Aug. 18, 2011
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - When UCF head coach George O'Leary summoned the first-string defensive unit to the stage Thursday during the Countdown to Kickoff Luncheon more than a few eyebrows arose at the inclusion of standout freshman linebacker Leilon Willingham.
But then came a caveat from O'Leary that will assuredly keep players working for starting spots leading up to the season-opener against Charleston Southern on Sept. 3 at Bright House Networks Stadium.
``There are a couple of them that I wouldn't put up there with the starters. The good thing is they don't know which ones they are,'' O'Leary said, drawing a hearty chuckle from the more than 1,000 fans on hand for the football rally. ``We don't decide the two-deep chart until game week, so these guys better realize that they are still fighting for jobs.''
The excitement in the air inside UCF Arena was palatable on Thursday what with the start of the football season just 2.5 weeks away. The anticipation is buoyed by the fact that the Knights are coming off their finest season ever in 2010, winning 11 games, a Conference USA title and the Liberty Bowl while also cracking the national rankings for the first time in school history.
And then there's the strong belief that UCF could be even better this season and could create even more shockwaves nationally with additional big wins. Those beliefs are centered around the return of standout quarterback Jeff Godfrey, all-conference defensive backs Josh Robinson and Kemal Ishmael, future star defensive ends Darius Nall and Troy Davis and three stellar running backs in Latavius Murray, Brynn Harvey and Ronnie Weaver. And then there's the likes of Willingham, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound elite recruit who has played so well already that he could be a starter by opening night.
O'Leary admitted that expectations have risen for the team this season, and that's just the way that he wants it. But he feels good about this team, especially considering the way the group has worked in steamy conditions through 16 practices so far.
``It's very difficult to get any kind of double-digit win total in college football, and the harder thing is to turn around and do it again. But that's our goal,'' O'Leary said. ``I said last spring that I thought we'd have an opportunity - if we do what we're supposed to do and come with the same effort and enthusiasm - that we have a great opportunity to win every game. Now, that doesn't mean that we're going to win every game. But it does mean that the fanbase and the administration can count on great effort and be proud of what's happening on the field.''
Though sponsorships, donations and support from several local businesses, the Countdown to Kickoff event raised $49,000 for athletic scholarships. Athletics Director Keith Tribble announced at the end of the luncheon that he'd be donating another $1,000 to bring the grand total to $50,000. In the past three years of the event, more than $125,000 has been raised for scholarships for UCF athletes.
"Today is a great day to be a UCF Knight,'' UCF President John Hitt told the crowd. ``The energy in here is electric. This has turned out to be one our favorite events of the year. And it's because of the support of our fanbase.''
Orlando Magic senior vice president Pat Williams spoke for almost 20 minutes, particularly addressing the UCF team about the components of being great teammates. Williams, who has been a part of the building of championship-contending teams in Orlando and Philadelphia, was lauded by O'Leary for lecturing the players on the importance of team bonding and togetherness.
O'Leary, who honored UCF's 12 senior players, also sent out another request to the fanbase to fill Bright House Networks Stadium this season. O'Leary raved about the noise level of the fans at UCF home games, but he just wants fans to start a new tradition of being in their seats before kickoff this season.
``When we win, everybody wins. When we lose, I lost the game,'' joked O'Leary, who vowed again to raise his arms prior to kickoff as a part of UCF's UKNIGHT marketing campaign. ``Coming off an 11-win season and a win in the Liberty Bowl you'd hope we'd pack that stadium full every game no matter who we're playing. We're excited about the season and hope that the fanbase is as well.''
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.