Dec. 1, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - For UCF's football players, clearly the ring is the thing.
Much of the motivation heading into Saturday's Conference USA championship game for the Knights players is beating SMU and earning the golden championship ring that is a part of the spoils for the victors.
Many of the players from UCF's senior class already have one championship ring from the 2007 title, and are using the hardware this week as a tangible object to motivate themselves for Saturday's nationally televised game at Bright House Networks Stadium.
``I have mine out and it sits up right next to my bed. I look at it all of the time and it's great motivation,'' said standout senior defensive end Bruce Miller, who became UCF's all-time leader in sacks last week with 32. ``For us to have (a ring) already, we're very fortunate to have been there in the title game and have experienced it. It's a motivation for us to get another one. And for the guys who haven't been there, it's a motivation for them to get one as well.''
Then, there's senior outside linebacker Derrick Hallman, who is using his 2007 championship ring as a different sort of carrot to push him harder. Hallman said just looking at the sparkle from the four-year old ring reminds of how much he wants some newer, bookend jewelry.
``I look at my ring, but I don't even wear it because I don't have one to wear on both (hands),'' said Hallman, who is first on the team in total tackles with 75. ``When I get another one, I'll wear both of them. But until then, I don't even wear the championship ring from '07.''
UCF (9-3 overall and 7-1 in C-USA play) is back in the conference title game for a third time in six years. All three times the Knights have earned the right to play at home in the title game. That was the case again this season as the Knights led the East Division from start to finish and was the only team in the league with seven C-USA victories.
SMU (7-5 overall and 6-2 in C-USA play) won the West Division in the final week of the regular season by defeating East Carolina in overtime. But the Mustangs must now travel to Orlando, and UCF coach George O'Leary wants Saturday to have the feel of a Knights home game because of their better record.
``Any time you play at home that's worth a lot to the players and the fan base. That's why you want to host it and I don't see anything neutral about it at all,'' O'Leary said. ``I think (Conference USA officials) are trying to keep it neutral, but that's going to be difficult when you are playing at (UCF's) home. If you want to make it neutral play somewhere neutral then. It's a home game as far as I'm concerned.''
UCF is hoping a home field advantage at Bright House Networks Stadium will help lift the program to its second league championship in four seasons. A crowd of 44,128 attended UCF's 44-28 throttling of Tulsa in 2007, and the Knights are hoping a sellout throng on Saturday can spark them to victory.
Tickets for the C-USA title game at Bright House Networks Stadium are on sale for $30 at TicketMaster.com, UCFAthletics.com or by calling (407) 823-1000.
``I expect there to be a packed house because it's not every day you come across a chance like this to win a conference championship,'' said standout sophomore safety Kemal Ishmael, who is second on the team in total tackles with 74. ``I hope that it's rocking inside the stadium on Saturday.''
Several of UCF's seniors said that upon winning the league title in 2007 that they figured they would make several more appearances in the championship game, possibly even pull off the feat of capturing four titles in a row. But the Knights slumped badly in 2008 after star tailback Kevin Smith left school early for the NFL. And last season, UCF lost out on a tiebreaker to East Carolina and was left out of the championship hunt.
``I've been jealous the last two years sitting at home watching East Carolina play, especially with the way we played them and them finding a way to beat us. It (stinks) sitting at home watching them play on TV when we felt like we should have been there,'' said Hallman, who snagged his first interception of the season last Saturday. ``Now, we have this opportunity to play the (championship) game at home and we don't want to let this opportunity slip away.''
UCF didn't let much at all slip this season, resembling a dominant team in C-USA play most of the season. The Knights won away from home four times in league play and rolled through the first five opponents with relative ease. A Nov. 13 home loss to Southern Miss put a damper on UCF's Senior Day, but pushed the team to ensure that there would be another game in Bright House Networks Stadium. And by hammering Tulane and Memphis in the final two weeks, UCF ensured itself a spot in the title game.
Now, the Knights get a Senior Day re-do, if you will. And there's a distinct sense of urgency with this UCF football team.
``It's been very tough getting back here, but finally being able to get to the conference championship again means so much to us,'' said right tackle Jah Reid, a likely All-Conference pick again this season. ``Getting to go out this way means a lot. I want that jewelry from the end of the season. It's the culmination of the season and seeing `conference champions' on a ring would mean so much. I can't wait to get (the ring) and I hope it works out that way.''
For standout wide receiver Jamar Newsome, the motivation to win on Saturday is slightly different. Newsome, who has three 100-yard games in the past four weeks and caught two TDs at Memphis, was red-shirted on the 2007 championship team and therefore didn't get a championship ring. Seeing several classmates with one for years has been motivating for Newsome, who wants a ring of his own.
``Seeing their rings always motivates me,'' said Newsome, a rising NFL prospect. ``I love rings, for one. My grandfather used to always have, like, 10 rings on and I like them, too. It's motivation just seeing them. I want to be a part of something like this and get one for myself. ... I'd wear mine for like 10 years straight and never take it off.''
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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.