Nov. 14, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF wraps up its regular-season road schedule with a trip to East Carolina Saturday, which will kickoff at 7 p.m. and air on FOX Sports Networks and Sun Sports. The winner will stay alive in its quest for a bowl berth, as the Knights have advanced to a bowl game in each of the last two seasons.
Game Details:
Saturday - Greenville, N.C. - 7 p.m. ET
2011 Records:
East Carolina - 4-6 Overall, 3-3 C-USA
UCF - 4-6 Overall, 2-4 C-USA
Stadium:
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000)
Series:
ECU leads, 8-2
Live Coverage:
740-AM, UCFAthletics.com and Twitter.com/UCF_FootballSID
Television:
FOX Sports Networks - Sun Sports in Florida
Team Notes
THE MATCH-UP
? The Knights earned a 49-35 victory in last year's meeting in Orlando, and are 2-8 all-time vs. the Pirates. UCF's lone victory in Greenville came in a 30-20 decision Oct. 29, 2005, in what was the Black and Gold's first season in Conference USA.
? Saturday will serve as George O'Leary's 100th game as head coach of the Knights as he is in his eighth season at UCF.
? UCF trails in the series, 8-2, with a 30-20 victory in Greenville in 2005 as well as a 49-35 triumph in Orlando last season.
? The Knights are 6-11 against teams from the Tar Heel State.
? Since UCF joined C-USA in 2005, five of the six meetings between the Knights and the Pirates have produced at least four-combined turnovers.
? Ronnie Weaver (30-180-2) and Latavius Murray (7-47-3) had 227 rushing yards and five touchdowns in last year's contest with ECU.
? Standing at 4-6 overall and 3-3 in C-USA, East Carolina is coming off a 22-17 road loss to UTEP Nov. 12 as the Miners outgained the Pirates 429-254 in total offense.
? ECU senior QB Dominique Davis finished last year's game at UCF by going 39-for-54 with 310 yards and three touchdowns. In 2011, he is completing 68.2 percent of his passes with 18 TDs and 15 INTs, as ECU ranks tied for last in the FBS in turnover margin (-12).
? Linebacker Jeremy Grove ranks 12th in the nation with 102 tackles, while ECU has recorded 15 sacks and given up 28.
PLAYING THE FRESHMEN
? UCF has used 25 different freshmen in at least one game this year. That ranks tied for sixth in the nation.
? Most overall freshmen played in 2011:
T1) Clemson - 29
T1) Indiana - 29
T3) Auburn - 26
T3) Florida State - 26
T3) Texas - 26
T6) UCF - 25
T6) Colorado, Georgia, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Virginia Tech also with: - 25
WEEKLY TIME OF POSSESSION UPDATE
? UCF's time of possession chart in 2011:
Quarter - Average
1st - 9:45
2nd - 8:58
3rd - 7:39
4th - 8:02
Overall - 34:25
? UCF has dominated the time of possession in the first quarter thanks to receiving the opening kickoff in nine of the 10 games this season.
? The Knights have controlled the ball for at least 10 minutes in a quarter 11 times this year.
? UCF ranks second in the nation in average of time of possession. It posted at least 40 minutes of ball control vs. Marshall and vs. Memphis.
? FBS leaders in TOP:
1) Kansas State - 35:02
2) UCF - 34:25
3) Virginia Tech - 34:19
UCF'S LONGEST SERIES VS. OPPONENTS
? The Knights will be playing their 11th game all-time vs. ECU, which will tie for the second-longest series in school history.
School (Years) - Games - Record
Bethune-Cookman (1981-95) - 15 - 10-5
Georgia Southern (1982-91) - 11 - 1-10
Liberty (1987-02) - 11 - 8-3
Samford (1985-09) - 11 - 8-3
East Carolina (1991-10) - 10 - 2-8
Eastern Kentucky (1982-00) - 10 - 3-7
Marshall (2002-11) - 10 - 7-3
Offense Notes
ANOTHER FRESHMAN QB STEPS UP
? A year after Jeff Godfrey claimed the C-USA Freshman of the Year award, redshirt freshman Blake Bortles has filled in nicely as Godfrey's backup in 2011.
? Coming off the bench in eight games, Bortles is 57-for-81 (70.4 percent) with 702 yards and three touchdowns.
? Trailing 30-23 with 2:47 left in the game and the ball at the UCF-11 at Southern Miss Nov. 12, Bortles proceeded to go 9-for-10 for 85 yards, wrapping up the final drive with a highlight-reel 25-yard touchdown strike to J.J. Worton with no time remaining.
? UCF freshman quarterbacks - completions:
1) Ryan Schneider (RS) - 2000 - 177
2) Daunte Culpepper (True) - 1995 - 168
3) Jeff Godfrey (True) - 2010 - 159
4) Darrin Hinshaw (RS) - 1991 - 75
5) Rob Calabrese (True) - 2008 - 65
6) Raymond Agee (True) - 1982 - 61
7) Blake Bortles (RS) - 2011 - 57
? UCF freshman quarterbacks - completion percentage (minimum 50 attempts):
1) Blake Bortles (RS) - 2011 - 70.4
2) Jeff Godfrey (True) - 2010 - 66.8
3) Ryan Schneider (RS) - 2000 - 61.9
4) Daunte Culpepper (True) - 1995 - 57.1
? UCF freshman quarterbacks - passing yards:
1) Ryan Schneider (RS) - 2000 - 2,334
2) Jeff Godfrey (True) - 2010 - 2,159
3) Daunte Culpepper (True) - 1995 - 2,071
4) Darrin Hinshaw (RS) - 1991 - 1,049
5) Raymond Agee (True) - 1982 - 752
6) Blake Bortles (RS) - 2011 - 702
ALL ABOUT CONNECTING
? Jeff Godfrey currently ranks first all-time among UCF quarterbacks with a 67.6 completion percentage. Daunte Culpepper finished his career at 63.9.
? Combining Godfrey and Blake Bortles (70.4), UCF stands at ninth in the nation with a 68.58 completion percentage.
? All-time best completion percentages for a single-season at UCF:
1) 1998 - 73.4
2) 2011 - 68.6
3) 2010 - 64.5
WORTON SHINING AS A FRESHMAN
? Redshirt freshman J.J. Worton produced 11 receptions for 114 yards at Southern Miss Nov. 12, highlighted by a sensational 25-yard touchdown from Blake Bortles with no time remaining to make it 30-29.
? Worton became the first Knight since Mike Sims-Walker Oct. 21, 2006, to collect at least 10 receptions in a game. Sims-Walker, who now suits up for the Jacksonville Jaguars, finished with 13 catches for 169 yards vs. the Owls.
? The 11 receptions by Worton were tied for the 11th-most in a game in UCF history, and also tied for the most by a UCF freshman.
? UCF freshmen receivers with at least 10 catches in a game:
J.J. Worton - 11/12/11 at USM - 11-114-1 TD
Sean Beckton - 11/7/87 vs. LIB - 11-68-0 TD
? UCF freshmen receivers with at least 100 yards in a game:
1) Kamar Aiken - 9/22/07 vs. MEM - 4-131-1 TD
2) Todd Cleveland - 10/29/94 at LIB - 6-129-2 TD
3) Kamar Aiken - 10/6/07 at ECU - 8-122-1 TD
4) David Rhodes - 9/21/91 vs. ECU - 6-116-0 TD
5) J.J. Worton - 11/12/11 at USM - 11-114-1 TD
NOT PLAYING LIKE FRESHMEN ANYMORE
? UCF's all-time top freshmen wide receivers - receptions:
1) Sean Beckton - 1987 - 40
2) J.J. Worton* - 2011 - 36
T3) Kamar Aiken - 2007 - 33
T3) Mike Dickinson* - 1989 - 33
5) Shantel Roundtree* - 1988 - 26
T6) Josh Reese* - 2011 - 25
T6) Reginald Doster* - 1995 - 25
T6) Mark Nonsant - 1995 - 25
T6) Bobby Joe Plain - 1979 - 25
* - Redshirt Freshman
? UCF's all-time top freshmen wide receivers - yards:
1) Kamar Aiken - 2007 - 584
2) J.J. Worton* - 2011 - 452
3) Sean Beckton - 1987 - 421
4) Todd Cleveland* - 1994 - 385
5) David Rhodes* - 1991 - 382
6) Mike Dickinson* - 1989 - 371
7) Josh Reese* - 2011 - 367
* - Redshirt Freshman
? The longest reception by a UCF freshman receiver was 72 yards by Kamar Aiken in 2007. This year, Josh Reese's long stands at 48, while J.J. Worton has a 41-yard catch.
Defense Notes
GET YOUR HANDS UP
? Sophomore defensive tackle Victor Gray entered the record book at Southern Miss Nov. 12, and stands all alone at the top among all UCF defensive linemen thanks to his impressive accomplishment.
? Gray became the first defensive lineman or linebacker in school history to break up four passes in a single game, and among all UCF players, that ranks tied for fourth.
? Passes broken up in a single game in UCF history:
Player - Position - Break-Ups - Date
T1) Tim Kiggins - DB - 5 - 11/15/80
T1) Greg Atterberry - DB - 5 - 11/26/83
T1) Davin Bush - DB - 5 - 9/9/00
T4) Victor Gray - DL - 4 - 11/1/80
T4) John Cummings - DB - 4 - 11/1/80
T4) Victor Riddle - DB - 4 - 9/13/85
T4) David Alls - DB - 4 - 9/13/86
T4) Keith Evans - DB - 4 - 11/21/87
T4) Ray Irvin - DB - 4 - 9/2/88
HE JUST MAKES PLAYS
? A staple as a starting cornerback since his true freshman season in 2009, Josh Robinson continues to cause havoc for opposing teams in the secondary.
? Although most quarterbacks stay away from throwing at him, the Sunrise native still has 33 tackles and leads C-USA with 10 pass break-ups. One more break-up will move him into a tie for ninth on UCF's single-season chart. Robinson already sits in fourth as he posted 13 in 2010.
? Meanwhile, Robinson has 31 career break-ups, which rank fifth.
? At Southern Miss Nov. 12, the 2010 All-C-USA First Team selection had three tackles and a break-up, but his biggest play came with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter. As UCF trailed 30-23 and the Golden Eagles standing on the UCF-10, Robinson knocked the ball loose from Jamal Woodyard and Kemal Ishmael recovered it on the UCF-11. The Knights then went the length of the field in 2:47, capped off by Blake Bortles' 25-yard touchdown pass to J.J. Worton with no time remaining, but the two-point conversion fell short.
NO. 1 IN CONFERENCE USA
? The top-two passing defenses in C-USA are meeting up Saturday as UCF ranks No. 1 with just 188.2 yards allowed, and ECU is No. 2 at 188.7. They are the only two teams in the league to surrender less than 200 passing yards a game this year.
? UCF also is the only school in the conference which is permitting less than 300 yards of total offense.
? In 2010, the Knights finished atop the league in four of the five major defensive categories, placing second only in passing defense.
? C-USA rankings:
C-USA School - Total Defense
1) UCF - 293.6 YPG
2) SMU - 345.2 YPG
C-USA School - Scoring Defense
1) UCF - 16.8 PPG
2) Southern Miss - 20.5 PPG
C-USA School - Rushing Defense
1) UCF - 105.4 YPG
2) Southern Miss - 121.3 YPG
C-USA School - Passing Defense
1) UCF - 188.2 YPG
2) East Carolina - 188.7 YPG
C-USA School - Passing Efficiency Defense
1) UCF - 107.2 Rating
2) Southern Miss - 111.8 Rating
STILL UNDER 300 YARDS
? Since joining the FBS in 1996, UCF's top single-season performance in fewest yards allowed per game was 307.4 in 2001. This year, the Knights are giving up just 293.6 yards an outing.
Special Teams Notes
MURRAY HONORED
? With UCF trailing 19-9 in the fourth quarter Nov. 12, Southern Miss decided to kick it away from the Knights' regular returners, Rannell Hall and Josh Robinson. Serving as an upback, Latavius Murray hauled it in on the 29-yard line and took advantage of perfect blocking by UCF's special teams to return it for six points.
? Murray's return allowed him to be one of six players in the country who were selected as a College Football Performance Awards National Kickoff Returner of the Week.
? Murray's kickoff return for a TD was UCF's first of the season, and the Knights are now one of just five teams nationally which have recorded a kickoff-return touchdown in each of the last five years, joining Clemson, Houston, Kansas State and Louisiana Tech.
KICKOFF RETURN RANKINGS
? From 2008-10, UCF finished the season ranked in the top-13 in the country in kickoff returns, including first last year. In 2011, the Knights are at it again.
? UCF's 2011 week-by-week ranking:
After Week... - FBS Ranking - Average
One - (Charleston Southern) - 102nd - 13.00
Two (Boston College) - 110th - 16.67
Three (FIU) - T-105th - 18.17
Four (BYU) - 113th - 17.86
Five (Bye) - 112nd - 17.86
Six (Marshall) - 104th - 19.30
Seven (SMU) - 100th - 19.57
Eight (UAB) - 32nd - 23.63
Nine (Memphis) - 29th - 23.75
10 (Tulsa) - 17th - 24.88
11 (Southern Miss) - 4th - 26.74
YET ANOTHER FRESHMAN SPARKING UCF
? Heavily using freshmen at quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, in the secondary and in the kicking game, UCF also has a true freshman turning heads returning kickoffs.
? True freshman Rannell Hall currently averages 30.0 yards on 17 kickoff returns, with his first return coming in UCF's sixth game of the year at SMU.
? UCF's single-season chart for average yards per kickoff return:
1) Quincy McDuffie - 32.2 (869/27) - 2010
2) Paul Miranda - 30.7 (644/21) - 1998
3) Rannell Hall - 30.0 (510/17) - 2011
4) Ted Wilson - 29.3 (732/25) - 1983
? UCF entered the UAB game Oct. 20 ranked 100th in the nation in kickoff returns, and now ranks fourth with Hall individually ranking ninth in the FBS.
PRODUCTION FROM THE KICKERS
? Senior Nick Cattoi was a perfect 3-for-3 in field goals at Southern Miss, hitting from 48, 38 and 41 yards. His career-long is 50 yards while he converted four field goals in a game in 2009.
? True freshman Shawn Moffitt is 5-for-6 from 20-39 yards, and is 17-for-17 on extra-points in his first-collegiate campaign.