Many of the alumni planning to be on campus, including those with NFL experience, will be taking part in the UCF Spring Football Festival where many will be join 2011 season ticket holders for an exclusive autograph session from 12-1 p.m. inside the stadium.

The game begins at 2 p.m. Cost of admission is $5 for fgeneral admission. Students and children 12 and under will be admitted free. Members of the current UCF football team will sign autographs for fans following the game.

Current NFL players returning for Saturday’s game are Atari Bigby, Pat Brown, Joe Burnett, Leger Douzable, Mike Greco, Brandon Marshall, Sha’reff Rashad, Asante Samuel, Mike Sims-Walker, Josh Sitton, Kevin Smith and Torell Troup.  Joining them are former NFL players Damien Demps, Corris Ervin, Travis Fisher, Ryan Flinn, Jimmy Fryzel, Doug Gabriel, Mike Gruttadauria, Alex Haynes, Rashad Jeanty, Shawn Jefferson, Darcy Johnson, Paul Miranda, Elton Patterson and Terrance Williams.

Several others will be on-hand Friday night for the annual Football Lettermen’s Club Golf Outing and Luncheon at Rio Pinar Country Club.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

Three former UCF Knights – Josh Sitton, Atari Bigby and Michael Greco – will continue their pursuit of the Vince Lombardi Trophy on Sunday when the Green Bay Packers face the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Sitton and Bigby are expected to suit up for the Packers, becoming the fifth and sixth Knights to play in a Super Bowl. They’ll join Shawn Jefferson (Super Bowl XXIX and XXXI), Mike Gruttadauria (XXXIV), Cornell Green (XXXVII) and Asante Samuel (XXXVIII, XXXIX and XLII). Those players are a combined 4-3 in previous Super Bowl appearances for UCF alumni.

The final wild-card selection in the NFC this season, the Packers have won five straight games to advance to their fifth Super Bowl and first since Super Bowl XXXII when they fell to John Elway and the Denver Broncos. Each of the Packers’ three playoff wins have come on the road as Green Bay knocked off rival Chicago 21-14 in the NFC Championship Game on Jan. 23 at Soldier Field, the top-seeded Atlanta Falcons 48-21 in the Divisional round at the Georgia Dome and NFC East-champion Philadelphia 21-16 in a wild card matchup at Lincoln Financial Field.

Sitton has started in all three playoff games at right guard. Against the Bears, he helped Green Bay to 356 yards of total offense to claim the George Halas Trophy. The Packer offense has been strong in the playoffs, including a franchise playoff record 48 points scored against Atlanta. Sitton helped pave the way for 28 first downs, 442 yards of total offense and a remarkable 38:19 time of possession on the road against the top-seeded Falcons. Sitton’s contributions followed another strong showing for the offensive line in the wild card round where Packer tailback James Starks set a franchise rookie playoff record with his 123 rushing yards.

During several recent interviews while accepting the NFL’s Rookie of the Year award, Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh called Sitton the best guard he faced all year.

Bigby was a game day inactive in both the Divisional and wild card rounds due to a groin injury but was back in the Packer lineup for the NFC Championship Game, contributing to Green Bay’s win with his participation on the Packers’ coverage units. Facing NFC Pro Bowl returner Devin Hester, Green Bay allowed just 15.8 yards on its four kickoff returns and 9.5 yards on four punt returns as Hester never could get free.

The postseason run continues a great regular season for Sitton, who won the fan vote to start at guard for the NFC in the Pro Bowl but ultimately didn’t earn a spot on the team. He was selected as an alternate for the showcase event. Sitton has started every game for Green Bay this year. Bigby was a starter for Green Bay at safety in 2009 but was hampered by injuries for much of this season. Including the playoffs, he has made six tackles and appeared in five games, in which the Packers went 4-1 with the lone loss coming at New England.

Greco has had two stints with the Packers’ practice squad this year after being released by the New York Giants following preseason camp.

UCF KNIGHTS IN THE SUPER BOWL

– PLAYER             GAME           TEAM           RESULT        OPPONENT

Shawn Jefferson – XXIX – San Diego Chargers – Lost – San Francisco 49ers

Shawn Jefferson – XXXI – New England Patriots – Lost – Green Bay Packers

Mike Gruttadauria – XXXIV – St. Louis Rams – Won – Tennessee Titans

Cornell Green – XXXVII – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Won – Oakland Raiders

Asante Samuel – XXXVIII – New England Patriots – Won – Carolina Panthers

Asante Samuel – XXXIX – New England Patriots – Won – Philadelphia Eagles

Asante Samuel – XLII – New England Patriots – Lost – New York Giants

Note: Charles Lee was on Tampa Bay’s injured reserve list for Super Bowl XXXVII and Michael Greco will be on Green Bay’s practice squad for Super Bowl XLV.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com and follow at Facebook or @OrlandoSportsJC ) –

The UCF football team, fresh off of a school-record 11 wins in 2010, including a Liberty Bowl victory over Georgia, completed an elite signing class on Friday afternoon with the addition of DaMarcus Smith, a four-star quarterback from Louisville’s Seneca High School.

The Knights finished the 2010 season ranked No. 20 in the final Top 25 coaches’ poll and had announced six mid-year enrollees and 21 National Letter of Intent signees on Wednesday before adding two more to the list Thursday.

A short biography of the UCF signees follows.

Class of 2011 Biographies: Mid-Year Enrollees

Terran Buck – LB, 6-2, 235

Aurora, Ill. (West Aurora High School/College of DuPage)

A December graduate, Buck has enrolled at UCF for the 2011 spring …previously attended the College of DuPage, a junior college in Glen Ellyn, Ill., after a standout high school career at West Aurora High School in Aurora, Ill., a nearby Chicago suburb…ultimately chose to attend UCF over Kent State…enjoyed a successful junior college career for the Chaparrals, earning NJCAA Second-Team All-America honors in 2010, as well as being named to the All-Midwest Conference defense first team…played several linebacker positions under DuPage head coach Fred Fimbres…finished his sophomore season with 118 total tackles, 69 solo stops, 11 tackles for loss, three sacks and five forced fumbles…team concluded the season with a 20-14 win in the Graphic Edge Bowl over JC rival Coffeyville, Kan.…as a freshman in 2009, he posted 91 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, one sack and three forced fumbles…rated with three stars from Rivals…was a dominant defensive player in high school ending his career on the Daily Herald’s All Tri-Cities Team…played three seasons on the varsity roster, serving as a team captain…was the Blackhawk’s team MVP on defense and made first team All-DuPage Valley Conference for the second consecutive year in 2008…in his final high school season led the team with 78 tackles, four tackles for loss and six sacks… also forced three fumbles, had a blocked punt and a fumble recovery…ranked No. 34 in The Sporting News JUCO Super 60…played for Roger “Buck” Drach at West Aurora….notable alumni from the College of DuPage include actor-comedian, the late John Belushi and his brother James.

Ray Cottman – LB, 6-2, 225

Tucson, Ariz. (Ironwood Ridge High School/Glendale Community College)

Has played both outside and inside linebacker…signed with UCF in December and enrolled for the spring…primary recruiter was John Skladany…also received offers from Minnesota and Utah State…coached by Mickey Bell at Glendale and Gary Minor at Ironwood Ridge…played against current UCF defensive lineman Barry Snider during his freshman season at Glendale, with Snider suiting up for nearby Scottsdale Community College…was recently a first team All-WSFL (Western States Football League) NJCAA selection…in 2010 at Glendale, logged 80 tackles and 4.5 sacks…in his first season at Glendale, had 47 tackles and two sacks…as a senior in high school in 2008, recorded 134 tackles, two sacks and one interception on the year…as a junior he was named first team all-city and second team All-Southern Arizona, recording 103 tackles, two interceptions and three sacks…rated with two stars from Rivals and Scout websites…a notable alumnus of Glendale Community College was Vince Furnier, also known in rock music circles as Alice Cooper.

Joey Grant – DE, 6-4, 245

Apopka, Fla. (Lake Brantley High School)

Already enrolled at UCF as a mid-year qualifier…Lake Brantley finished 8-2 and runner up in Class 6A Region 1 District 3, qualifying for the state playoffs during Grant’s final season…committed to UCF on July 8…primary recruiters were former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable and Jim Panagos…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Colorado State, Navy, East Carolina and Louisiana-Lafayette…coached by George Clayton at Lake Brantley…Rivals and Scout rated him with two stars, while Scout lists him at No. 186 nationally at defensive end…finished with 60 tackles as a senior, 42 solo stops, 6.5 sacks and 14 tackles for loss…was a team captain and three-year varsity starter…named a 2010 Central Florida All-Star and had five tackles and two sacks in the game…was a member of the Friday Night Football Florida 2010 All-Orlando team…was first team all-conference and all-county…tied for 27th in the Orlando Sentinel‘s 2011 Central Florida Super 60…notable Lake Brantley alums include pro golfer Chris DiMarco, Matchbox Twenty lead singer Rob Thomas and Boston Red Sox captain Jason Varitek…parents are Bill and Lucie Grant.

Toby Jackson – DE, 6-5, 265

Griffin, Ga. (Griffin High School/Hargrave Military Academy (Va.)/Navarro College)

Already signed with UCF in December out of Navarro Junior College in Corsicana, Texas and enrolled for spring classes…rated with four stars from Rivals.com…No. 12 overall prospect on Rivals.com 2011 Junior College Top 50…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Missouri, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, North Carolina, Southern Miss and USF…primary recruiter was David Kelly…coached by Nick Bobeck at Navarro and Steve DeVoursney at Griffin…joins brother, Kentorius, as a member of the 2011 UCF class…named the Most Valuable Player in Navarro’s National Championship Game victory against Butler (Kan.) Community College…Jackson’s No. 2 seeded Navarro upended top-seed and undefeated Butler, 13-12, in the Citizens Bank Bowl on the campus of Pittsburg State (Kan.) University…had two big sacks in the second half, forcing a fumble on one of them…also recorded two other tackles for loss in earning defensive MVP honors…in 2009, had 33 total tackles, 12 solo, six tackles for loss and a sack…previously played for Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Va. in 2008…coming out of Griffin High School in 2007 was the unanimous choice for Class AAAA State Defensive Player of the Year… ranked No. 17 in The Sporting News JUCO Super 60…was a four-star prospect from Scout out of high school and was rated as the No. 9 defensive end nationally in 2008…originally signed with the Georgia Bulldogs…parents are Charlie and Laurenda Jackson.

Jose Jose – DT, 6-3, 330

Miami, Fla. (Miami Central High School/Eastern Arizona College)

Spent the last season at Eastern Arizona Junior College, after originally signing with UCF in 2010…enrolled for spring classes…a highly-touted defensive tackle from powerhouse Miami Central…chose UCF over a dozen scholarship offers highlighted by Florida, Miami, Rutgers, Tennessee and USF…participated in the USA vs. the World all-star game…Bill Buchalter had him amongst the top offensive linemen in the state….coached by John O’Meara at Eastern Arizona and Telly Lockette at Central…primary recruiter was David Kelly…played his senior season at Miami Central, teaming with current UCF Knights Jeff Godfrey, Jamar McClain, Josh Reese and LeBranden Richardson…started his high school career at Booker T. Washington and was coached by Earl Tillman and Tim Harris…in his lone season in junior college, played mostly offensive guard, with some defensive tackle during short yardage situations…was part of an Eastern Arizona team that finished 9-3 and ranked No. 20 in the National Junior College Athletic Association poll…his Gila Monsters would lose to Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College in the Salt Lake City Bowl 42-17…the offensive line would help to lead the NJCAA in rushing with 3,555 yards, an average of 323 yards per game…named a second team all-Western States Football League NJCAA selection…in his final season, Central went 12-2 in 2009, won the county championship and advanced to the FHSAA state semifinals for 6A…was a FSWA first team all-state selection as a junior for Booker T. Washington in 2008…Booker T. Washington was Class 4A state champions earlier in his career in 2007…named an All-Miami-Dade County selection by the Miami Herald in 2008 and 2009…rated with three stars from Rivals as a defensive tackle and three stars from Scout as a center…Scout also gave him two stars as an offensive guard…Miami Central HS notable alumni includes Hall of Fame U.S. Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas (’74) and current Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee…Scout listed him as the No. 14 center nationally in 2010.

Justin Tukes – TE, 6-5, 230

Sylvester, Ga. (Worth County High School)

Originally signed with UCF in 2010…enrolled for spring classes…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Louisville, UAB, Georgia State and Jacksonville State…coached by Scott Ward at Worth County…was selected to play in the Georgia vs. Florida Border War All-Star Game…was an all-region and all-metro as a senior…had 16 catches as a senior for 198 yards with three touchdowns…also blocked a punt and made 14 tackles…named to the all-region team as a sophomore and a junior as well…Caught a total of 22 passes as a sophomore and a junior combined for six touchdowns while also recording a total of 24 pancake blocks…received three stars from Rivals, while Scout listed him with two stars and the No. 78 tight end nationally.

Class of 2011 Biographies: Fall 2011 Enrollees

Demetris Anderson – DT, 6-2, 285

Fort Pierce, Fla. (Westwood High School)

Played defensive tackle for Westwood, mostly at nose tackle, but also saw action on the offensive line…committed to UCF on Aug. 24…primary recruiter was Tim Salem…chose the Knights over scholarship offers from Big Ten schools’ Illinois and Wisconsin as well as nearby Bethune-Cookman…Kansas, Mississippi State, Purdue and USF also showed interest during his senior season…coached by Rodrick Lawson at Westwood…helped guide his Panthers to a District 13 Region 3A title and a 9-1 record, including an undefeated regular season capped by a thrilling 22-21 win over then unbeaten Fort Pierce Central in front of 10,000 fans…fell in the Class 3A regional quarterfinal…recorded 63 tackles, seven sacks, 13 tackles for loss, three fumble recoveries and two pass break-ups as a senior…as a junior in 2009, had 60 tackles and four sacks, helping Westwood to a regional final and 8-4 finish…was rated as the No. 10 overall prospect in Palm Beach’s Treasure and Gold Coasts…2010 District 17 3A Defensive Player of the Year…twice named to the All-Treasure Coast and All-Palm Beach County teams…participated in the North vs. South Florida Senior All-Star Game…participated in the Palm Beach Outback Bowl Game…ESPN, Rivals and Scout websites rated him three stars…rated No. 51 nationally at defensive tackle by Rivals, No. 59 by Scout and No. 85 by ESPN…was a Rivals 2010 All-NIKE Camp Team Defense honorable mention selection…notable Westwood alumni includes former star UCF wide receiver Siaha Burley and World Series champion catcher Charles Johnson…parents are Albert Anderson and Marguerite Young.

Brandon Bragg – S, 6-1, 190

Orlando, Fla. (University High School)

Played safety as well as weakside linebacker for University in 2010…committed to UCF on June 7…primary recruiter was former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable…was also looking at Northwestern, Marshall and FIU before choosing UCF…coached by Don Stark at University…as a safety was rated No. 135 nationally by ESPN, and 161 by Scout…was 35th in the Orlando Sentinel‘s 2011 Central Florida Super60…ESPN, Rivals and Scout rated him with two stars…put up outstanding numbers at 2010 spring combines, including a 40.7-inch vertical jump at the Miami Nike Combine, second at the camp…had the third best SPARQ rating at Miami of 113.07…during his senior season had nearly 50 tackles, including 15 solo tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss…as a junior, had 90 tackles, five sacks, one interception, two fumble recoveries and one pass break up…also participated in weightlifting and water polo, earning two varsity letters in each…parents are Timothy and Jacquiline Bragg.

Tarik Cook – C, 6-3, 294

Stone Mountain, Ga. (Stephenson High School)

Has played center in high school…was part of a 9-2 Stephenson Jaguars team in 2010 that advanced to the Georgia Class 5A playoffs…committed to UCF on June 17…primary recruiter was David Kelly…chose UCF over offers from Connecticut, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, USF and Middle Tennessee… coached by Ron Gartrell at Stephenson…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…as a center was rated No. 9 nationally by ESPN, No. 11 by Scout and No. 12 by Rivals…was also the No. 47 overall prospect on Rivals’ Georgia 2011 Postseason Top 85…was a 2010 Associated Press first team all-state selection…was named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Class AAAAA all-state honorable mention team and to the DeKalb County all-area first team…after attending the National Underclassmen Combine in Atlanta in March 2010, was named one of the events standout prospects for 2011 signing day…won the Strongest Man Award at the camp for bench-pressing 185 pounds 30 times amongst other feats…took home a share of the Offense MVP award…would later be listed among top performers from among a collection of several NUC camps in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Jacksonville…also earned strongest man recognition at the NUC camp…son of June Cook.

Jeremy Davis – CB, 6-0, 170

Cape Coral, Fla. (Cape Coral High School/Milford Academy (N.Y.))

A highly-touted cornerback prospect out of Southwest Florida…attended New York’s Milford Academy in 2010, after a standout prep career at Cape Coral and Ft. Myers High Schools…played for Falcons head coach Bill Chaplick at Milford, where he was ranked No. 20 nationally on Rivals’ Top 50 Prep School list…was a three-star prospect from Rivals, ESPN and Scout coming out of high school…played for Mike Goebbel at Cape Coral and Sam Sirianni Jr. at Ft. Myers…originally signed with Miami over North Carolina in 2010 and also received offers from Pittsburgh and West Virginia…was a nationally-ranked wide receiver prospect earning No. 50 (Scout), No. 52 (ESPN) and No. 75 (Rivals) in 2010…was also Rivals’ No. 79 player on their 2010 Florida Postseason Top 100…a very speedy player who has been clocked as fast as 10.4 seconds in the 100-meter dash and 21.2 seconds in the 200-meter dash…half-brother is Washington Redskins cornerback Phillip Buchanon…in high school, drew comparisons to Deion Sanders, another Ft. Myers-area sports legend…as a senior at Cape Coral, had two touchdown returns, and on defense he had 71 tackles, four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and 15 passes broken up…also blocked three punts…on offense he had 72 carries for 1,047 yards and 15 touchdowns along with three catches for 107 yards…as a junior at Ft. Myers, played mostly offense and had 30 catches for 500 yards and 12 touchdowns…his sophomore year he played mostly defensive back and had 50 tackles, 11 passes broken up and an interception…parents are George and Annie Davis.

Bruce Dukes – CB, 5-10, 185

Tyrone, Ga. (Sandy Creek High School)

One of the top defensive back prospects to come out of Georgia in 2010…was a part of Chip Walker’s Sandy Creek Patriots that won back-to-back Class AAA state championships…regarded as a top cover-corner style player with a great speed…tied for the fifth-fastest time at the Atlanta MVP camp last April drawing notice and scholarship offers from the likes of Auburn, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Cincinnati and Indiana…committed to UCF on January 24…a versatile player, started at wide receiver, cornerback, kick and punt returner in high school…was a first team all-state selection by both the Associated Press and Georgia Sports Writers Association…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…was rated No. 48 nationally by ESPN, No. 57 by Rivals and No. 63 by Scout…was also No. 66 on Rivals’ Georgia Postseason Top 85…as a senior, was an Atlanta-Journal Constitution Top 50 prospect, on the Super Southern 100…had six interceptions, four were returned for touchdowns, two punt returns for touchdowns, 67 tackles, two sacks and one touchdown reception in 2010…entered the 2010 season as a preseason all-state pick by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after putting together 54 tackles and five interceptions in 2009, while returning two interceptions and three punts for touchdowns…as a sophomore, had 59 tackles and three interceptions…parents are Leonard Evans and Marion Dukes…earned four varsity letters in football and track, and three letters in basketball.

Mike Easton – S, 6-0, 180

Winter Haven, Fla. (Winter Haven High School)

Played safety for Winter Haven…committed to UCF on June 14…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…chose UCF after receiving interest from Mississippi and Washington State…coached by Charlie Tate at Winter Haven…helped in leading the Blue Devils to a Class 3A Region 3 District 9 championship and a 10-1 overall record in 2010, advancing to the state’s regional semifinal vs. Bradenton Southeast…team won back-to-back district titles in 2009 and 2010…was Bright House Network’s Defensive Player of the Year…received Florida Class 3A all-state honorable mention recognition as a junior…as a junior recorded 80 tackles and four interceptions…Rivals rated him with three stars, while Scout listed him with two…was Scout’s No. 158 safety nationally…also participated on the track team…notable Winter Haven alums include 1984 U.S. Olympic swimmer Rowdy Gaines and NBA legend Otis Birdsong…parents are Michael Easton and Andrea Spillman.

Troy Gray – LB, 6-1, 220

Kennesaw, Ga. (North Cobb High School)

Regarded as one of Georgia’s top outside linebacker prospects…coached by Shane Queen at North Cobb…played in the 2010 Cobb County All-Star Senior Bowl…had nearly a dozen scholarship offers and chose to be a UCF Knight over the likes of Arkansas, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Virginia, Syracuse, Illinois, East Carolina and Air Force…committed on January 23…finished his senior season with 119 tackles and three sacks…reported to have benched 300 pounds and squatted 490 with a 42-inch vertical jump…most notably as a junior, he led talent-rich Cobb County in tackles with 127, and with six sacks…had 59 tackles and three sacks as a sophomore…of his five tackles as a freshman, two were sacks…entered his senior season with much acclaim after being named to the NIKE Atlanta All-Combine Team in March…received three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…additionally, Rivals listed him as the No. 56 outside linebacker nationally and No. 56 on their Georgia Postseason Top 85…ESPN lists Gray as the No. 62 outside linebacker nationally, while Scout has him at No. 86 nationally…son of Troy Gray, Sr., and Angela Albert…also active in community service with the Shop with a Warrior program, special needs volunteering and football bible study…also lettered twice in baseball and once in track outside of four varsity football letters.

Deion Green – DE, 6-3, 220

Orlando, Fla. (Edgewater High School)

Played defensive end for Edgewater, but also played on the offensive side of the ball at tight end…led his team to the Class 4A Region 2 District 7 title with an 8-3 overall record and perfect 5-0 mark in the district…team advanced to the Class 4A regional quarterfinals against Lakeland Kathleen…coached by Bill Gierke at Edgewater…posted 80 tackles and 11 sacks as a junior…committed to UCF on August 9…primary recruiter was former defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable…chose UCF after also being recruited by Texas Tech, Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Miami, Rutgers and USF…Rivals, ESPN and Scout rated him with three stars…ESPN rated him as the No. 91 defensive end nationally, while Scout listed him at No. 131…member of the National Honor Society…notable Edgewater alumni include former UCF star and current Jacksonville Jaguar Mike Sims-Walker, Backstreet Boy Howie Dorough and San Antonio Spurs guard Darius Washington…Along with Sims-Walker, Edgewater has seen several future UCF football players walk through its halls, including the late Ed Gantner (79-81), Doug Gatewood (79-82), Arnell Spencer (87-88), Gerod Davis (92-95) and Kevin Stewart (92-96)…current Edgewater alums on the UCF roster include E.J. Dunston, Quincy McDuffie, Marquee Williams and Henry Wright.

Rannell Hall – WR, 6-2, 175

Miami, Fla. (Carol City High School)

Emerged on the national recruiting scene prior to the 2010 season with a head-turning performance at the March NIKE Football Training Camp in Miami, earning the site’s emerging sleeper award…Hall nabbed 26 receptions for 357 yards and four touchdowns as a senior and participated in the Dade vs. Broward All-Star Game…as a junior, had 12 catches for 200 yards and two touchdowns…regarded as very fast, with a 4.45 second 40-yard dash, excellent hands and an accomplished route-runner…chose to attend UCF over interest from Cincinnati, Connecticut, Duke, New Mexico and Western Michigan…primary recruiter was David Kelly…coached by Harold Barnwell at Carol City…was a member of the track team, and competed at the youth level in USA Track and Field and Junior Olympic events…was rated with two stars from Rivals…nickname is “Speedy”…notable Carol City HS alumni include famed musicians Rick Ross (’94) and Flo Rida (’98), former MLB All-Star Danny Tartabull (’80), former NFL veterans Ken Pruitt (’75) and Lester Williams (’78) and current NFL players, Kenny Phillips, Ricky Jean-Francois, Santana and Sinorice Moss… former UCF players from Carol City include Athletic Hall of Fame member Sylvester Bembery, Keenan Wimbley, Damien Demps and former Cincinnati Bengal Rashad Jeanty…parents are Randel Hall and Stephanie Barr.

Cameron Henderson – DE, 6-5, 250

Birmingham, Ala. (Shades Valley High School/Navarro College)

Graduating from Navarro this spring and will join teammate fellow UCF signee Toby Jackson…primary recruiter was David Kelly…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Iowa State, Baylor, USF, Arizona, Texas Tech, UAB, Mississippi State and Louisiana Tech…coached by Nick Bobeck at Navarro and Curtis Coleman at Shades Valley in Irondale, a suburb of Birmingham…currently rated with three stars from Rivals and Scout websites…a four-star prospect, originally signed with Auburn out of Shades Valley and redshirted his lone season with the Tigers…out of high school, had 100 tackles, including 10 sacks as a senior…also recorded 60 tackles and six sacks as a junior, while being named the Defensive Player of the Year for basketball…named to 2008 all-southeast region team by PrepStar…was ranked the 17th best player in Alabama by SuperPrep as a senior and the No. 9 defensive end in the nation by Rivals.com…a two-sport standout for Shades Valley, also was a dominant post player for the basketball team…earned four letters in both football and basketball…parents are Ulysses and Lisa S. Henderson.

Jared Henry – S, 6-1, 190

Jacksonville, Fla. (First Coast High School)

A big-time safety prospect out of Jacksonville First Coast where Henry played his senior season under Marty Lee…chose UCF over scholarship offers from South Carolina, Maryland, Vanderbilt and South Florida…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton…was a Florida Times-Union All-First Coast first team selection…overall, he was named to the all-conference, all-city, Super 24 and Super 11 teams as a senior…recorded 60 tackles and three forced fumbles as a senior…team won their Class 5A Region 1 District 1 championship with an undefeated record, but would fall in the state regional semifinals…transferred to First Coast from Andrew Jackson, where he played for Kevin Sullivan…as a junior, he totaled 100 tackles…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…ESPN also ranked him as the No. 39 safety nationally, while Scout listed him at No. 83.

Kentorius Jackson – DB, 6-2, 198

Griffin, Ga. (Georgia Military College/Griffin High School)

Signed with UCF out of Georgia Military College in Milledgeville…coached by Bert Williams at GMC and Steve DeVoursney at Griffin…in nine games with GMC this past year, had 30 tackles, six tackles for loss, one sack and a forced fumble…primary recruiter was David Kelly…committed to UCF on Dec. 13…joins his brother, Toby, as a member of the 2011 UCF class…rated with three stars by Rivals…coming out of high school was rated with two stars by Scout, and No. 186 nationally as a safety…also played linebacker in high school…started his senior season as a member of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Georgia Top 150…received Georgia Class AAAA first team all-state recognition in 2008…was an all-area pick 2006-09…nickname is “Scoot”…parents are Charlie and Laurenda Jackson.

Jacques Mackeroy – WR, 6-0, 200

Lakeland, Fla. (Kathleen High School)

Helped his team to the Florida Class 4A regional semifinal against Lakeland Lake Gibson…his team defeated Orlando Edgewater in its quarterfinal match-up after finishing second to Lake Gibson in Region 2 District 8…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…committed on July 19…selected UCF over scholarship offers from Boston College, Louisville, NC State, Purdue, Tennessee, West Virginia, Middle Tennessee and FAU…coached by Irving Strickland at Kathleen…rated with three stars by Rivals, ESPN and Scout websites…ESPN rates him the No. 58 wide receiver nationally, while Scout lists him at No. 125…named to the 2010 Lakeland Ledger All-County Second Team…notable Kathleen alums include Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis and Emmy Award winning journalist Forrest Sawyer.

Kevin Miller – TE, 6-4, 241

Delran, N.J. (Holy Cross High School)

Has played both tight end and defensive end for Holy Cross…was among the top five defensive ends in New Jersey heading into his senior year…primary recruiter was Jim Panagos…chose UCF over scholarship offers Maryland, Rutgers, West Virginia and Akron…a long list of other schools, including Cincinnati, Duke, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Temple, Villanova and Virginia also showed interest…committed to UCF on July 8…coached by Frank Holmes at Holy Cross…was named to the Burlington County Times’ all county team…as a senior, had 25 receptions, 550 yards receiving, eight touchdowns en route to first team all-conference, all-county, All-South Jersey and all-state…one of his touchdowns was a school-record 96-yarder against Burlington Township…also had 13 sacks on 45 tackles…was an all-non-public honorable mention on defense his junior year…in 2009, he had 20 catches for 400 yards and scored five touchdowns…as a sophomore, had 30 receptions for 587 yards and six touchdowns…in 2008, he earned a state title, the school’s then-second straight state Non-Public Group 2 championship…rated with three stars from Rivals, and two stars from ESPN and ­­Scout websites…Rivals presently ranks him No. 25 overall in New Jersey heading into 2011 signing day…Scout also lists him No. 150 nationally at tight end, while ESPN places him at No. 187…active with community service, volunteering for the Knights of Columbus, Special Olympics, homeless shelter food delivery and St. Isaac Jogues Youth Group…earned three varsity letters for football, one in basketball and four in lacrosse…parents are Mark and Carol Miller.

Willie Mitchell – LB, 6-1, 240

Deltona, Fla. (Pine Ridge High School)

Played middle linebacker for Pine Ridge…and was the 15th-ranked player in the Orlando Sentinel’s 2011 Central Florida Super60…noted speed with a 4.5 40-yard time…also returned kickoffs for Pine Ridge, even taking back an 86-yarder for a score against Daytona Beach Mainland during his junior season…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton…committed to UCF on March 26…selected the Knights over scholarship offers from USF, Wake Forest, Marshall, FIU, Eastern Michigan and Hampton…coached by Paul Spegele at Pine Ridge…as a senior, recorded 123 tackles and five sacks…had 140 tackles and three sacks as a junior…had 162 tackles as a sophomore, including four sacks…began his high school career charting 93 tackles as a freshman…as a senior was named to the Orlando Sentinel All-Central Florida defensive football team as well as ranking No. 72 on Bill Buchalter’s 2011 Florida Top 100…was rated with three stars from Rivals and ESPN, with the ESPN also ranking him No. 51 at his position nationally…rated with two stars from Scout, and is listed No. 82 at his position nationally…participated in the North/South and Central Florida All-Star Games…lettered in football, baseball, basketball and ran track…additionally active outside of playing sports, participating in FCA, was homecoming king, a flag football coach, a basketball manager and a member of the Key Club…parents are Willie Mitchell and Shanta Torres.

Thomas Niles – DT, 6-2, 260

Gainesville, Ga. (Gainesville High School)

A standout defensive tackle from Georgia…primary recruiter was Brent Key…chose UCF over scholarship offers from Arkansas, NC State, Tennessee, FIU and Middle Tennessee…coached by Bruce Miller at Gainesville…committed on July 15…earned all-area recognition, while picking up a second-team all-state honor…was an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Class 3A honorable mention all-state selection…as a senior, recorded 85 tackles, seven sacks and three forced fumbles…as a junior, recorded 75 tackles, five sacks, three forced fumbles and six tackles for loss…high school team was region champions 2008-10…team most recently was runner-up state champions…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout websites…ESPN rates him as the No. 64 defensive tackle nationally, while Scout ranks him at No. 101…also lettered four years in lacrosse where he was a goalie and was a member of the Latin Club…parents are Andre and Lisa Niles.

Miles Pace – LB, 6-0, 237

Miami, Fla. (Miami Central Senior High School)

Was a high school teammate of current UCF players Jeff Godfrey, Jamar McClain, Josh Reese and LeBranden Richardson…the 2010 Miami Central team defeated Orlando’s Dr. Phillips, 42-27, in the Class 6A state championship at the Florida Citrus Bowl…primary recruiter was David Kelly…committed on July 25…chose to be a UCF Knight over offers from Clemson, West Virginia, USF and FIU…coached by Telly Lockette at Miami Central…saw action at both linebacker and defensive tackle, as well as fullback…had 84 tackles, 22 sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior…as a junior, had 125 tackles and 20 sacks, nine forced fumbles and one interception returned for a touchdown…listed at No. 64 on Bill Buchalter’s 2011 Florida Top 100…rated with three stars from Rivals, ESPN and Scout…Scout places him No. 57 for the middle linebacker position nationally, while ESPN ranks him No. 93…Rivals lists him No. 12 among its top 55 players in Miami-Dade County at the start of the 2010 season…was a second-team All-Miami-Dade County running back selection as a junior…Miami Herald has him as the No. 13 prospect in Miami-Dade County…has the nickname “Ninja Turtle”…also played on the basketball team…Miami Central HS notable alumni includes Hall of Fame U.S. Olympic gymnast Kurt Thomas (’74) and Baltimore Ravens running back Willis McGahee…parents are Anthony Pace and Altrese Lewis.

Breshad Perriman – WR, 6-2, 180

Lithonia, Ga. (Arabia Mountain High School)

A very talented and fast wide receiver prospect from the Atlanta-area…finished his high school career for new Class 5A Arabia Mountain in Lithonia, after playing for Lithonia’s Martin Luther King and Conyers’ Heritage high schools…played for Christopher Beal at Arabia Mountain…son of former NFL wide receiver Brett Perriman…arguably the top receiver in DeKalb County during his senior season, participated in the 2010 DeKalb County Coaches Association Senior All-Star Football Game…was the MVP of the Elite One Performance Football Camp…lettered in football and track for two years…timed with a 4.4 40-yard dash and 36-inch vertical leap…chose UCF over offers and interest from Miami, Florida State, Cincinnati, FIU and Wyoming…as a senior in just four games played, had 13 catches for 301 yards and three touchdowns…as a junior, had 27 catches for 512 yards and six touchdowns…was rated with two stars from ESPN, while being ranked at No. 221 nationally for wide receivers…was a heralded youth track participant, routinely competing in USA Track and Field and Junior Olympic events across the country growing up…parents are Brett and Laundria Perriman.

Terrance Plummer – LB, 6-1, 221

Orange Park, Fla. (Orange Park High School)

A versatile linebacker prospect, who has played at all three positions during his high school career, but most recently at the inside position as a senior…coached by Danny Green on Orange Park, and helped lead the Raiders to a Class 6A Region I District 1 title and berth in the state regional final round… amassed over 110 tackles as a senior, five sacks, two pass deflections, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble…led his team in tackling for three straight seasons…also had eight touchdowns rushing…committed to UCF on January 21…primary recruiter was Sean Beckton… highly-recruited linebacker prospect picking up over a dozen scholarship offers before choosing to attend UCF…picked the Knights over Arkansas, NC State, Vanderbilt, Cincinnati, Connecticut, USF, Southern Miss, FAU, FIU, Middle Tennessee and Troy…was a 2010 nominee for the Florida Class 6A Mr. Football award…was a member of the 2010 Florida Times Union All-First Coast team, as well as honorable mention FHSAA all-state in 2009…was a Super 24 selection in 2010…received All-First Coast, all-conference and all-county recognition throughout his high school career…rated with three stars by Rivals, ESPN and Scout…was listed as the No. 70 outside linebacker nationally by ESPN, and No. 84 from Scout…also lettered three years in basketball…has a bench press of 350 pounds…parents are Terrance and Beatrice Plummer.

DaMarcus Smith – QB, 6-1, 180

Louisville, Ky. (Seneca High School)

The top quarterback back prospect coming out of the state of Kentucky in 2011, as well as one of the top athletic quarterbacks in the nation…as a senior, he threw for an impressive 3,150 yards, 30 touchdowns with just nine interceptions…the feat garnered him Louisville Courier-Journal all-state first team recognition as well as a spot on the 2010 Class of the Commonwealth team…despite missing his junior season with a knee injury, threw for almost 8,000 yards in high school and 75 touchdowns…he first drew attention with a breakout sophomore season throwing for 3,227 yards on 169 of 329 passing and 32 touchdowns…also rushed for 457 yards as a sophomore…before his senior season, was invited and attended the prestigious ESPN RISE Elite 11 Camp…played for Louis Dover at Seneca…chose to attend UCF over scholarship offers from Louisville, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Purdue, Tennessee and Ohio…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the Orlando Sentinel’s All-Southern Team …received four stars from Rivals…Rivals also lists Smith as the No. 11 dual-threat quarterback in the country, its No. 4 most-accurate quarterback and the No. 2 overall prospect from Kentucky…ESPN and Scout both list Smith with three stars, while Scout has him as the No. 20 quarterback nationally with ESPN ranking him No. 46…Seneca alums include famed TV news correspondent Diane Sawyer and NBA legend Wes Unseld.

Cedric Thompson – RB, 6-0, 207

Miramar, Fla. (Everglades High School)

Everglades advanced to the 2010 Class 6A state playoffs during his senior year after qualifying through Region 3 District 11…team was 2009 district champions…chose UCF over offers from Kansas State, FAU, Illinois, Western Illinois and Southern Illinois…coached by Josh Shapiro at Everglades…primary recruiter was Tim Salem…committed on June 29…team captain as a junior and senior…rushed for 800 yards on 155 carries for 16 touchdowns as a senior…had 485 yards on 100 carries and seven touchdowns as a junior…during his sophomore season, rushed for 385 yards on 55 carries and three touchdowns…earned four varsity letters in football…also lettered three years in track and field, focusing on the 110 and 300-meter hurdles…he posted personal best times of 14.94 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and 39.36 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles…rated with two stars from ESPN and Scout…ESPN lists him at No. 156 nationally at his position, while Scout has him at No. 168…brother, Courtney, is a defensive back at Kansas State…received All-Broward County recognition by the South Florida Sun Sentinel…Miami Herald had him at No. 20 in Broward County prior to his senior year…Will and Lavora Thompson.

Dalton Wertz – DT, 6-1, 295

Arcadia, Fla. (DeSoto County High School)

Noted tough and strong defensive lineman, who also participates on the school weightlifting team…can bench over 400 pounds and squat 500 pounds…saw a lot of action at nose tackle…primary recruiter was Charlie Taaffe…committed to UCF on June 21…drew interest from Cincinnati, Western Kentucky and FAU…as a senior, had 64 tackles, seven sacks and a spot on the all-area team…recorded 56 tackles and eight sacks during his junior year, while earning all-area recognition and second team all-state mention…as a sophomore, had 42 tackles, 4.5 sacks and a spot on the all-area team…coached by Matt Egloff at DeSoto County…was listed at No. 62 on Bill Buchalter’s Florida Top 100 to start the 2010 season…rated with three stars from ESPN, with the same service ranking him No. 90 at his position nationally…rated with two stars from Rivals and Scout websites, with Scout also placing him No. 136 nationally at his position…was a second-team all-state defensive line selection for Class 2A/2B by the Florida Sports Prep Writers…was named all-area for defense by the Sarasota Herald-Tribune since his sophomore year…lettered four years in football and weightlifting, while earning two letters in track…team was 2007 Class 3A District 12 champions, going undefeated for the first time in school history…in 2009, his team was also district champions and earned a spot in the regional final….was a Dean’s List and Honor Roll student…parents are Eddie and Debbie Wertz.

Rayshon Williams – WR, 6-1, 190

Denver, Colo. (J.K. Mullen High School)

One of the top offensive prospects to come out of the state of Colorado in recent seasons…first cousin of former UCF star and current Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brandon Marshall…played for one of the most decorated high school programs in the state, J.K. Mullen and for coach David Logan…the program has won three straight state championships, including a 37-6 triumph over Aurora Regis Jesuit in the 2010 Class 5A title game to finish the year 14-0…team concluded the 2010 season on a 33-game win streak…rushed twice, both for touchdowns in the state championship, while catching five passes for 53 yards…chose to attend UCF over several scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado State, Kansas State, Miami, Minnesota, Nebraska, Syracuse, UCLA, Utah, Vanderbilt and Washington…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the prestigious All-Colorado team in back-to-back seasons, 2009 and 2010, while also being tapped to the Class 5A all-state first team in both of those seasons…was also named to the 2010 PrepColorado Super State Offense team…as a senior, had 71 catches for 909 yards and eight receiving touchdowns, while carrying the ball 15 times for 143 yards and three touchdowns…set the state record for career pass receptions as a senior…caught 43 passes for 757 yards as a junior…had 16 total touchdowns in 2009, including 10 receiving and three on returns…as a sophomore, caught 34 passes for 456 yards and two touchdowns…rated with three stars from Rivals and ESPN…Rivals lists Williams as the No. 9 prospect on their Colorado postseason Top 20 list for 2011…ESPN also lists him as the No. 81 receiver nationally…lettered in both football and track…recorded the top mark in the state in long jump (22-11).

Leilon Willingham – LB, 6-2, 240

Denver, Colo. (J.K. Mullen High School)

Arguably the top defensive prospect to come out of the state of Colorado this year, being named the 2010 All-Colorado Defensive Player of the Year…played for one of the most decorated high school programs in the state, J.K. Mullen and for coach David Logan…the program has won three straight state championships, including a 37-6 triumph over Aurora Regis Jesuit in the 2010 Class 5A title game to finish the year 14-0…Willingham recorded four sacks in the title game…team concluded the 2010 season on a 33-game win streak…chose to attend UCF over several scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona State, Colorado, Michigan, Texas A&M, Washington, Boise State, Colorado State, Kansas State, Minnesota, Oregon and Utah…primary recruiter was David Kelly…was named to the prestigious All-Colorado team in 2010, while also being tapped to the Class 5A all-state first-team…recorded 156 tackles (36 solo), five sacks, three fumble recoveries and one interception during his senior season…as a junior, recorded 115 tackles (29 solo), 13 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception en route to Class 5A all-state honorable mention recognition…was also all-conference after his sophomore and freshman seasons…also lettered in track, running the 4×100 relay and long jump…was rated with four stars from Rivals, while ESPN and Scout list him with three stars…a versatile linebacker, was rated No. 13 nationally at outside linebacker by Rivals and the No. 2 overall prospect on its Colorado postseason Top 20 in 2011… ESPN lists him at No. 23 nationally for inside linebackers and Scout has him No. 69 for outside linebackers…parents are Paul and Ruth Apodaca.

UCF wide receiver Jamar Newsome recently accepted an invitation to play in the NFL Players Association Game on Feb. 5 in San Antonio, Texas. The contest will kickoff at 2 p.m. at the Alamodome.

Formerly known as the Texas vs. Nation All-Star Game in El Paso, the NFLPA Game will maintain its original format and pit a team of collegiate stars from Texas against Newsome and his non-Texan teammates.

Former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville will be in charge of Team Nation for the week as players work out in front of NFL scouts. Dallas Cowboys special teams legend and former NFL assistant coach Bill Bates returns for his second year at the helm of Team Texas.

Newsome finished the season No. 2 on the team with 37 receptions and 616 receiving yards this past fall, helping UCF to a school-record 11 wins, the Conference USA championship and the school’s first-ever bowl victory over Georgia. UCF finished the year ranked No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Newsome also proved to be a strong special teams performer for the Knights as a senior, running back 10 kickoffs for 306 yards. The St. Petersburg native closed his career just shy of the 1,000-yard plateau, gaining 986 career-receiving yards on 65 catches with seven touchdowns.

Newsome is not the only Knight to be involved in postseason all-star play. Both Bruce Miller and Jah Reid will represent UCF in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 22 at 4 p.m. at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

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As much of a success story as this seems to be, we’ll know just how worthy UCF is of those accolades should they capitalize on that momentum come the 2011 campaign.

In 2010, the Knights defeated just one team with a record of .500 or better when they blew away SMU (7-7) in the Conference USA title game at Bright House Networks Stadium. SMU went on to lose its bowl game on the very field they call home in Dallas, Texas.

UCF (11-3) faced five teams in all that qualified for bowl games. Those teams went a combined 1-4 in the postseason. The Knights win over Georgia (6-7) to end the year is impressive in one respect, considering the conference affiliation of the Bulldogs. The Southeastern Conference is home to the past five college football national champions. But beating a good Georgia team would garner a little more national respect, one could argue.

The only UCF opponent to win its bowl game was N.C. State (9-4), who defeated the Knights in the second week of the season. Kansas State (7-6) and Southern Miss (8-5) also defeated the Knights before going on to lose in the postseason. East Carolina (6-7) is the other bowl-eligible team UCF faced, and defeated.

That’s two wins in five tries against teams that played in bowl games.

Other wins for UCF came against South Dakota (4-7), Buffalo (2-10), UAB (4-8), Marshall (5-7), Rice (4-8), Houston (5-7), Tulane (4-8) and Memphis (1-11).

Although the 2010 season was a huge success for the black and gold, UCF is still climbing the mountain towards the kind of respectability they crave. Making the upcoming season much more important than many take the time to realize.

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UCF defensive end Bruce Miller and offensive tackle Jah Reid recently accepted invitations to play in the annual East-West Shrine Game at the Florida Citrus Bowl. The senior showcase event takes place on Saturday, Jan. 22 at 4 p.m.

Miller was the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Year in both 2009 and 2010. He owns the UCF career record for sacks with 35.5 and led the nation in career sacks among active players. Reid made 41 career starts at UCF, including 33 in a row dating back to 2008. He was named to the All-Conference USA first team in both 2009 and 2010.

Both players served as team captains in 2010 as UCF went 11-3, won the Conference USA championship and defeated Georgia in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl.

Last fall UCF defensive tackle Torell Troup played in the Shrine Game before going on to be selected early in the second round (No. 41 overall) by the Buffalo Bills.

The coaches for the 2011 game will be Wade Phillips and Dan Reeves, who was a keynote speaker last month at the Liberty Bowl’s FCA Prayer Breakfast.

“The East-West Shrine Game has always fielded players among college football’s best,” East-West Shrine Game Executive Director Harold Richardson said in a statement. “With all 32 NFL teams represented by GMs, coaches and scouts during game week, our players have the terrific opportunity to showcase their talents and get their first glimpse of life in the NFL…”

Players from each team will take part in different events to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children, an international pediatric specialty health care system.

In addition to the two UCF standouts, many others from around the country have also committed to play in the game. Some of the most notable names include Virginia Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Wisconsin quarterback Scott Tolzien, Oregon defensive tackle Brandon Bair and Stanford wide receiver Ryan Whalen.

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(Photo by Russell Griner)

MVP Latavius Murray scored his 11th touchdown of the season in the fourth quarter to give UCF (11-3) a come-from-behind 10-6 win over Georgia (6-7) in the Liberty Bowl. Murray carried the ball 18 times for 104 yards in the win.

The 11-play touchdown drive spanned 65 yards over five mintes, 47 seconds and included big completions from quarterback Jeff Godfrey to wide receiver Brian Watters on two separate third-down attempts.

Starting at its own 35-yard line with 14:40 to play, UCF got an 11-yard rush from Godfrey, a 5-yard pickup by Murray and six completions in all on passes from Godfrey to Watters and Jamar Newsome on the drive.

From there, Bruce Miller was in on two sacks while a number of other key stops were made by Troy Davis, Josh Robinson, Justin Boddie, Victor Gray and Darin Baldwin, among others.

The defensive efforts forced Georgia to punt on consecutive possessions. Kemal Ishmael batted down the final pass attempt by Georgia in the end zone with only two seconds to play.

Ishmael finished with 11 tackles while Boddie was in on 10 tackles for the Knights. Miller finished with 1.5 sacks and 8 tackles. Gray forced a fumble and had six tackles as Derrick Hallman recorded a sack and made four soio tackles.

Josh Linam (6 tackles) and Reggie Weams (4 tackles) intercepted passes. Miller finished his career with 36 sacks.

Godfrey finished 16-of-29 passing for 117 yards and rushed 10 times for 20 yards. Watters caught five passes for 57 yards.

The Bulldogs scored first on a 20-yard field goal by Blair Walsh with 2:02 to go in the first quarter. Walsh hit another field goal of 41 yards with 9:23 to go in the third to put Georgia up 6-3. UCF’s Nick Cattoi hit a 22-yarder with 33 seconds left in the first half.

It was a defensive battle, with the game looking as tight as the score indicated once the teams headed into the final period of play.

Georgia outgained UCF in total yards 280-241 as each averaged four yards per play… Each team was intercepted twice and struggled on third down, combining to go 6-for-24 on attempts between them… And just five minutes separated the teams in time of possession, with the Bulldogs holding onto to the ball for 32 minutes, 30 seconds.

But it was UCF that gutted out the win after so many years of coming up short. They complete the most successful season ever in program history and pave the way for even better days to come.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com or follow @OrlandoSportsJC and Carnahan Chronicles) –

– Photos by Russell Griner –

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– Photos of UCF vs. SMU on Dec. 4 by Scott McCall –

Last week Conference USA awarded three league honors to the UCF Knights football program. Quarterback Jeff Godfrey was named C-USA Freshman of the Year, defensive end Bruce Miller took home Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row and George O’Leary was named Coach of the Year for the third time in six years.

Jeff Godfrey (Photo by Scott McCall)

The Knights finished the 2010 season as C-USA champs and are preparing for a season-ending matchup against Georgia at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis on Dec. 31.

Godfrey, who recorded a 9-2 record as the starter and was 8-1 against C-USA teams, is the second Knight to receive C-USA Freshman of the Year honors. In 2005, running back Kevin Smith was the other.

Godfrey ranks eighth in the nation in passing efficiency at 165.28, trailing only seven others who have led top-10 teams this year in Cam Newton, Kellen Moore, Ryan Mallett, Scott Tolzien, Andy Dalton, Greg McElroy and Andrew Luck. Godfrey’s 68.4-percentage in completions ranks sixth nationally. He also rushed for 546 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the year.

Miller joins Adalius Thomas of Southern Miss (1998-99) as the only repeat winners of the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year award. Miller leads all players nationally with 34 career sacks, a number which matches Florida State’s Peter Boulware (1994-96) for fourth most ever by an FBS player in the state of Florida.

Bruce Miller (Photo by Scott McCall)

Perhaps Miller’s two biggest plays of the year came when he intercepted passes and returned them both for touchdowns, setting a UCF record and tying for the second most in conference history for a single season. Miller helped UCF lead C-USA defensive statistics in total yards, rushing yards, scoring defense and passing efficiency in 2010 for a unit that ranked amongst the national top-20 for much of the season.

O’Leary helped guide the Knights to its first national top-25 ranking this season behind the league’s most dominant defense and a vastly improved offense and special teams unit, which includes a kickoff return team that ranks first in the nation.

He did this while also guiding a UCF program that has excelled in the classroom. UCF’s 972 APR (Academic Performance Rate) is in the national top-10 for public schools while eight members of the UCF team had all ready received their bachelor’s degrees prior to this season. All of the team’s 19 seniors are on pace to graduate.

It is the fifth FBS Coach of the Year award for O’Leary, who also claimed C-USA’s prize in 2005 and 2007 while winning the ACC’s in 1998 and 2000 as head coach at Georgia Tech. The five career awards ties him for third amongst all active FBS coaches. Leading the pack with six are Dennis Erickson and Steve Spurrier, while Frank Beamer and Bill Snyder also have five apiece. O’Leary ties former Southern Miss mentor Jeff Bower for the most C-USA Coach of the Year honors all-time.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com or follow @OrlandoSportsJC and Carnahan Chronicles) –

In case you missed it, the Tuskers lost the UFL title game against the Las Vegas Locomotives 23-20 while the Montreal Alouettes defeated the Saskatchewan Roughriders 21-18 for the CFL title.

Former UCF football player Keith Shologan finished out his season with Saskatchewan at defensive tackle, making 30 tackles and recording three sacks. Former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson and former Florida quarterback Chris Leak saw playing time this season for Montreal.

– Rollins Soccer Caught In Snowstorm –

The most surprising thing about the Rollins College men’s soccer team playing in the Division II National Championship game this past Saturday was not that they qualified in the first place, but rather the weather conditions they were forced to play in. If you’ve yet to see it, check out the video highlights at NCAA. The Tars lost 3-2 to Northern Kentucky in weather more suitable for a football game, of the American kind.

The Rollins College roster featured several local high school alumni, including seniors Chris Cummings (Ocala St. John Lutheran), Stephen Wright (Winter Park), Bradley Welch (Cypress Creek) and Blade Zych (Lake Brantley). Plenty of local talent returns for next season. View the Tars roster at Rollins Sports.

– High School Football Finals Take Shape –

The high school football state finals begin this weekend at the Citrus Bowl with four games taking place between teams in the lower classifications.

Friday’s finals include Warner Christian Academy vs. Glades Day in Class 1B at 1 p.m., and Trinity Christian Academy vs. American Heritage in Class 1A at 7 p.m. On Saturday it’s Trinity Catholic vs. University School of NSU in Class 2B at 1 p.m., and Cocoa vs. Glades Central in Class 2A at 7 p.m.

The marquee prep football game of the weekend, though, is the Class 6A semifinal between favored Dr. Phillips at Seminole on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The state title games for classes 3A-6A take place Dec. 17-18.

A complete lineup is available at FHSAA.

– College Football Bowl Games Announced –

On Sunday the NCAA announced this season’s bowl game matchups, including the opponent for UCF at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn. and the matchups for both contests in Orlando at the Florida Citrus Bowl.

UCF (10-3) is ranked No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and will take on Georgia (6-6) on Dec. 31 at 3:30 p.m. The Knights faced the Bulldogs just once before, losing 24-23 in Athens during a regular season game in 1999. UCF Coach George O’Leary previously faced Georgia on seven different occasions as head coach at Georgia Tech. UCF lost its only trip to the Liberty Bowl against Mississippi State 10-3 following the 2007 season.

Florida Citrus Sports chose to pair West Virginia (9-3) against N.C. State (8-4) in the Champs Sports Bowl on Dec. 28 at 6:30 p.m., and Alabama (9-3) against Michigan State (11-1) in the Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1 at 1 p.m.

Check back for plenty more coverage of the upcoming bowl season.

– Magic’s Dwight Howard Best In November –

You see where Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November?

He finished fifth in the Conference in scoring (21.8 points per game) and third in the league with a .594 shooting percentage. Howard also ranked fourth in the league in rebounds (12.1) while helping get the Magic off to a 13-4 start. It’s the fifth time in Howard’s career that he’s earned the league’s Eastern Conference monthly honor, also doing do in April 2006, November 2006, November 2007 and December 2007.

Among the highlights for Howard last month were:

Nov. 3 vs. Minnesota: Recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds and a season-high eight blocks in a 128-86 win over the Timberwolves.

Nov. 5 vs. New Jersey: Tallied 30 points and 16 rebounds in a 105-90 victory over the Nets.

Nov. 24 vs. Miami: Registered 24 points to go along with 18 rebounds in a 111-100 victory over the Heat.

Nov. 27 @ Washington: Compiled a season-high 32 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and hit the game-winning  shot to defeat the Wizards by a score of 100-99.

– UCF Men’s Basketball Out To Fast Start –

The UCF men’s basketball team is out to a 7-0 start for the first time at the Division I level, meaning the Knights have yet to lose under new head coach Donnie Jones. For their efforts, UCF has received votes in the Associated Press and ESPN/USA Today Coaches polls for the first time since 2006.

On Saturday, following the football team’s Conference USA championship win, the hoops team did away with Southeastern Louisiana 74-49.

Sophomore Keith Clanton tied the school record for blocks in a game when he turned away eight shots in the win. Clanton also finished with 16 points and 15 rebounds, which ties his career high. Tony Davis also blocked eight shots on Dec. 1, 2007 against USF. John Friday blocked seven shots in a game twice in January 1987.

The Knights play again on Saturday, Dec. 11 at UCF Arena against Bethune-Cookman at 5 p.m.

– Edgewater & Timber Creek Alumni In D-II Title Game –

Edgewater High School alum Kaleigh Cunningham finished her collegiate volleyball career as an outside hitter with Tampa in the Division II National Championship on Saturday in Louisville.

Tampa (31-4), who went 15-1 in the Sunshine State Conference, dropped the title match 25-23, 23-25, 26-24, 25-10 to four-time defending champion Concordia-St. Paul (32-4). (See footage at NCAA)

Cunningham finished the season with 313 kills, 220 digs and 12 service aces. Sophomore outside hitter Jessica Yingling (Timber Creek) finished with 266 kills, 369 digs, 25 aces and 24 blocks for Tampa.

– Former UCF Women’s Soccer Player In D-III Title Game –

Former UCF women’s soccer player Alex Brandt finished her sophomore season at Messiah College with an appearance in the Division III National Championship.

Messiah (24-1) lost 2-1 to Hardin-Simmons (24-0-1). Brandt was credited with her 13th assist on the season with 15 minutes to play, when she set up Alicia Frey just outside the box for a goal. (See footage at NCAA)

Brandt, who was named to the C-USA All-Freshman Team in 2009, started in all 25 games this season and scored eight goals as a midfielder. She started 23 games for UCF while finishing the year with two goals and three assists.

– (email JC@OrlandoSportsCentral.com or follow @OrlandoSportsJC and Carnahan Chronicles) –