out in support of "Big Mike" who will compete again next week. The real winners this week however were the children who benefit from Idol's charities. The show raised a total of $15 million.
Next week will by country week on the show with mentoring by Shania Twain and performances by Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts as Lynche attempts to crack the final five.
Lynche played defensive tackle for the Knights from 2001-02. He made an immediate impact as a freshman out of St. Petersburg's Gibbs High School which also served as UCF's practice site for the 2009 St. Petersburg Bowl. Lynche had 24 tackles in 2001, 17 of them solos, with eight tackles for loss and a sack. As a sophomore in 2002, Lynche played in all 12 games and started each of the last three. He had at least one tackle in 11 of those contests and finished the year with 46 tackles in all, including a pair of sacks and six TFLs. He left the team just before the start of the 2003 season, returned to his native St. Petersburg and helped care for his ailing mother, Michele.
To see the Knights in action in 2010, with season tickets starting as low as $99, either call the UCF Athletic Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000 or logon to UCFAthletics.com.
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.