Jan. 5, 2011
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO (UCFAthletics.com) - Donnie Jones doesn't want to make his first game against his former school, Marshall, all about him, just as he doesn't want all of the credit for UCF's impressive 13-0 start to the season and rise into the Top 20 in both major national polls.
But Jones, a West Virginia native, made the bold decision to leave Marshall last March for UCF because he sensed a special opportunity in Orlando to build the Knights into a powerhouse program. That vision has been justified so far with UCF's finest start ever on the Division I level and an ascension to the point where the Knights are being recognized nationally as a program on the rise.
Now, on the verge of No. 18/19 UCF hosting Marshall (9-3) on Wednesday night at UCF Arena, Jones couldn't be happier with the way things have worked out for everyone involved.
``There are times in life when you have to make a decision based on what you want to do and I thought it was the right move at the right time for my family,'' Jones said of his move from Marshall to UCF. ``I want to help build this at UCF. I feel like we got Marshall at a good place, but it was time for us to make a change and it's going well here at UCF.''
Is it ever? The Knights rolled through the nonconference portion of their schedule undefeated, beating powerhouse programs Florida, Miami and South Florida along the way. UCF also won in UMass with several players banged up with injuries and came from behind last week against Princeton to win the UCF Holiday Classic presented by EA Sports.
Jones was somewhat wary heading into the season, wondering about the firepower of his team and its ability to play through adversity. But he's marveled at UCF's ability to learn without losing, improving as they go along and remaining mentally tough. Jones has said that he knew ``anything is possible,'' but he admits that it's somewhat ``surreal'' how everything has come together so far for the Knights.
``Any time you take a job over there's so much unknown,'' Jones said. ``The fear of the unknown is the worst fear of all because you just don't know how guys are going to buy into your system and how guys will play for you. And even if you are doing all of the right things, there's still a chance you can lose. We've just been fortunate that a lot of things have gone our way.
``When I said surreal, it's just kind of shocking that we've been able to learn and grow and go through some adversity with injuries and still win,'' Jones continued. ``We know what we have to do to keep getting better.''
UCF has gotten progressively better as the season has gone along, playing extremely efficiently on both ends of the floor. The Knights are among the nation's leaders in field goal percentage (50 percent) and defensive field goal percentage (36 percent). Keith Clanton (16.1 ppg.) and Marcus Jordan (16 ppg.) have been the go-to players offensively, but the Knights have gotten plenty of depth from seven other players averaging between nine and four points per game.
But Jones has talked to his team about non-conference play and competing in Conference USA play being two completely different entities and how the Knights have to be better than before, starting with Wednesday's game against Marshall.
``We've talked a lot about how conference play is different. We've talked about the past being the past and those 13 wins have no significant value over what's getting ready to come other than with experience,'' Jones said. ``Win them all or lose them all, it's all about what you learn from them. That has to be our thought process when we walk into this game against Marshall.''
As for facing Marshall, the school where Jones coached the past three seasons, he admitted that it will be emotional facing many of the players he recruited to play for the Thundering Herd. But he's confident that he made the right move to UCF because of the enormous national possibilities with the Knights. The word is starting to get out what's going on at UCF, and Jones said what the program has done so far is just the start of something truly special.
``If I said it wouldn't be emotional (facing Marshall), then I wouldn't be human. Obviously, I recruited a lot of those kids, spent every day with them and care about them and cheer for them,'' Jones admitted. ``(Marshall coach) Tom (Herrion) is doing a good job there and we're putting our energy into what we're building now at UCF.
``Any time that you have success you can sell kids on where you can get your program to. Then, when they pick up the paper and see our program in the Top 20 with just one quick recruiting class, I think it gives you a validation that we have a chance here at UCF,'' Jones continued. ``If we get the right people in here I think every (recruit) will see that this is a great place to come. I think if we can just get them here for a visit, they will see the commitment to this program and we'll have a chance to do even greater things.''
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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.