The UCF softball team wrapped up its fall schedule as it defeated Florida State College of Jacksonville, 15-2, at the UCF Softball Complex. The Knights impressed as completed their fall slate at a perfect 5-0.

With several upperclassmen missing the game due to scheduling conflicts with night classes, the Knights were able to play several of their new freshmen and get their young players valuable experience. UCF started an all-freshman infield as Brittanne Gasser played first, Taylor Wagner was at second, Kalyn Cenal took short and Sam McCloskey manned third.

"With most of our seniors and sophomores not here, we leaned on a lot of our freshmen tonight," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said after the game. "I thought Sam, Brittanne and Shelby (Turnier) all did some nice things at the plate."

Freshman Shelby Turnier got the nod in the circle for the Knights and she earned the victory after going three innings, allowing no runs on one hit and four walks while striking out four. Turnier was once again impressive at the plate as well as she went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored. 

Sophomore Maddy Schroeder led the way offensively with three RBI as she was 2-for-4 at the plate. Schroeder, who started 42 games for the Knights last season, is battling for a starting role in both center and left field. 

"Maddy just has that element of speed that this team needs," Luers-Gillispie continued. "You saw how she was able to track down that screaming line drive to centerfield late in the game. If she's not out there, that play almost certainly goes to the wall."

Another player who showed off impressive speed was sophomore Hayley Barrow. Barrow, who is entrenched as the Knights' starting catcher, smoked a line drive into the gap in right-center and turned on the jets to reach third base standing up with an RBI triple.

With Mackenzie Audas and Alex Hartshorn missing the game, freshmen Mackenzie Huhn and Lauren Dannelley tossed a combined five innings of relief. Huhn and Dannelley should provide valuable depth for a UCF pitching staff that only had three pitchers last season.

Keith Clanton will begin his senior campaign in some rare company. The power forward is one of only three returning players nationally with over 1,000 points, 700 rebounds, 100 assists and 100 blocks for their careers. Clanton joins Chris Gaston of Fordham and Mike Muscala of Bucknell in the group.

The Orlando native enters the year with 1,260 points, 737 boards, 159 assists and 164 blocks.

Over the past few days, parts of the northeast United States have experienced damage like never before from Hurricane Sandy. Much of New York City is under water and cities along the coast are looking at weeks or months before things will be back to normal.

The UCF football team has a handful of players on its roster from the Empire State. Head coach George O'Leary is also a New York native. Throughout the past couple days, their thoughts and prayers have been with their family members and friends up north.

"My mom lost power and she was flooded quite a bit," senior H-back and Shoreham, N.Y. native Brendan Kelly said. "I'm on the north shore of Long Island, which got hit hard. But for the most part the storm has cleared out and now it's a lot of cleaning up.

"I stayed in touch with her as much as I could," Kelly continued. "It's scary. We're not used to hurricanes. I know Florida people are used to it, but we don't get that too often. It's scary stuff, especially being surrounded by water, too."

Fellow Knights Rob Calabrese, Troy Green, Latavius Murray, Jamie Boyle and Kevin Miller are from either New York or New Jersey. Hurricane Sandy has been the main topic of conversation among those Knights for the past couple of days.

"We were looking at photos and we're all very fortunate we're down here now and not around that," Kelly said.

Coach O'Leary has brothers and a sister in New York. UCF's head coach was able to talk to his sister about the storm. According to Coach O'Leary, the reports he received were not good.

"I think it's the worst they've had as far as level of water, but they'll work through it," O'Leary said. "They're resilient people up there and they'll get through it."

For the second time this season, the Knights (6-2, 4-0) scored more than 50 points per game and remain undefeated in Conference USA after beating the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-5, 2-2) 54-17.

Saturday's game may have been UCF's best overall performance of the season accumulating 568 yards of total offense and 213 yards on special teams. The Knights said the squad played well in all three phases of the game.

"I think we really put it all together tonight," senior running back Latavius Murray said. "We came together as a team. We knew we had to play well tonight and we did that."

"We don't know what our full potential is, but the team did a really good job today on offense, defense and special teams," senior offensive lineman Thoe Goins said. "All of them scored a lot of points and made things happen."

One of the players who sent a jolt of excitement to the sideline a few times was senior wide receiver Quincy McDuffie. The Orlando native returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, including one during the opening kickoff of the second half.

"He's unbelievable, but he doesn't do it by himself," sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles said. "That unit has been great all year and a kid with speed and vision like Quincy is hard to stop."

From special teams to the offense, Latavius Murray had another big game for the Knights accumulating 195 total yards and four touchdowns. This was also the second week in a row that the New York native had a touchdown of 75 or more yards.

Following the contest, the humble senior had a lot of high praise for the offensive line.

"I have to give credit to the line," Murray said. "It starts there and the yards that needed to get them I made sure I got."

The Marshall offense came into this game as the top ranked offense in Conference USA, but the Knights defense was able to hold them in check Saturday. Before MU played UCF it averaged 568.4 yards per game. Against the Knights the Thundering Herd had only 364 yards.

Saturday's contest is considered one of the best games, if not the best game, UCF has played all season. But many of the seniors feel the squad can still get better.

"We don't know what our full potential is," Goins said. "We will judge that at the end of the season, but the team did a really good job today on offense, defense and special teams. All of them scored a lot of points and made things happen."

The Knights (5-2, 3-0) are on the road for the second consecutive week and look to stay undefeated when they take on the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-4, 2-1) Saturday night at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

The contest will be a matchup of the top offense and the top defense in Conference USA. UCF is first in total defense (352.9 yards per game) and scoring defense (22 points per game). On the flip side, Marshall owns C-USA's top spot for total offense (568.4 yards per game) and scoring offense (43.1 points per game).

UCF sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles continues to prove he's one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the conference. On the season, he's completed 66 percent of his passes for 1,598 yards and 12 touchdowns. The Oviedo native hasn't thrown an interception in the last four games and is ranked third in the conference with a passing efficiency rating of 141.9.

In the running game, senior Latavius Murray ran for a season high 192 yards and two touchdowns against Memphis. On the season, the New York native is averaging 95.5 rushing yards per game with five touchdowns. Sophomore Storm Johnson continues to lead the team in rushing with 469 yards and four touchdowns.

On defense, senior Kemal Ishmael and sophomore Terrence Plummer are two of the top tacklers in the conference. Ishmael is ranked ninth in the conference with 59 tackles and Plummer is tied for tenth with 58 tackles. Last week against Memphis, Ishmael recorded double-digit tackles for the second time on the season with ten. The first time he recorded double-digit tackles was against Ohio State.

All-time in Huntington the Knights are 3-2. The last time UCF played Marshall in Huntington was in 2010. The Knights won the lightning-delayed contest 35-14.

Weather Report

Saturday's forecast calls for a 50 percent chance of rain with the projected high at 54 degrees and the projected low at 42 degrees.

Game Notes

Want to go in-depth to learn more about UCF and Marshall and their matchup tomorrow? Click on the links below for the media notes, distributed by the communications staff of both squads.

UCF Game Notes

Marshall Game Notes

Links/Media Coverage

UCFAthletics.com - BLOG: Taking it One Game at a Time 

UCFAthletics.com - BLOG: Another Step Towards the C-USA Championship

Orlando Sentinel - UCF, Marshall set for what could be final chapter of football rivalry

Herald-Dispatch - C-USA's best to collide

Herald-Dispatch - Strength vs. strength

Radio/TV/Video

Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network and the UCF-IMG College Radio Network. At the top of this blog is a quick preview of Saturday's game with "The Voice of the Knights" Marc Daniels and UCF color analyst Mike Gruttadauria.

Over the eight years in Conference USA, the annual meeting between UCF and Marshall has become quite the rivalry game. Prior to the Knights joining C-USA in 2005, they had never defeated the Thundering Herd. Now, UCF is looking to finish the series a perfect 8-0 in C-USA and UCFAthletics.com has you covered for this weekend's contest up in Huntington, W.Va., with 10 Tweetable tidbits to tweet out to all of your followers.

CBSSports.com recently ranked the top-25 impact transfers in the country and for UCF fans, there was one notable admission. Calvin Newell, the dynamic junior guard who began his career at Oklahoma, was not on the list.

Going under the radar is not too much of a bad thing for Newell, who will become eligible after the conclusion of the first semester. Opposing teams will learn about Newell soon enough.

The Philadelphia native has shown off his offensive ability each day during UCF's preseason practices. Newell can score in a variety of ways and displayed that Thursday during an intrasquad scrimmage inside the UCF Arena. He drained 3-pointers, knocked down jump shots, drove to the basket and sneaked away for easy layups on fastbreaks.

Newell could become even more dangerous during games when he is paired with a skilled post player in Keith Clanton, a powerful wing in Isaiah Sykes and an improving long-distance shooter in Tristan Spurlock.

I have little doubt that if the ranking of impact transfers is updated at the end of the season, Newell will make his way onto the list. And as a result, UCF fans should not be worried that the guard is going under the radar prior to the start of the campaign. 

Freshman Shelby Turnier pulled off a unique double-dip on Wednesday night at the UCF Softball Complex. The highly-touted freshman from Palm Beach Gardens got the start in the circle and earned the victory after allowing just two hits and no earned runs in four innings of work as the Knights defeated Seminole State College, 8-3, in a 10-inning contest.

Throughout Conference USA play, the Knights (5-2, 3-0) have been the opponent every team has wanted to beat. UCF started the season as the favorite to win Conference USA and so far the Knights have been living up to expectations. UCF is undefeated in conference play and control their own destiny as they look earn a berth in the Conference USA Championship game.

This Saturday, the Knights will take on the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-4, 2-1), which boasts the top-ranked offense in C-USA. The Knights know this is an important game as it pertains to the division race. But UCF is going to treat this contest in Huntington like business as usual.

"It's a big game for us, but every game is a big game," UCF head coach George O'Leary said. "I think this will be a major game up in Huntington as far as Marshall's attitude and our attitude."

The Knights have won seven consecutive games against Marshall. UCF would like to keep that streak alive, but O'Leary knows heading into Joan C. Edwards Stadium can be a challenge for many teams.

"I enjoy going up there and competing," O'Leary said. "It's a conference game and it's a big game as far as they only have one loss in conference [play]. So we have to stay one game ahead. I think we're at the stage where we have to control our own destiny as far as what's taking place."

This is the second to last C-USA East Division game the Knights will play, the next divisional opponent will be on the final day of the regular season against UAB at Bright House Networks Stadium.

As far as the notion of this contest being a rivalry game, O'Leary feels every game is a rivalry game. O'Leary also says UCF has become the team every opponent in Conference USA has targeted because of the Knights' success.

"Our players understand what's ahead of them and what we have to do to get it done," O'Leary said. "We're on everybody's high list right now."

With the start of the season quickly approaching, a pair of Knights have earned some impressive recognition this week. Both Keith Clanton and Isaiah Sykes were recognized by CBSSports.com for being among the best players nationally at their positions.

Clanton was listed as the No. 32 post player in the country. The Conference USA Preseason Player of the Year, Clanton was also ranked by the website as the 82^nd-best overall player.

Sykes cracked the top-50 wings list at No. 49. Here is what CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman had to say about Sykes:

"Keith Clanton gets most of the attention, but Sykes is deserving of plenty as well. He's long and versatile, and if he can improve his perimeter shot he can be a star. Can handle, defend and score enough."

The Knights (5-2, 3-0) will play their second Conference USA road game of the season when UCF travels to Huntington, West Virginia to take on the Marshall Thundering Herd (3-4, 2-1) Saturday night at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.

UCF continues to lead the Conference USA East Division by one game over the ECU Pirates and Marshall sits in third place the division.

The Knights are 7-3 all-time against the Thundering Herd and are 3-2 when the game is played in Huntington. Last time the Knights traveled to the Mountain State UCF defeated Marshall in a lighting-delayed contest 35-14.

"Every time we go to Marshall it's a tough environment to play in, but we have to go there as a team and a family and stick together," senior defensive back Lyle Dankenbring said. "That's how you get through things like that."

A win would put the Knights at 4-0 in the conference and would keep them in a position to control their own destiny and a potential berth in the Conference USA Championship game.

"We know that our goal is to win the conference championship and we need to win this game to do that," Dankenbring said. "It's a big game for us. We try and treat every game as a big game, but this is a big game."

"Any conference game is a big game, but especially conference games in the east division," senior offensive lineman Phil Smith said. "You have to win those games in order to go to the conference championship."

The Thundering Herd comes into this contest with the top ranked offense in the conference scoring 43.1 points per game and averaging 568.4 yards per game.

"We need to be able to play with their tempo," Dankenbring said. "They're a fast tempo team. Probably the fastest we've played against all year. We just need 11 guys running to the football. Play smart and play fast. That's how we do it."

Thundering Herd sophomore quarterback Rakeem Cato is in his second season as a start for Marshall. The UCF defense will have the challenge of defending his 379.7 passing yards per game and Knights will do all they can to put pressure on the young gunslinger from Miami.

"We need to get our hands on guys at the line of scrimmage," Dankenbring said. "If we do that we give the pass rush time to get to the quarterback. Pass rush and coverage go hand in hand. People say the best coverage is a good pass rush so we need to get our hands on people and slow them down."

NFL Player Engagement recently caught up with UCF Director of Player Development Kristy Belden for a Q&A session. The very informative piece discusses how the Knights grow off the football field and what type of challenges they face.

Isaiah Sykes will enter his junior season in some elite company. The Detroit native currently ranks seventh on the UCF career field-goal percentage list. Sykes has made 54.9 percent (200-of-379) of his attempts from the field as a Knight. Field-goal percentages in the mid-fifties are rare for wing players, but the guard/forward typically gets to the basket with ease and is a great offensive rebounder.

In 2011-12, Sykes shot 54.5 percent overall. In Conference USA play, he shot 55.1 percent, good for fifth in the league. He was the lone non-post player to rank among the top-five in the conference in field goal percentage.

The UCF softball team got a stiffer challenge in its doubleheader against Hillsborough Community College and Rollins, but for the second and third times this fall the Knights' pitching staff rose to the occasion and combined to not allow a run.

UCF shutout the Lady Hawks 2-0 in game one and came back with a second shutout, 4-0, in the nightcap over the Tars. Over the course of 14 innings, Knights' pitchers only allowed four hits and two walks while striking out an incredible 23.

For more exclusive pictures from UCF softball's fall ball outings, check our Facebook page

Sophomore Mackenzie Audas has been flat out dominant during the fall season. Audas threw eight combined innings in the two games and allowed one hit, one walk while striking out an incredible 17 batters. The battle for the No. 2 starter job continues to be intense as senior Alex Hartshorn allowed two hits over four scoreless innings with five strikeouts and freshman Shelby Turner also tossed two innings of one hit ball.

"We're going to be a team that relies on our pitching all year long," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said after the games. "We really feel we've got one of the best No. 1 starters in the country in Mac. She's going to be our workhorse, but behind her we have total confidence in Shelby and Alex. Shelby came in with a lot of hype, but Alex has really stepped her game up. She's not conceding that spot easily."

Offensively, the star of camp continues to be sophomore Kahley Novak. Novak combined to go 5-for-6 with a run scored and two RBI in the doubleheader. She appears more confident and comfortable at the plate than she was during her freshman season when she hit .278 and stole 17 bases while starting every game.

"You really can't say enough of how good Kahley's been this so far this fall," Luers-Gillispie continued. "I don't see any reason why she can't be a force at the top of the lineup both in terms of hitting for average and on the base paths. She has been our best hitter by far thus far."

The battles for starting spots continue to be fierce with as many as five positions in the lineup still up for grabs with multiple players battling it out for playing time. With just two fall ball games remaining before the UCF World Series on Tuesday Oct. 30 to Thursday Nov. 1, players are doing whatever it takes to show off the kind of versatility and skills necessary to force the coaching staff's hand for playing time.

"This year more than many other years we've had in the past, the competition has just been outstanding," Luers-Gillispie concluded. "We are trying out ladies at many different positions just to see who can handle which spot the best. By the time February rolls around, we think the cream will rise to the top and we'll have the best nine players out there." 

All season long, the Knights have ranked towards the top of Conference USA in every major defensive category. Saturday's first conference road game against the Memphis Tigers continued to show how dominate UCF's defense is.

UCF head coach George O'Leary said after the game the defense made the difference the Knights' 35-17 victory over Memphis in the Liberty Bowl.

UCF forced three turnovers in the contest. Two fumble recoveries and one interception by senior defensive back A.J. Bouye.

Senior safety Kemal Ishmael made many key tackles in the game and said after the contest focusing in on UM quarterback Jacob Karam made a big difference for UCF.

"Just getting the pass rush and containing that quarterback," Ishmael said. "They were getting us with the run game and we just have to stop that early in the game."

The Knights held the Texas native to only 121 passing yards in the game. UCF also held its opponent to 4-of-16 on third downs.

UCF didn't allow a touchdown on defense for the first 59 minutes of the match up, before the Tigers scored on a quarterback keeper by Karam with 39 seconds left.

Many of the seniors on the squad were upset they let Memphis score that late in the contest, even though that play didn't have any effect on the outcome. The Knights plan to use that as motivation to improve an already stellar defense.

"We're Coach O'Leary players," senior linebacker Ray Shipman said. "We have to play perfect for the full 60 minutes. We feel we're a team that is capable of playing 60 minutes of football. That's what makes us mad. There is still a lot of room for improvement."

"We're a good defense, but we can be much better," Ishmael said.

The Knights are currently ranked first in Conference USA in total defense giving up an average of only 352.9 yards per game.

On Saturday, the UCF Knights (4-2, 2-0) will try and remain undefeated as they take on the Memphis Tigers (1-5, 1-1) at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee. This will be the Knights' third trip to the Liberty Bowl in the last three seasons for the Knights. The last time the squad traveled to Memphis it defeated Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl 10-6.

The Knights are 7-1 all-time against the Tigers and UCF is 7-0 against Memphis since O'Leary became the head coach. That only loss came during UCF's first season as a FCS program. This will also be the first future Big East member the Knights will face this season. UCF and Memphis are in their final season in Conference USA. Both will head to the Big East in 2013.

Sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles will lead the UCF offense into the River City. In the last five games, Bortles has thrown for a career high in passing yards. Last week against Southern Miss, the Oviedo native threw for 272 yards. On the season, the 6-foot-4 gunslinger has completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 1,476 yards and 10 touchdowns.

On the ground, sophomore running back Storm Johnson is coming off a career-high 94 yard and one touchdown performance against the defending Conference USA Champion Southern Miss Golden Eagles. Johnson leads the Knights in rushing this season with 464 yards and four touchdowns.

This is the first of two consecutive road trips for the Knights and four of the next five games will be away from Bright House Networks Stadium.

Weather:

Saturday's forecast includes a zero percent chance of rain and it's expected to be sunny all day. The forecast high is 70 degrees and the low is 50 degrees.

Game Notes:

Want to go in-depth to learn more about the matchup between UCF and Memphis? Click on the links below for media notes, distributed by the communications staff of both squads.

UCF

Memphis

Articles:

-UCFAthletics: BLOG: Knights Working Hard and Improving at Halfway Point

-UCFAthletics: BLOG: The Knight In Shining Armor

-Orlando Sentinel: UCF is Huge Challenge for Rebuilding Memphis

-Orlando Sentinel: UCF Stresses Lessons Learned from Overtime Game as it Prepares for Memphis

-Memphis Commercial Appeal: University of Memphis football team bracing for tough home test vs. UCF

Radio/TV/Video:
Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. eastern standard time. The game will be broadcast on CSS/Bright House Sports Network and the UCF-IMG College Radio Network. At the top of this blog is a quick preview of Saturday's game with "The Voice of the Knights" Marc Daniels and UCF color analyst Mike Gruttadauria.

UCF head baseball coach Terry Rooney has done many things for his program in his fifth year on the job. Not only has he created a winning environment with back-to-back regional appearances, but also welcomes back former Knights who have wrapped up their professional seasons.

Every fall, and early in the spring, if you stop by the UCF baseball complex you will see many familiar faces who helped put UCF back on the map. One of those former Knights that stops by is former centerfielder, and current San Diego Padre, Ronnie Richardson.

After his 16th-round selection this past June in the MLB Draft, the Eagle Lake, Fla., native headed off to Eugene, Ore., to begin his professional career in short-season. With the Emeralds, Richardson ended the year with a pair of home runs, including a walk-off shot, 16 RBI, 27 walks and an impressive 16 hit-by-pitches in just 52 games.

The UCF record-holder in that category recently chatted about life on the West Coast, being one of those guys who return in the fall and how UCF helps you take the next step in your professional career.

While Richardson and his former teammates are working out, the current UCF squad will conclude its month-long training period with the Black and Gold World Series next Wednesday-Friday. The first two games will begin at 3 p.m., while the finale is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Admission is free to all fans for each contest.

After two weeks of team workouts and three intra-squad scrimmages, the UCF softball team was chomping at the bit to play a live game against another team. The Knights got their first chance on Wednesday night as they defeated Brevard Community College 14-0 in a no-time limit 10 inning game.

The Knights out-hit the Titans, 19-5, and showed off some improved defense by not making a single error.

Box Score 

Pitching has reigned supreme throughout fall camp and Wednesday was no exception. UCF's No. 1 pitcher Mackenzie Audas got the start and struck out six in two innings. Later in the game, when Brevard's hurlers reached their pitch limits, Audas switched teams and threw a pair of scoreless innings for the Titans, much to the chagrin of her teammates.  All total, the dominant sophomore allowed two hits and one walk in four innings while striking out 10.

With senior Alex Hartshorn missing the game because of class, the Knights' three freshman pitchers all made their claims to the No. 2 starting spot. Shelby Turnier and Lauren Dannelley each pitched three scoreless innings. Lefty Mackenzie Huhn also tossed two scoreless innings in relief.

"It was great to see our entire group of young pitchers step up and perform well with Alex not here," head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie said. "The competition to be the No. 2 starter behind Mac is very intense right now."

Offensively, three returning players shined as Kahley Novak, Farrah Sullivan and Hayley Barrow all had quality efforts at the plate. Novak

"Kahley, Farrah and Hayley are three of our top returning players and all three of them have a spot in the lineup right now," Luers-Gillispie continued. "Farrah and Hayley are going to play third and catch for us and be right there in the middle of the lineup. Kahley's going to hit leadoff and could be our starter at second or she could be in centerfield, it's going to depend on what shakes out with the rest of the team."

Novak went 4-for-6 with four RBI, two runs scored and two stolen bases as she continues to thrive in the leadoff spot. Hitting third, Sullivan was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles while knocking in a pair. Batting right behind Sullivan in the cleanup spot, Barrow picked up a pair of RBI while going 2-for-5. 

"It's everywhere you want to be." Remember that Visa credit card slogan from back in the day? If not, check out the vintage VISA commercial circa 1987:

These days, Visa commercials have taken things to a whole new level. Mixing sports and comedic relief in their latest ad is a win-win formula. But having Morgan Freeman voiceover a commercial that features current San Francisco 49ers fullback and former UCF defensive end Bruce Miller? To borrow a line from another credit card company, that's "Priceless." 

In the video above, Miller is in the spotlight a ton next to quarterback Alex Smith and linebacker Patrick Willis, all while showing off his impressive beard and receiving encouraging words from one lucky fan. There is even a glimpse of the back of his No. 49 jersey in a shot that shows the entire huddle. 

The final scene in the commercial has to be one that Miller's friends and family, and all UCF fans, can appreciate as he walks side-by-side with head coach Jim Harbaugh in slow motion. By his prominent role in the Visa ad, it appears that Miller's infectious personality that won over his teammates and an entire fan base at UCF has spread to the Bay Area. 

Now in his second year, Miller continues to spearhead of the NFL's leading rushing attacks that features Pro Bowler Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter. Tonight offers a chance to see Miller in the national spotlight once again when the 49ers host Seattle at 8:20 p.m. on the NFL Network.

Kemal Ishmael's game-ending interception against Southern Miss has gone down as one of the top moments of the 2012 season so far. The clutch play didn't just prove how valuable the Miami native is to the Knights, but UCF head coach George O'Leary spoke highly of how important the talented defensive back is to UCF during his weekly press conference Tuesday.

"I think he's a great competitor," O'Leary said. "When you look at a guy and you talk about winners, everybody wants to win but there aren't many that work to win. He works to win every day in practice."

Ishmael is currently second on the team in tackles with 49 halfway through the regular season. His talent and leadership is one of the many reasons the Knights are ranked toward the top of every major defensive category in Conference USA.

"He's contagious out there and he's well respected, not because he talks a lot, because of what he does," O'Leary said. "He's always where he belongs. He understands his responsibilities. You never see him shrugging off any duties as far as special teams, defense or whatever it may be."

O'Leary says Ishmael's effort stays constant throughout the entire week and that's why he's had a successful football career at UCF.

"You can take practice and make it game-day for him," O'Leary continued. "Others it's not the case, but he plays in practices the same way. I think that's what separates him from a lot of players. They're going to play alright on Saturday, but they'd play a lot better if they practiced like him during the week."

The Miami native is ranked in the top 10 in school history with 293 tackles. By the end of the season, he has the potential to be ranked in the Top 5, if he continues to put up the type of numbers he has this season.

O'Leary says Ishmael's work ethic and dedication is what has made him one of the best defensive players in UCF history.

"That's something you hope the young players can carry over in a contagious type of way," O'Leary said. "He's what you want your football team to look like on the defensive side of the ball. He can do a lot of things for you and he's a quick study."

For as much success as the 5-foot-11 safety has had on the field, he has been just as good a role model off the field.

"I have nothing but great praise for the way he handles himself off the field, on the field and pretty much within the whole program," O'Leary said. "He's been a pleasure to be around and I know he is one of the most respected kids on the team."

With half the regular season complete, the UCF Knights (4-2, 2-0) are pleased with what they've accomplished so far. But they know there is more work to be done. The Knights have won both of their conference games to this point and are preparing to play their first road contest in Conference USA play this weekend against the Memphis Tigers.

UCF head coach George O'Leary is hoping by the end of the season the Knights will have another C-USA Championship trophy to display. The Knights have put themselves in a position to accomplish that. UCF currently has a one-game lead in the C-USA East Division and they control their own destiny, with the hope that the destination will be hosting a game on championship weekend in December.

This past weekend, UCF defeated the defending Conference USA Champion Southern Miss Golden Eagles in an intense, double-overtime contest. Senior safety Kemal Ishmael ended the game with his fifth career interception. The Miami native feels the Knights learned a lot about their team on Saturday.

"We found out who our character guys are and who's going to keep pushing," Ishmael said. "We're just grateful for everything. You have to look towards the negatives and fix the negatives because the positives will always be there. We just have to get the little things right so we can be a complete team."

Making those adjustments is what the Knights are hoping will take them to another level. One area where they feel they have made steady progress  is on the offensive side of the ball. Sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles has thrown for a career-high in passing yards in five consecutive games.

The Oviedo native has already surpassed many of his offensive numbers from last season. He has completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,476 yards and 10 touchdowns.

"I feel Blake has matured a lot," senior wide receiver Quincy McDuffie said.

Bortles has gotten the ball to many of the Knights' playmakers this season and that's one of the many reasons why UCF is undefeated in Conference USA. Five wideouts have at least 99 yards receiving on the season.

"They can't key in on one person, because we have so many weapons," McDuffie said. "All of us bring something different to the table. We try to put ourselves in positions to make plays and just execute the game plan and go from there."

In the running game, Storm Johnson has improved during each game of his first season of eligibility for the Knights. He's the team's leading rusher with 464 yards and four touchdowns. Last week, he ran for a career-high 94 yards and a score.

"I'm impressed because he's quick and he's shifty," McDuffie said. "I like what he brings to the field. He can make guys miss and he's a very powerful running back. I like the way he plays."

McDuffie speaks to the team's mindset as they prepare for their first road trip since early September.

"Obviously there are things we have to work on, but the talent and everything is there," McDuffie said. "We just have to continue to push and move forward."

After posting an impressive 1-0 victory over No. 17 SMU Sunday, UCF has moved to fifth in the NSCAA South Region Poll. North Carolina is first in the poll, followed by Wake Forest, Elon and Furman. UCF is the highest-ranked team from Florida in the regional polls.

The Knights will have more chances to move up in the poll, starting Sunday when they play at Tulsa. The Golden Hurricane are currently receiving votes in the NSCAA/Continental Tire Top 25.

After spending the summer in Orlando working out with several current Knights, former UCF star Josh Peppers is back in Japan, where he is playing for Rizing Fukuoka. Early in the season, he is averaging 14.5 points per game.

Since concluding his time at UCF in 2007, the small forward has played professionally each season in Japan. A year ago, he competed for the Shiga Lakestars and averaged 14.8 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 56.3 percent from the floor.

A Memphis native, Peppers starred for the Knights from 2003-07. As a senior, he averaged 14.3 points and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team. Peppers, who played on a pair of NCAA Tournament squads, finished his career with 1,376 points and is eighth on UCF's all-time scoring register. 

After spending the summer in Orlando working out with several current Knights, former UCF star Josh Peppers is back in Japan, where he is playing for Rizing Fukuoka. Early in the season, he is averaging 14.5 points per game.

Since concluding his time at UCF in 2007, the small forward has played professionally each season in Japan. A year ago, he competed for the Shiga Lakestars and averaged 14.8 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 56.3 percent from the floor.

A Memphis native, Peppers starred for the Knights from 2003-07. As a senior, he averaged 14.3 points and was named to the All-Conference USA Second Team. Peppers, who played on a pair of NCAA Tournament squads, finished his career with 1,376 points and is eighth on UCF's all-time scoring register. 

It was a game of firsts for the UCF Knights against the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. It was the team's first overtime victory. It was the first time since 2007 UCF defeated Southern Miss and it was the first time the Knights defeated the Golden Eagles at Bright House Networks Stadium.

For close to a decade, the Knights' foe from Mississippi has caused many problems for UCF. Heading into Saturday night's contest, the Knights were 1-6 all-time against the Golden Eagles. UCF capped off its four-game home stand with its most thrilling game of the season, defeating Southern Miss in double overtime 38-31.

All of the players and some of the coaches on the squad had never defeated the Golden Eagles.

"It feels good," senior running back Latavius Murray said. "Being a senior, it was definitely something I wanted to get accomplished and tonight is satisfying."

"For some reason we always have trouble with Southern Miss, but they're a pretty good team," senior defensive back Kemal Ishmael said. "I'm just happy for the win."

The win not only accomplished one of the senior class's goals, but it also makes the Knights 2-0 in Conference USA play. UCF defeated both ECU and Southern Miss in the past two weeks. That is also another first for the Knights, since no team in program history has ever beaten both the Pirates and the Golden Eagles in the same season.

"It's a huge accomplishment to take the two of them out," sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles said. "ECU was 2-0 in the conference when we beat them and then to come back and play Southern Miss, who is a rival, was a great W."

Even though the defending Conference USA Champions arrived in Orlando with an 0-5 record, the Knights expected a difficult challenge against the only winless team in the conference.

"They came out and played the way we thought they would and they played hard," Murray said. "We knew it was going to be a dog fight. We were prepared for that, just had to stick it out at the end."

The four-game homestand for the Knights comes to an end on Saturday as they welcome one of their peskiest opponents in Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles have been a thorn in the side of UCF, owning a 6-1 edge in the all-time series. As the Knights look to extend their lead in the C-USA East Division, UCFAthletics.com has you covered with how to follow all of Saturday's action, including 10 Twitter tidbits to tweet out to all of your followers.

"Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less." - John C. Maxwell

Coach Joi Williams was the guest speaker at the OD and Training Recognition Ceremony/Leadership breakfast on Friday morning. She addressed roughly 150 university employees who have demonstrated a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Williams, who is in her sixth year at the helm of the women's basketball team, talked about the five biggest lessons she has learned about being a leader. 

1. Do what you say you're going to do. Be responsible. She learned this from her parents around the time she was in high school working part-time at McDonald's. 

2. Don't be afraid to try new things and get out of your comfort zone. She learned this from L.A. Sparks head coach Carol Ross, whom Williams served as an assistant coach for during Ross' tenure at the University of Florida. 

3. You're the leader, be the example. She learned this as a point guard from her high school basketball coach at Bishop Kenny in Jacksonville.

4. Never settle for less when you are capable of being the best. She learned this from University of Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley.

5. Sometimes you have to make unpopular decisions. She has learned this personally as a head coach to do what is in the best interest of the team and the program. 

Practice is already underway for the Knights, who are less than a month away from their first game of the year. UCF has a home exhibition game Nov. 2 at 7 p.m. versus Lynn before its season opener against Georgia State a week later at 7 p.m. at UCF Arena.

It may be a bit of a surprise that the defending Conference USA Champions started the season 0-5, but that doesn't give UCF head coach George O'Leary any reason to take the Southern Miss Golden Eagles lightly in this weekend's contest.

The Knights' head coach said he is focusing the same amount of energy on this game as he does any other because every game is important.

"I have a great respect for Southern Miss and how they play the game," O'Leary said. "I think they're a contact football team and I think we've always had a great rivalry and respect for each other from that stand point. I anticipate a whale of a ball game Saturday night."

The Knights have had many close and exciting contests against the Golden Eagles and O'Leary expects to see much of the same when the lights come on in Bright House Networks Stadium on Saturday night. Last year's contest came down to the wire. The Knights went for the win on a 2-point conversion down by one, 30-29, and unfortunately came up short.

That memory is still etched in the Knights' minds. UCF would like nothing more than to earn its second Conference USA victory to close out a four game home stand.

"It's a team that you throw records out the window," O'Leary said. "What I see on film is they do a lot of things that can cause defensive problems or can cause your offense problems. I think they're well coached."

O'Leary is familiar with the new look Golden Eagles Coaching staff led by first year head coach Ellis Johnson. The two coached against each other more than 15 years ago when O'Leary was the head coach at Georgia Tech and Johnson was the defensive coordinator at Clemson.

"I think Ellis Johnson has done a good job with the squad he has," O'Leary said. "He has some young quarterbacks and he's trying to find the right mix. A lot of the names I see and the players I see on the field are a lot of the same ones from last year."

This will be the Knights' final battle with the Golden Eagles as a member of Conference USA. The last time UCF defeated Southern Miss was back in 2007, which was the first time the Knights won a Conference USA Championship. It was a 34-17 victory in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Then senior running back Kevin Smith ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the historic victory.

"I think they have the same respect for us as far as contact, speed and a tough line of scrimmage game," O'Leary said. "It's a team we've played good football [against]."

The UCF softball team returned to action on Wednesday as it played its second intra-squad scrimmage of the fall. The Black squad defeated the Gold, 12-2, in six innings at the UCF Softball Complex.

Pitching dominated early as sophomore Mackenzie Audas and senior Alex Hartshorn both registered quality starts for their respective sides. Audas was overpowering for the Gold squad as she did not allow a hit and struck out seven in three scoreless innings of work. Hartshorn earned the victory for the Black as she kept hitters off balance all morning as she also did not allow a hit or an earned run in four innings.

Offensively, freshman outfielder Mariah Garcia shined as she went 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Garcia has caught the eye of head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie in the early parts of fall camp

"Mariah has been putting a nice and smooth swing on the ball in camp so far," Luers-Gillispie said. "She's probably one of three players that I'm comfortable penciling into the batting order right now."

Senior Lauren Aldridge went 2-for-3 and scored a team-high four runs for the Black squad. Aldridge, who was used last season primarily as a pinch runner, also was a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen bases as she tries to stake her claim to one of the starting corner outfield spots.

Freshman pitcher Shelby Turnier allowed one unearned run in two relief innings of Hartshorn. Turnier showed that she's not just a pitcher as she went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI singles and two runs scored. Turnier, who has arguably the strongest throwing arm on the team, is the only Knights' pitcher that also hits.

UCF has its final intra-squad scrimmage on Friday at 9 a.m. at the UCF Softball Complex.  

Here is a look at some success stories:

Rod Days has gained around 20 pounds since joining the program last summer and now weighs 220 pounds

Keith Clanton, who weighed 230 pounds as a freshman in 2009, is up to 250 pounds

Isaiah Sykes weighed 200 pounds when beginning his freshman campaign in 2010, and has gained 15 pounds since that fall

After beginning his sophomore year at Oklahoma last season weighing 198 pounds, Calvin Newell now weighs in at 210 pounds

Every member of the freshman class has gained between 8-10 pounds since enrolling at UCF in June

The Knights are preparing for their second Conference USA contest of the season this Saturday against Southern Miss. A victory against the Golden Eagles would mark the second time in school history UCF has beaten its division rival.

UCF and Southern Miss have had many close contests in the past, including last year's game when the Knights scored with no time remaining to pull within one point, 30-29. UCF went for the win on a 2-point conversion attempt, but didn't complete the pass attempt.

None of the of the Knights on the current roster have taken part in a victory against Southern Miss. UCF would like to change that this weekend.

"For me, it's definitely something I want to get accomplished while I'm here," senior running back Latavius Murray said. "I definitely remember back in 2010 when we were ranked and they knocked us out of the polls. We're not going to take them lightly. We've been practicing very hard this week, just like we do every week."

"Last year, we had the chance to beat them and came close, but I'd like to leave here with a win over Southern Miss," senior defensive lineman Cam Henderson said. "They're a great team. We have to take care of business on Saturday."

Southern Miss is 0-5 and is coming off a 40-14 loss against future Big East member Boise State. But the Knights know that record is immaterial when 8 p.m. Saturday rolls around.

"0-5 doesn't really mean anything. We have to come out and play like any other game," Henderson said.

The Knights have face the Golden Eagles every year during their tenure in C-USA and are very familiar with the Golden Eagles' style of football. That knowledge of the program will keep them engaged in their preparations this week.

"We're very motivated," Murray said. "Just for me and overall as a team, we just know we have to go out there and get this win."

"They have a lot of athletes and almost their entire secondary coming back," Murray continued. "We just can't take them lightly and have to go out there and play hard every week just like we have been doing."

The UCF men's and women's basketball teams had the first of many encounters with the media this season Monday afternoon. There was plenty of excitement and energy around the players and coaches as they took photos, talked to the media and even found some time to have some fun.

Media Day was a chance for the teams to speak with the media for the first time this year about their upcoming seasons. They also had the opportunity to pose for team pictures, do a photo shoot with the local newspaper, have their individual photos taken, tape some interviews and public service announcements, etc.

The men's team came out in their gold uniforms with gold lettering and black trim, while the women's team wore their black uniforms with gold lettering and black trim. Media Day can bring out the usual, mundane questions. But it often includes some interesting questions as well. The Knights were queried about anything from their expectations for the season to the best singer on the team.

The UCF men open the 2012-13 season on Saturday, Nov. 10^th at South Florida. The women open their campaign Friday, Nov. 2^nd, hosting Lynn University.

Experience some of the fun of Media Day with juniors Tristan Spurlock and Erika Jones in the video above.

When East Carolina went up 14-0 early in the Knights' Conference USA opener Thursday night, the energy in the stadium was in danger of disappearing.

Bright House Networks Stadium received a jolt of electricity, however. On the ensuing kickoff, senior receiver Quincy McDuffie took it at the 1-yard line, made a couple Pirates miss and was off to the races. His 99-yard return for a touchdown sparked the offense and defense.

"It definitely got the morale of the team up, having a quick score like that and putting an actual touchdown on the board," sophomore quarterback Blake Bortles said. "It definitely did help out."

"It gives you momentum, especially in rivalry games," senior defensive lineman Troy Davis said. "It swings momentum and it gets the sideline going."

The kickoff return wasn't the only big play McDuffie, an Orlando native, made. In the third quarter he caught a pass from Bortles for a 64-yard touchdown. It was a short screen pass that McDuffie took down the sideline.

"He's unbelievable," Bortles said. "He's one of the fastest kids I've ever seen and that was a great block out there on the perimeter and it was a great play call too. They brought the house on a blitz and played man coverage and Quincy got in the hole and took off. Once he gets into the open field there aren't too many people who can catch him."

McDuffie finished the game with 195 total yards and he only touched the ball four times, including that long touchdown catch-and-run in the second half. 

"I saw nothing but daylight," McDuffie said. "I put my foot in the ground and just tried to get to the endzone. I knew how bad we needed it and I was very determined to get into the endzone."

Coming off a 39-win season and an NCAA tournament appearance in the 2011, the UCF softball team reloaded with the biggest recruiting class in program history. Head coach Renee Luers-Gillispie brought in 12 freshmen athletes that are eager to continue the program's recent success.

The first opportunity to meet the new players and get reacquainted with the players that made last season a success came on photo day. 

This was an inside look into the personalities of the athletes as freshman Brittanne Gasser, who is a vegan, showed off her love for carrots and broccoli in one of her poses.  Sophomore Mackenzie Audas, affectionately nicknamed Princess by her teammates, wore a crown.

You can check out more poses and behind-the-scenes looks from photo day on our official Facebook team page: Don't forget to "like" us if you haven't already.

Seniors Hailey Barraco, Alena Murgatroyd and Alex Hartshorn spoke to UCFAthletics.com about the challenges of making sure every player looks their best and could decide on exactly what kind of pose they wanted to do for the camera.

Tomorrow is a big day for the Knights as the team will play a fall ball doubleheader. The action kicks off Friday at 3 p.m. as UCF takes on Rollins. The Black and Gold returns to action at 7 p.m. against Hillsborough. All fall ball games and intra-squad scrimmages will take place at the UCF Softball Complex and are open to the public.

The UCF softball team kicked off fall camp with the first of four scheduled intra-squad scrimmages as the Gold team defeated the Black team 11-5.

Sophomore second baseman/centerfielder Kahley Novak stole the show on the base paths as she swiped five bags, including taking home on a well-executed double steal, and scored two runs. Novak, who finished with the second-highest stolen base total for a freshman in program history last season, is expected to be the Knights leadoff hitter when the season begins.

Reigning Conference USA Pitcher of the Year Mackenzie Audas showed no signs of a sophomore slump as she struck out three in three perfect innings. Fellow sophomore Hayley Barrow with 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Freshman Shelby Turnier was the winning pitcher for the Gold as she threw three innings, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out three. Turnier is competing for the Knights No. 2 starter spot with senior Alex Hartshorn who earned the save as she allowed no earned runs and just two hits in four relief innings. Freshman Mackenzie Huhn was tagged with the loss as she allowed five hits and five runs (three earned) with three walks in two innings of work.

Check out the exclusive intra-squad scrimmage photo gallery on Facebook

The Knights will practice each Monday, Tuesday and Thursday throughout fall camp with scrimmages and fall ball games taking place on Wednesday's and Friday's.

FULL SCHEDULE
Friday, Oct 5: UCF vs. Hillsborough - 3:00 p.m./UCF vs. Rollins - 7:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct 10: Team Scrimmage
Friday, Oct 12: Team Scrimmage
Wednesday Oct 17: Brevard State College - 5:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct 19: Team Scrimmage
Wednesday, Oct 24: vs. Seminole State College - 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct 26: FSCJ - 5:00 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: Oct, 30 - Nov 1: UCF Softball World Series (Three Games) - 10 a.m.

All practices, scrimmages and fall ball games are open to the public.

After the game, head coach Renee Luers Gillispie broke down what she enjoyed seeing and what she hopes to improve upon as the fall progresses. Sophomore third baseman Farrah Sullivan also spoke about her new teammates and improving as a leader in her second season.

For years Kimmy Trivett has supported the UCF Knights. During this past year, the Knights have returned the favor, supporting Kimmy during her fight with breast cancer.

It's a guarantee that Kimmy and her husband Lynn will do all they can to attend every single UCF athletic event possible. Last year was no different. They traveled to every away football game. This Thursday's game against ECU is Knights for Pink, which supports the fight against breast cancer. Shortly after the season ended, Kimmy was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"I went to see the surgeon and he told me 'We have found something. We just want to do a biopsy," Kimmy said. "Of course, I've been there before and had problems, but everything was fine... In the end of January when we went back to the surgeon we walked back into his office and he said 'Well I hate to tell you this, but you have breast cancer.' It was something I never would have expected."

Kimmy had to go through 30 radiation treatments to fight off the cancer. Just this week, she completed her final treatment. It was obviously a difficult time for both Kimmy and Lynn. One of the things they were most disappointed about was the disease kept them from attending many of the Knights' away basketball and baseball games.

While the Trivetts weren't in attendance at some games, they were never forgotten. During her fight with cancer, many of the UCF teams did everything they could to show the Trivetts they were in their prayers. Kimmy recalls one moment with former UCF basketball player A.J. Rompza.

"We came over for the football signing party and he just said 'I have a card for you and I hear you're going to be on campus,'" Kimmy said. "We were in the big part of the arena and A.J. came in with this beautiful card and then in his other hand he had 18 long-stem roses. Needless to say, I got very emotional."

Another unexpected surprise from the UCF staff came during last year's ECU basketball game. Lynn won courtside seats for the game at a silent auction for Kimmy's Valentine's Day gift. Neither of them knew that game was breast cancer support night.

This show of support included a signed jersey by every player and coach.

"It was just a wonderful evening and after the game every player came across the court and gave me a hug," Kimmy said. "That was so encouraging and loving. That was one of the best nights of my life."

"We had a lot of support and a lot of that support came from UCF," Lynn Trivett said. "We didn't realize it at the moment, but it didn't take long to find out about it. Not only from friends and acquaintances, but from a lot of the athletes. We received cards, text messages and words of encouragement from every aspect of the athletic department."

As a four-year starter for the Knights, Tanya Jarvis along with her teammates made three-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2001-03. At the same time, Jarvis showed off her two-way ability as a player by finishing in the top 10 all-time in UCF history in both kills and digs.

A true student of the game, the 2004 team captain knew that once her collegiate playing days ended her passion for the sport would lead her to coaching. Jarvis immersed herself in teaching the game fresh out of college and is the head volleyball coach at Bishop Moore Catholic High School. Jarvis also maintains a volunteer assistant position at Rollins College in Winter Park, where junior middle blocker Camille Indest was just named the Division II National Player of the Week.

Indest was seasoned as a younger player at the Orlando Volleyball Academy, where she was coached extensively by Jarvis. Jarvis has managed a top coaching position with one of the nation's most competitive junior programs for the last 10 years.

With Jarvis at the head of the program, Bishop Moore compiled a 72-19 mark in her first three seasons, winning the district championship each year. This year the Hornets have taken things to the next level and are currently the No. 1 ranked team in the nation after an impressive 15-0 start.

Bishop Moore will put its undefeated record and national ranking on the line when it squares off against Dr. Phillips on Tuesday night and Apopka on Thursday night.

Orlando Sentinel: Bishop Moore's girls volleyball is the best in the nation

UCF head coach George O'Leary had made it clear the Knights are willing to play anyone in the nation when it comes to the non-conference schedule. That's why he scheduled the likes of Ohio State and Missouri this season. Unfortunately, the Knights came up just short in both of those games.

"The team is disappointed because close doesn't count except in horse shoes," O'Leary said during his Monday press conference. "You have to win these games... But you can't give up the big plays and that's what we did and that's what made the difference in the game Saturday."

While non-conference games are important, the next eight games carry even more weight. Thursday night marks the beginning of conference play for UCF when the East Carolina Pirates come to town and every game counts if the Knights want to win a Conference USA Championship.

"Everything right now is for a conference championship and we're playing a team that's 2-0 in conference that's in our division," O'Leary said. "Every game is critical ... as far as our goal is concerned for Conference USA."

O'Leary says the Knights' goal is to win Conference USA.

"They understand that we expect to play 14 games this year. I told them that Sunday night," O'Leary said. "That's what our goal is ... to play 14 games and our goal is to win every game we play. Ultimately, we want the conference championship, so East Carolina is in the way."

The long-time UCF head coach has led the Knights to two Conference USA Championships. He understands the hard work and dedication it takes from everyone in the program to win a conference championship. 

"You're in this for competition. You're in it to win and when you don't the old saying 'you die a little' ... it's true," O'Leary said. "You put so much effort into trying to get things done right. I think the kids aren't like that. They're resilient. The senior class had goals they set for themselves and close doesn't count. We have to win."

This year's Knights squad has talked a lot about the 2010 UCF team. That unit went down as one of the greatest in school history. UCF finished the season ranked 21^st in the AP poll, won its second Conference USA Championship and its first bowl game in the Liberty Bowl.

One thing that year's team has in common with this year's squad is both started the season 2-2 entering conference play. What helped the 2010 team do well during that portion of the schedule was its senior leadership. This year's seniors know that will play an important role in the outcome of the rest of the season.

"One thing when you look at the 2010 team is the seniors they had in Bruce Miller and how good of a job they did by leading by example," senior quarterback/receiver Rob Calabrese said. "We learned from them and we're really trying to emulate what they did."

With non-conference play over for UCF, the team is focused on Conference USA play and has already moved on from its loss to Missouri Saturday.

"Coach has been saying all week basically every game from here on out is the conference championship and each game is a must-win, especially conference games," senior punter Jamie Boyle said. "That's our goal every year to win the conference championship, so anytime we have an in-conference team coming to our place we definitely want to get a win."

Thursday night, the Knights will face conference foe East Carolina at home. The Pirates come to town undefeated in conference play at 2-0. The Knights are hoping this quick turnaround can help them get back in the win column.

"It's tough to shake things off from Saturday, but obviously we took the coaching and watched some film," Calabrese said. "Being on a short week we need to prepare for a Thursday game. We went through a Tuesday type practice today (Monday). Our guys have moved on and are ready to play Thursday night."

The Knights will play eight conference games in the regular season and will play two in a row at home.

"You have to be mentally tough to be a football player and you have to take coaching and understand what needs to be done," Calabrese said. "Obviously, this is conference play, so this is the most important thing for us. We're treating every game from now on like the conference championship."

UCF head coach George O'Leary met with the media Monday afternoon at Bright House Networks Stadium for his weekly press conference. He discussed last Saturday's contest against Missouri and looked ahead to the C-USA opener vs. East Carolina in Orlando Thursday.

On his team's performance:

"Just to review the Missouri game, what I said after the game was pretty much accurate. I thought offensively we weren't as physical as we were in the first half, especially on the backside blocking. I thought the quarterback had some throws that he needs to make but I think it's just him being young. Defensively, I thought we played well enough to win except that last series where we missed tackles and gave up a long touchdown run. Every phase of the game had a piece of it. I always say that there are six plays that make a difference in a game, and I think there was three this game. Obviously, the 80-yard touchdown catch where we had a tackle and didn't wrap up and it goes for 80 yards. That sort of gave them life. Next, was the punt return, which we had the whole right side not where they belonged from a contain element. And the fumble, because I really believe driving down 21-16, we have a chance with time on the clock because I thought we have them on their heels a little bit and then we fumbled the ball. ... That was the game, and we covered it on Sunday with them, I didn't spend a lot of time on it, except correcting mistakes so it wasn't one person or one group, every phase as far as special teams, offense and defense had a piece of it. I tell them everything right now is for the conference championship and we're playing a team that's 2-0 in conference play that's in our division, so every game is critical as far as our goal is concerned for Conference USA. Again, it was a disappointing game on Saturday. It's a game within reach and we have to make some plays to come out with a win."

On the tough loss for the players and putting it behind them...

"They understand. It's coaches too. I kick myself right before the half because I've had that happen in my history where I sent the field goal team out and guys upstairs were like 'coach, we can get one more play in.' And I should've stuck to my guns and kicked the field goal and score your points because the inevitable what you don't want to happen, happened. That had nothing to do with the locker room, I just think we went out in the second half and Missouri played like their defense could play. And we weren't as physical or executing offensively like we did in the first half. I think the players understand, I think they took the loss very difficult just like we do any losses. But they (players) understand that we have to get back and get ready for our Conference USA first game, first opponent vs. East Carolina."

On the letdown in the second half...

"Nothing was different, they didn't make any adjustments. Someone said, 'they came out in solid.' They were in solid the second play of the game, so that wasn't the answer. I think basically, it's when you have a chance to make plays, you have to make them. I look at the senior class on offense and they're the ones that have to get going. I talked to them about it, 'hey fellas, not everything is pretty. It's the end result and you have to keep working and working and good things will happen to you.' After halftime, there's nothing that I can say we're doing different, coaches make the adjustments that have to be made based on any changes to their offense and defense and we continue to the field. We got a turnover on the first series there, a pick by Kemal Ishmael and I thought we were on our way again. That was just disappointing."

On the defensive line's performance...

"When you go back to (Troy Davis') sophomore year, (inside is) where he executed the best because he's a very quick individual. I thought the defensive line was the most active they've been all season. They came up with five sacks and could've had two more if the quarterback didn't make them miss on the two. I thought they were more active and if they can continue that pressure, then we'll be fine on defense. I thought we tackled better except for a couple of plays where we tried to throw knockout punches instead of wrapping up and trying to secure the tackle."

What stands out for East Carolina...

"They went to a new defense, more of a 3-4 package now. They ran some of that last year, but now they are a 3-4 team. They have seven new starters out there; they look like they're faster than they were a year ago. Offensively, they seem to have found a running back they're real happy with, a junior college transfer (Cooper No. 21). A lot of their receivers are back from last year. The quarterback is thorough, he manages the game well. It's going to be typical of what we've seen this year, no huddle and a lot of different variations as far as formations. With the short week, today is like a Tuesday and tomorrow is like a Wednesday-Thursday type practice. I understand we had a tough game Saturday, not just contact but the heat. We're in fairly good shape; I thought our guys hung in there pretty well as far as what's taking place. You have to watch wearing them down in practice with a short week."

On running the ball more as the season progresses...

"No I think people are crowding the box with eight guys so were taking what's available. If you look at the conference and the amount of points given up and the amount of points scored, we're right about where we normally are, which I think is the number one thing you look at, as far as what you do when you have the ball in your hands and what they do when they have the ball in their hands. I think the big thing we still have to continue to get better on is ball security on offense and takeaways on defense."

On how Jeff Godfrey has progressed in his different roles on offense...

"Jeff's done a great job, he really has. We still need to find ways to get him the ball more in different situations. I think we try to utilize him as much we can in certain situations, and I've been very pleased with him as far as all that stuff that happened last year and it has been behind him. He's very happy of what he's doing right now and I'm putting him more on special teams. You may see him punt return this week."

On Blake Bortles...

"He's fine. People don't understand. A lot of things that happened to him are the first time it's ever happened. He's hasn't been out there for three years; he's been out there for one year (as a starter), four games, 25 percent of the season. If you get hit a couple of times, all of a sudden you start looking around and start getting a little antsy. Everybody's like that, until they have enough experience to get over that. I have put more pressure on practice this week to get some things done there but I have the up-most faith in him controlling the offense and getting things done right. I think there were times we probably were a little bit out of sync on Saturday. He'll be fine. A lot of the situations he'll be better the next time he sees that situation occur."