Nov. 1, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Figuring that their true freshman quarterback likely didn't understand the magnitude of last Saturday's game against rival East Carolina, a couple of UCF senior football players approached Jeff Godfrey for a pep talk.
Needless to say, they were shocked at what they heard from the freshman who seems to ooze confidence and charisma out his every pore.
``They came to me and said that it was a big game and an important one for us to win,'' Godfrey remembered with a chuckle. ``I just wanted those guys to know that I believe we can win them all and win the conference, too.''
Clearly, there's an air of confidence coursing through UCF's football team these days, and with good reason. The Knights are 6-2 overall and 4-0 in Conference USA play, giving them the equivalent of a two-game lead in the East Division. If they win out, starting with Friday's game in Houston, the Knights will capture their third East Division crown in six years and host the C-USA title game on Dec. 4 at Bright House Networks Stadium.
Almost to a man, UCF players say that there's something special brewing with this football team, winners of 10-straight conference games over the past two seasons. With strong leadership stemming from UCF's largest senior class in years and a confident exuberance stemming from youngsters like Godfrey, junior tailback Ronnie Weaver and sophomores Josh Robinson and Kemal Ishmael, the Knights seem to have the perfect mix of experience, talent and cohesion. And the product of that is a season they feel is truly a great one in the works.
``We're 4-0 in the conference, we have a streak of wins and I believe we have a special season in the making. We've just got to keep working hard and everything will fall into place,'' senior wide receiver Brian Watters said. ``I believe that we're clicking as a team on all cylinders. Offense, defense and special teams, we've got it rolling. It's a great feeling being in the position that we're in right now.''
The feeling wasn't so great a month ago when UCF lost 17-13 in heartbreaking fashion to a Kansas State team that UCF dominated most of the afternoon. That loss came just two weeks after UCF came up short in the fourth quarter in a 28-21 defeat against NC State.
Their dreams of a 12-0 season - something that was talked openly about during preseason practice - were dashed, but clearly not all was lost. Several seniors organized a players' only meeting the day after the K-State loss, instructing the team that there was still plenty to play for. After all, winning the Conference USA crown has always been priority number one for the Knights because that will determine their postseason fate come bowl time.
UCF responded to the adversity in front of them, ripping off four-straight wins. The Knights smashed UAB and Marshall on back-to-back national broadcasts on ESPN, alerting the nation that they were a C-USA power to be reckoned with. They took care of business against lowly Rice and then went out and whipped East Carolina 49-35 in a game that had a ``winner-take-all'' feel to it because of the conference implications. Also, it allowed the Knights to end a four-game losing streak to ECU and announce themselves as true favorites to win the league title.
``Beating these guys has been our goal. It's been a monkey on our backs, not being able to beat them. We're happy we came out victorious,'' said senior right tackle Jah Reid, who routinely opened holes for a UCF ground game that produced 265 yards and five TDs rushing. ``(The season) does feel special. I feel like this is the best team that I've ever been on. We've meshed and come together very well. I'm just so happy with how we're performing now.''
UCF's defense has spent most of the season in the nation's top 15, stopping both the run and the pass effectively. And in Darius Nall (7.5 sacks) and defending Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year Bruce Miller (3.5 sacks), the Knights possess two of the best pass-rushing ends in the league. And the growth of Robinson (a league-best eight pass break-ups) and Ishmael (a team-high 49 tackles), the pass defense has made major strides.
Said Nall, who is finally 100 percent back after having a baseball-sized tumor and part of his lung removed two seasons ago: ``I mean, this is a great team right here. This is the best team that I've been on since I've been here. I see only great things going on for this team for the rest of the season.''
And then there's the emergence of Godfrey and Weaver on offense to complete the Knights. Godfrey is arguably UCF's most high-profile recruit in history after becoming Miami-Dade County's all-time leading prep passer. He began the season behind starter Rob Calabrese, but assumed control of the offense late in the NC State game - nearly directing a game-winning rally - and hasn't looked back since.
Well aware of how big a game Saturday's was after his chat with the seniors, Godfrey jump-started the offense with touchdown passes to A.J. Guyton and Kamar Aiken to get the Knights off to a 14-0 start. He passed for 159 yards and two scores and ran for another 43 yards in the biggest game of the season. And for the season, all he's done is complete 63.6 percent of his passes while combining for 1,400 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground and through the air.
``I get a sense we've got a special season going,'' Godfrey said. ``We're working hard every day in practice and then we're just going out there and doing a great job in the games. The offensive line is making great blocks and this feeling we have right now is just great.''
Weaver, a junior, has been an inspiration to the entire team because of his humble approach and workman-like attitude. He started the season third on the depth chart, but has worked his way to the top of the heap. It's a familiar climb for Weaver, a former unwanted walk-on who won a scholarship at UCF. Now, he has rushing days of 130, 150 and 180 yards, is averaging 4.9 yards a carry and has rushed for 10 TDs.
Like his teammates, Weaver knows the Knights have something special going this season. But he stressed that the Knights are only as good as their last game, meaning they have to go out and prove themselves in Houston again on Friday night. It's the type of hungry attitude that has helped make this UCF football team a special one.
``Momentum is a great thing, but we can't just depend on that,'' Weaver said. ``We have to depend on hard work, practicing hard and getting better every day. That's a big part of our confidence. We just have to keep it up and not let down.''
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John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.