ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – The UCF football team continued to grind through preseason camp on Monday. After their first day off on Sunday, the Knights returned to the practice field for their fifth session of preparation for the 2018 campaign.
Knights in the News
Associated Press - UCF seeks to deliver encore performance with new coach
Orlando Sentinel - UCF DL Joey Connors is taking note of his football future
Loudermilk Honored
On Friday, Mac Loudermilk was named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List. The Ray Guy Award is given annually to the best punter in the nation. Loudermilk enters his final season with the Knights in his second as the team’s starting punter.
Slip Slidin’ Away
Near the end of practice on Saturday, head coach Josh Heupel pulled a fast one on his squad. He told the Knights they were going to run some gassers, but instead, he had set up a giant slip ‘n slide for the guys to enjoy on a hot weekend in Orlando. Check it out below.
Are you in or are you out? Our guys are all in!! #GoKnights #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/Ng4sMUOxB6
— Josh Heupel (@coachjoshheupel) August 5, 2018
Head Coach Josh Heupel
On how camp has been going…
“There’s been plays made on both sides of the ball, which – to be honest – is what you want. We’ve gotten in some situational work that our kids have handled well, and some young kids had the opportunity to learn from. I like the energy. I like the work that we’re putting in.”
On Otis Anderson…
“He’s so versatile. He’s got the ability to do a lot of things and do it at a high level. He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands. Mostly a ball carrier a year ago, some catches out wide as well. He’s spent time in both of our meeting rooms. He’s smart enough to handle doing that as well, so it gives us a lot versatility in our no huddle.”
On Tre Nixon…
“Fast, competitive. The best thing about him is – and what we’re preaching to our players – you’ve got to have the same mentality, the same attitude, you’ve got to attack every day the exact same way, and he’s done that. He’s very consistent in his approach. He’s good fundamentally, great speed, but as much as anything it’s his maturity and how he competes every day is important.”
On what group has improved the most…
“In the first five days, I’m really happy about the maturity, the growth, and the way that our defensive backfield has attached every single play, every single day. Coming out of spring that was something – not a concern – but we really wanted to see them mature. Coach (Kurt) Schmidt in the weight room thought that they pushed as hard and grew as much as any group that we had, and that’s really shown up here in the first five days of camp. It will be critical that that group continues to mature that way. Their ability to handle adversity on gameday, their ability to communicate – whether it’s going really good or not – will be pivotal to our success.”
On Parker Boudreaux…
“He had a phenomenal offseason this summer. He gained a lot of strength. He’s a guy who has bought into the culture. He works extremely hard and I like what he’s doing up front. He’s starting to create really good double teams and he’s going to play a lot of football for us.”
Sophomore Running Back Otis Anderson
On playing wide receiver in addition to running back…
“What I like about it is getting the ball in the open field. It’s also learning new techniques. I’ve got great coaches. Me learning anything every day, that just makes me a better player to help the team. That’s all I really care about. If I had to play receiver all season, I know the backfield would be able to do it without me. If I had to play running back, I know the receivers would be able to do great, so it just makes me better.”
On Marlon Williams…
“He definitely can be a hybrid, playing multiple positions. He’s also able to play tight end. That’s one thing that people don’t realize. He was used in different situations last year at tight end, kind of his own package.”
On what McKenzie Milton is doing better…
“I don’t think there’s too much he could do better, honestly. He’s being a great leader. His situational awareness is awesome. What he’s doing now is becoming even more of a leader, bringing up freshman, even players who play his position, players on the defense, he’s just a great vocal leader.”
Sophomore Offensive Lineman Parker Boudreaux
On preparing for camp this season…
“I’ve prepared for a while now, for about two or three years now, but I’m super excited to be with my family. Our team, we’re getting really close, and we have the trust in our coaches, so I can’t wait.”
On getting along with the offensive linemen…
“The group is awesome. We’re all super tight. We all get along really well, so it’s one big family. I love going out there and competing with them every single day, so it’s great.”
On the body change in the offseason…
“I gained about 13 pounds and I think it’s pretty good weight, so I’ll be moving pretty well. Yeah, I’ve put on about 13 pounds, so it’s been a good summer for me.”
PURCHASE 2018 TICKETS
Season tickets are going fast for the highly anticipated 2018 campaign. Fans can purchase theirs today and learn about all their options by calling (407) 823-1000 or visiting us online at https://ucfknights.co/18fbtix.