The UCF Knights represent the University of Central Florida in NCAA's Division I-Bowl Subdivision, playing under the Conference USA. UCF's football program began just in the late 1970's, playing as a Division III-Independent team in 1979 back when the school was still known as the Florida Technological University. The team, handled by former professional football player and Orlando dignitary Don Jonas, raced to a good start, opening their campaign with a victory over Saint Leo, 21-0, that led to a 6-2 win-loss record. UCF would move up to Division II in 1982, the same forgettable year the Knights would be blanked in the standings for the first time. After fruitless campaigns with a couple of coaches who took over Jonas' position, Gene McDowell assumed the head coaching job in 1985, leading the team into ten consecutive winning seasons from 1986 through 1995, highlighted by a 10-4 record in 1990. The team would be elevated into a Division I-AA Independent team in 1990, and later into Division I-A in 1996. After McDowell's resignation in 1998 due to a federal fraud scandal revolving around improper cellular phone benefits and use [1], Mike Kruczek would take over on an interim basis but would receive the position permanently later in the year. The team was admitted into the Mid-American Athletic Conference in 2001 as an expansion and started their debut in MAC with a 7-5 start, only to fall to consecutive losing seasons thereafter. After Kruczek was fired and was replaced by Alan Gooch as interim coach, George O'Leary took over in 2004. It was a rough start for O'Leary as the team turned out UCF's first winless season since 1982. The team though would bounce back strong the following year, this time as a member of Conference USA. The team would lead the C-USA East division standings, and would later host the first ever Conference USA Championship game against Tulsa, on a losing cause (27-44). The team would finish the year with its first ever postseason Bowl Game in the eve of Christmas, bowing to Nevada in a close 48-49 defeat at the Hawai'i Bowl.
The UCF Knights' known rivals are the South Florida Bulls from the Big East, whom UCF will play in a 4-game series which started in 2005 (South Florida won the first two meetings). The Knights' also has a developing rivalry with the Marshall Thundering Herd. Both teams defected from the MAC to C-USA in the same year (2005), and just recently, UCF caused some friction between the teams when it ended its own 17-game losing streak at the expense of the Thundering Herd.
UCF Knights 2008 Roster
| No. | Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Cl. | Elig. | Hometown/Prev School
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| 2 | Michael Greco | Quarterback | 6-3 | 220 | JR | Junior | Ft. Lauderdale/Pear River CC
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| 3 | A.J. Guyton | Wide Receiver | 5-11 | 184 | SO | Sophomore | Homestead, Fla./Homestead
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| 5 | Rocky Ross | Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 198 | SR | Junior | Jacksonville, Fla/Bolles School
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| 6 | Brian Watters | Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 183 | JR | Sophomore | Rome, Ga./Rome
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| 9 | Jamar Newsome | Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 193 | JR | Sophomore | St. Petersburg, Fla./Boca Ciega
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| 11 | Andy Slowik | Quarterback | 6-0 | 186 | RS FR | Freshman | Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch
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| 13 | Jevaughn Reams | Wide Reciever | 6-2 | 185 | JR | Sophomore | Oakland, Calif./Homestead (Fla.)
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| 15 | Chad Alexander | Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 185 | RS FR | Freshman | Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Wales
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| 16 | Nate Tice | Quarterback | 6-4 | 205 | RS FR | Freshman | Edina, Minn./Edina
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| 17 | Joe Weatherford | Quarterback | 6-4 | 200 | RS FR | Freshman | Land O' Lakes, Fla./Land O' Lakes
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| 19 | Joe Burnett | Cornerback | 5-11 | 183 | SR | Senior | Eustis, Fla./Eustis
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| 20 | Anthony Davis | Wide Receiver | 5-9 | 155 | SR | Senior | Boynton Beach, Fla./Boynton Beach Community
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| 20 | Darin Baldwin | Defensive Back | 5-11 | 191 | SO | Sophomore | Homestead, Fla./South Dade
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| 22 | Emery Allen | Cornerback | 5-9 | 172 | JR | Sophomore | Milton, Fla./Milton
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| 23 | Justin Boddie | Defensiveback | 6-2 | 180 | SO | Sophomore | Atlanta, Ga./North Atlanta
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| 25 | Jayson Williams | Running Back | 6-0 | 200 | SR | Junior | Conyers, Ga./Salem
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| 26 | Jordan Becker | Defensiveback | 6-4 | 200 | RS FR | Freshman | Clearwater, Fla./Central Catholic
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| 27 | James Jamison | Tailback | 5-11 | 217 | JR | Sophomore | Starke, Fla./Bradford
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| 29 | Sha'reff Rashad | Defensive Back | | 197 | SR | Junior | Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
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| 30 | Phillip Smith | Tailback | 6-1 | 188 | JR | Junior | Mansfield, Texas/Summit
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| 31 | Johnell Neal | Defensive Back | 5-10 | 177 | SR | Junior | Baton Rouge, La./Redemptorist
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| 32 | Fendson Dorvilus | Defensive Back | 5-10 | 190 | SR | Senior | Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach C.C.
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| 33 | Chad Keys | Defensive Back | 6-0 | 177 | FR | Freshman | Covington, La./St. Paul's School
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| 33 | Jordan Dodds | Placekicker | 5-11 | 210 | JR | Sophomore | Orlando, Fla./South Carolina
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| 35 | Ronnie Weaver | Running Back | 6-0 | 195 | RS FR | Freshman | Wabasso, Fla./Vero Beach
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| 35 | Omar Hansborough | Defensiveback | 6-2 | 180 | RS FR | Freshman | Homestead, Fla./Homestead
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| 37 | Breon Rogers | Defensive Back | 6-3 | 198 | SR | Junior | Stone Mountain, Ga./Hargrave Military
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| 38 | Derrick Hallman | Defensiveback | 6-0 | 191 | SO | Sophomore | Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce Central
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| 38 | J.T. McArthur | Wide Receiver | 5-10 | 175 | RS FR | Freshman | Laurens, S.C./Laurens
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| 40 | Willie Gaetjens | Tight End | 6-5 | 230 | RS FR | Freshman | Titusville, Fla./Titusville
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| 40 | Reggie Weams | Defensiveback | 6-0 | 190 | SO | Sophomore | Baton Rouge, La./Redemptorist
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| 41 | Blake Clingan | Punter | 6-3 | 220 | SO | Sophomore | Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs
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| 43 | Salvatore DiMauro | Place Kicker | 6-3 | 180 | RS FR | Freshman | Boca Raton, Fla./Boca Raton Community College
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| 44 | Kyle Iketani | Place Kicker | 5-7 | 166 | SO | Freshman | Ocala, Fla./Belleview
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| 44 | Antonio Wallace | Linebacker | 6-2 | 250 | SR | Junior | Vero Beach, Fla./Vero Beach
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| 45 | Jason Venson | Defensive Back | 5-11 | 208 | SR | Junior | Marietta, Ga./Marietta
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| 46 | Ricky Kay | Running Back | 6-3 | 230 | SO | Sophomore | Deltona, Fla./DeLand
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| 46 | Rashidi Haughton | Defensive End | 6-3 | 250 | JR | Sophomore | Miami, Fla./Hialeah
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| 47 | T.J. Harnden | Linebacker | 6-3 | 228 | SR | Junior | Tallahassee, Fla/Lincoln
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| 48 | David Williams | Defensive End | 6-2 | 236 | JR | Sophomore | Lexington, S.C./White Knoll
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| 49 | Bruce Miller | Linebacker | 6-2 | 245 | JR | Sophomore | Canton, Ga./Woodstock
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| 50 | James Getsee | Snapper | 6-2 | 210 | RS FR | Freshman | Miami, Fla./Hialeah-Miami Lakes
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| 50 | Josh Linam | Linebacker | 6-3 | 224 | FR | Freshman | Tavares, Fla./Tavares
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| 51 | Jay McCahill | Linebacker | 6-1 | 211 | JR | Sophomore | Kinnelon, N.J./Western Michigan
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| 52 | Jack Carter | Defensive End | 6-2 | 225 | RS FR | Freshman | Miami, Fla./Coral Reef
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| 53 | Darius Nall | Defensive End | 6-3 | 226 | SO | Sophomore | Douglasville, Ga./Chapel Hill
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| 54 | Chance Henderson | Linebacker | 6-1 | 241 | JR | Junior | Conyers, Ga./Heritage
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| 55 | Alex Thompson | Linebacker | 6-2 | 230 | SR | Junior | Gainesville, Fla/Bucholz
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| 57 | Lawrence Young | Linebacker | 6-0 | 195 | SO | Sophomore | Pensacola, Fla./Woodham
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| 57 | Ryan Khawly | Snapper | 6-0 | 205 | JR | Sophomore | Homestead, Fla./South Dade
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| 58 | Tom Lewis | Linebacker | 6-2 | 210 | RS FR | Freshman | Seminole, Fla./Osceola
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| 59 | Cory Hogue | Linebacker | 6-1 | 230 | SR | Senior | Naples, Fla./Naples
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| 61 | Wes Tunuufi Sauvao | Defensive Tackle | 6-3 | 304 | JR | Sophomore | Leesville, La./Leesville
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| 62 | Mike Lavoie | Offensive Line | 6-5 | 294 | SR | Junior | Sanford, Fla./Seminole
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| 64 | David Faile | Offensive Guard | 6-4 | 302 | RS FR | Freshman | Leesburg, Fla./Leesburg
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| 66 | Jeramy DeVane | Offensive Guard | 6-3 | 290 | JR | Sophomore | Ormond Beach, Fla./Seabreeze
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| 67 | Jake Goray | Offensive Lineman | 6-5 | 250 | RS FR | Freshman | Ft. Walton Beach, Fla./Choctawhatchee
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| 68 | Cody Minnich | Offensive Line | 6-3 | 291 | SR | Sophomore | Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley
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| 71 | Dean Wegerif | Offensive Line | 6-5 | 275 | RS FR | Freshman | Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island
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| 72 | Billy Offutt | Offensive Line | 6-6 | 306 | RS FR | Freshman | Winter Park, Fla./Lake Howell
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| 73 | Ian Bustillo | Offensive Line | 6-2 | 304 | JR | Sophomore | Miami, Fla./Killian
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| 75 | Mike Buxton | Offensive Tackle | 6-8 | 317 | JR | Sophomore | Bonita Springs, Fla./Estero
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| 76 | Jah Reid | Offensive Tackle | 6-7 | 313 | JR | Sophomore | Haines City, Fla./Haines City
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| 77 | Nick Pieschel | Offensive Line | 6-7 | 295 | RS FR | Freshman | Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas
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| 78 | Patrick Brown | Offensive Line | 6-5 | 290 | SR | Junior | St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles North
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| 80 | Sidney Haynes | Wide Receiver | 6-4 | 210 | SO | Sophomore | Suwanee, Ga./Peachtree Ridge
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| 81 | Kamar Aiken | Wide Receiver | 6-2 | 205 | SO | Sophomore | Hollywood, Fla./Chaminade-Madonna
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| 82 | Kyhmest Williams | Wide Receiver | 5-10 | 170 | SO | Sophomore | Lutcher, La./Lutcher
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| 83 | John Lubischer | Tight End | 6-4 | 252 | JR | Sophomore | Boca Raton, Fla./Duke
|
| 84 | Corey Rabazinski | Tight End | 6-3 | 243 | JR | Junior | Winter Park, Fla./Winter Park
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| 86 | Ricky Yates | Tight End | 6-5 | 241 | JR | Sophomore | Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian
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| 88 | Adam Nissley | Tight End | 6-6 | 235 | RS FR | Freshman | Cumming, Ga./South Forsyth
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| 93 | Brian Timm | Defensive Tackle | 6-3 | 230 | JR | Junior | Sarasota, Fla./Sarasota
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| 95 | Travis Timmons | Defensive Tackle | 6-4 | 306 | JR | Junior | Gainesville, Fla./Buchholz
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| 96 | Marquis Johnson | Defensive Tackle | 6-5 | 249 | SR | Junior | Orlando, Fla./Flagler
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| 97 | Jeremy Green | Defensive Tackle | 6-5 | 263 | JR | Junior | Archer, Fla./Sante Fe C.C.
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| 98 | Torrell Troup | Defensive Tackle | 6-3 | 335 | JR | Junior | Conyers, Ga./Salem
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| 99 | Jarvis Geathers | Defensive End | 6-2 | 215 | JR | Junior | Andrews, S.C./Feather River C.C.
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