Sept. 4, 2011
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - You could feel it around the campus hours before and even after the game. It is funny what a season like 2010 can do to everyone. It was opening day and everything looked great.
The field shined like Augusta National for the Masters opening round. Fans donned new shirts and smiles as a book of memories was about to begin. The players finally got a chance to hit someone else and the day delivered ideal conditions for a football game. But it was a different opening day and it was a sign of what is going on.
It seems as if the moment the Liberty Bowl ended last December we have all grown up a little bit. Grown up in the sense that everyone believes UCF is a little bigger in our eyes and throughout college football.
The opening game against Charleston Southern went as fans hoped for and as players believed would. UCF took control early and scored often and played a lot of players on the opening night of the most anticipated season in UCF history.
The standard has changed. Expectations have changed. UCF football is now at a different level.
The program that had hoped now believes it belongs on a level others didn't think would ever reach.
UCF is not ranked in the national polls this week and that is now becoming the unacceptable for this football team.
Motivation comes in many forms. Opposing players can send out threatening tweets, preseason publications can question your talent and talking heads on television can wonder if last season was a fluke.
UCF players believe they are as good as anyone on their schedule. Their coach believes his team can win any game they play. That's not arrogance, that's confidence that you have built a program that no longer rebuilds but now brings in a different talent level that sees what has happened at UCF. The school that was "another option" has now become "the option."
Down in talent-rich south Florida, a certain quarterback opened the door and others have followed from the area. The likes of Josh Reese, Rannell Hall, Torrian Wilson and others can play anywhere and they chose UCF. Leilon Willingham, the freshman linebacker from Colorado who started the opener, had a long list of schools who often occupy spots in the top 25 wanting his talents. Yet, Willingham chose to be a Knight. Toby Jackson and Cam Henderson were among the most sought after junior college players in the nation. They chose to be Knights.
That group and many others on this roster see what is happening and that is where we have all grown up. This is not our father's UCF anymore. This UCF plays at a new level and that is the vibe not felt before.
The 62-0 win over Charleston Southern was one win and nothing more. No one left the locker room overly satisfied because there's a bigger thing going on here.
There are many challenges that lie ahead on the schedule and the next game is one of them, against Boston College. Yet this type of game is where this growth is now on display. UCF sees this game differently than similar contests in recent years. In fact, UCF sees this game differently from the last meeting with Boston College in 2008. Back then, the Knights were still excited for a chance to play a BCS school. UCF lost that afternoon 34-7 and the score was a fair assessment of the two teams. Three years later, Boston College is still a solid team with a tough defense. UCF? A lot has changed in three seasons. Two bowl games, one bowl win and a conference championship is what has changed for the Knights.
Instead of being glad for the opportunity to play a BCS team, UCF might use the now famed quote of New York Jets linebacker Bart Scott, who after his team upset the New England Patriots in the divisional playoffs last season and was asked about their next game with the Pittsburgh Steelers and uttered, "Can't wait." And that my friends, is the different vibe we are feeling.
Knights notes and more: First prop to the UCF student section. Best student section in the nation. They came earlier, stayed late, made noise and simply bring it every time out...UCF's depth at running back is scary. Ronnie Weaver pounded out 66 yards on the opening drive and then took several series off while Latavius Murray and Brynn Harvey wore down the defense. Then, a fresh Weaver returns to punish the defense some more on his way to a 100-yard game...J.J. Worton, or as I like to call him, "The Magnet," played kicker his junior year of high school. Nothing else, just kicker. After a coaching change for his senior season, Worton kicked, returned, ran, caught, passed, held on kick attempts and tackled. While David Kelly was scooping recruits in south Florida someone said to take a look at this Worton kid. We are all glad he did...Jordan Rae is one of the best centers in the country. Not just Conference USA, the country...If there's a better set of backup defensive ends in college football than Toby Jackson and Cam Henderson, please e-mail me...I'll take the bet that Josh Robinson has no problems on punt returns the rest of the season and is not done returning interceptions for touchdowns...Leilon Willingham, Terrance Plummer and Troy Davis are all going to be really good linebackers. Did we mention they are all true freshmen?...Blake Bortles looked like anything but a first game quarterback...Adam Nissley usually runs 45 yards to celebrate a touchdown from another UCF player. But the strongest man on the team looked more than comfortable with his career long catch. Of course his head coach would say he better have made the catch, the nearest defender was in Lakeland...UCF used three kickers in the game. I have nothing else on this one....Stop complaining about who did not come to the game and start celebrating those who did...Some thoughts on Boston College later this week...Final thought: A woman came up to me before the game Saturday and asked for a picture with her family. When I said of course, I'd be glad to. She handed me the camera and said just press the top left button as she went and posed with her loved ones. There is no bigger ego dagger.
Marc Daniels' From the Press Box runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts The Beat of Sports on ESPN Radio 1080 in Orlando.