Aug. 7, 2008

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The UCF football team enters the 2008 season in a different role than years before. This time around, the Knights are the hunted. The 2007 edition of the Knights captured the first conference championship in program history with a 44-25 victory over Tulsa in the Bright House Networks Conference USA Championship. Back-to-back is the rallying cry for the team as they continue preparations for their second season in Bright House Networks Stadium.

Like any team, UCF has plenty of questions to be answered before fall camp turns into regular-season action. The following is a position-by-position breakdown of what the Knights and head coach George O'Leary will have to play with when the season opens for the Knights at home vs. South Carolina State on Aug. 30.

QUARTERBACKS
The Knights will enter the fall with four scholarship signal callers on the roster, but no definitive starter among the group. However, two members of the quartet are ahead of the pack entering fall camp. Junior Michael Greco is the only one with game experience as he saw action in nine contests during his first season with UCF in 2007. Greco showed his dual-threat ability in limited action a season ago, throwing for 300 yards and adding another 128 on the ground. The former NC State quarterback rushed for two scores and went 11-for-12 through the air in his most extensive action of the season in a 56-20 victory over Memphis.

Greco will be challenged for the starting quarterback spot by a pair of redshirt freshmen: Joe Weatherford and Nate Tice. Weatherford, who spent the 2007 season leading the Knights' scout team offense along with Tice, was impressive during the Knights' 2008 spring game, tossing a touchdown pass and leading all quarterbacks with 148 yards passing.

Weatherford and Tice both have strong football pedigrees. Weatherford's older brother Drew will be a senior quarterback at Florida State in 2008, while his father and grandfather both lettered at SMU - one of four C-USA schools that will play in Orlando this season.

Tice's father Mike played quarterback for head coach George O'Leary at Central Islip (N.Y.) back in the 1970s and is the current assistant head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

True freshman Rob Calabrese from East Islip, N.Y., joins the fray in the fall. Calabrese brings a strong arm and solid decision-making ability with him to campus. Walk-on Andy Slowik is also listed as a quarterback on the Knights' roster. A redshirt freshman, Slowik worked with the scout team at quarterback in the fall of 2007.

RUNNING BACKS
Finding a replacement for the only consensus All-American in school history will be one of offensive coordinator and running backs coach Tim Salem's top priorities in the fall. Zero running backs on the roster have any game experience, with redshirt freshman Ronnie Weaver being the only back in camp that was on the roster a year ago.

Weaver, along with a quartet of true freshmen running backs will challenge for a spot in what will likely be two to three-back rotation. Weaver came to UCF as a walk-on prior to the 2007 campaign, but quickly earned a scholarship and proved to a be a valuable commodity on the offensive scout team, while he redshirted last season.

Head coach George O'Leary says it is likely his offensive unit will use a `running back by committee' approach this season after watching Kevin Smith account for 67.2 percent (450 of 670) of the team's carries in 2007.

The foursome of true freshmen will all be given a chance once fall camp begins in early August. Two hail from Georgia, where Brandon Davis and Vance King had impressive prep careers in the Peach State. The other two each rushed for more than 2,000 yards as prep seniors in their respective states. New Yorker Latavius Murray was the state's Gatorade Player of the Year, while Largo's (Fla.) Brynn Harvey equaled Kevin Smith's exact output of 2,567 rushing yards to break the Pinellas County rushing record.

At fullback, walk-on Ricky Kay will return following a true freshman season that saw him appear in all 14 games and make two starts. Kay did not carry the ball, but he did have six catches for 60 yards, including a four-catch effort in the win over Memphis.

OFFENSIVE LINE
The offensive line will have a new look this fall after the loss of Josh Sitton and Kyle Smith to graduation and the early departures of L.J. Anderson and Cliff McCray. Sitton was a fourth-round pick by the Green Bay Packers and Anderson signed a free-agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Senior Pat Brown, junior Jeramy DeVane and sophomore Jah Reid all bring some level of starting experience with them to the unit. Brown has the most, having started 38-consecutive games at left tackle for the Knights, which are the most starts by any left tackle in the country.

Devane split 13 starts at left guard with McCray in 2007. He will be pushed at the guard position by senior transfer John Hafferty and redshirt freshman Nick Pieschel. Originally from Alpharetta, Ga., Hafferty landed on the Knights' roster this summer after spending a redshirt season at West Virginia. Prior to his year in Morgantown, the fifth-year senior spent three seasons at Kansas State, where he played in 25 games and started 16 for the Wildcats. Hafferty will provide added depth at the guard and center positions for the Knights.

Pieschel was another young offensive lineman who caught the coaching staff's attention during the spring.

Former walk-on Cody Minnich will enter fall camp as the starter at right guard. Minnich spent his redshirt freshman season at tight end, where he made his first-career start in 2006, but switched to the offensive line in 2007. Wes Tunuufi Sauvao also made a position switch, moving over from defensive tackle to right guard following the 2007 season. Tunuufi Sauvao impressed the coaching staff enough during his first spring to work his way onto the two-deep at right guard.

Senior Mike Lavoie, who was a regular on the placekicking special teams unit a year ago, won the starting center spot with an impressive spring. Lavoie, who was a back-up at both tackle and center in 2007, will also serve as Brown's back-up at left tackle.

Reid earned a spot on the All C-USA Freshman team after making four starts at right tackle and appearing in 12 games. Reid's classmate Mike Buxton will continue to work at both tackle spots. Junior Ian Bustillo has worked at both guard and center during his tenure will the Knights and will continue to get looks at both of those spots in the spring.

Redshirt freshman Billy Offutt, like Pieschel, worked his way onto the two-deep with a strong spring. He will back-up Reid at the right tackle spot. Fellow redshirt freshman Jake Goray transitioned to the offensive line after beginning his UCF career at tight end in the spring of 2007.

Waiting in the wings will be a group of four offensive linemen from the 2008 recruiting class. All four players have adequate size, but will likely spend their first campaigns as a Knight redshirting. That group consists of Chad Hounshell, Jarien Moreland, John Oliver and Steven Robinson.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Wide receivers coach David Kelly has one of the youngest units on the Knights' roster, but also one of the most talented groups. It will be production that Kelly will be trying to get out of his relatively young unit that has only one upper classman with any career catches. That distinction falls on senior Rocky Ross, who has 103 catches during his career at UCF. His 53 catches in 2007 were a new career-high and led the team.

Ross will be flanked in the starting line-up by sophomore Kamar Aiken, who made 12 starts during his true freshman season. Aiken led the team with five touchdown receptions and ranked second behind Ross in catches (33) and receiving yards (584).

Aiken led a youth movement at the wide receiver position that saw three other true freshmen make catches, including A.J. Guyton, who had 23 for 253 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Classmates Sidney Haynes and Khymest Williams also had a catch during the season. Williams also found the endzone as a kick returner when he took the opening kickoff back 99 yards for a touchdown at SMU. Guyton suffered a knee injury during the spring and is likey to redshirt in 2008.

Sophomore Brian Watters benefitted from an extra season on the sidelines as he made 14 catches for 161 yards and scored three touchdowns in his first year of action with the Knights. Also in the mix at wide receiver this fall will be sophomore Jamar Newsome and redshirt freshman Chad Alexander. Both players have yet to see the field for the Knights, but showed flashes of contributing during the spring.

Walk-ons Anthony Davis, Austin Hudson, a transfer from Air Force, and J.T. McArthur are also candidates to see game action in 2008.

TIGHT ENDS
The Knights lost their best blocking tight end to graduation when Mike Merritt saw his career come to a close following the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. Merritt's blocking ability caught the attention of the Kansas City Chiefs, who used a seventh-round pick on the former Knight. Trying to fill that void will be junior Corey Rabazinski, who brings plenty of experience back to the position. Rabazinski has made 15 starts and appeared in all 26 games during his career. He also is a proven pass-catching threat, having corralled 22 passes for 211 yards and two scores during his first two seasons.

Duke transfer John Lubischer will provide depth at the position after sitting out the 2007 season due to NCAA transfer rules, as will freshman Adam Nissley, who redshirted a year ago. Nissley opened the eyes of the coaching staff, as his play during the spring earned him the most improved offensive player award. Sophomore Ricky Yates and walk-on Willie Gaetjens will also provide depth at tight end for the Knights.

Pushing the tight ends ahead of them on the depth chart will be a pair of prospects from the 2008 signing class. Both Kyle Madden and Brendan Kelly have the ability to possibly earn some playing time as true freshmen. Madden played tight end in high school, while Kelly, who is the third New Yorker from this class, was a halfback at the prep level.

LINEBACKERS
For the first time in four seasons, the linebackers will have a new coach teaching them the ins and outs of the position. Geoff Collins takes over for Dave Huxtable, who was elevated to defensive coordinator in January. Collins will lead a unit that returns all three starters and also has the services of redshirt junior Jordan Richards back after he missed the 2007 campaign with a shoulder injury.

Cory Hogue is the lone senior and has 27 starts during his tenure with the Knights. In 12 starts a year ago, Hogue posted a career-high 72 tackles, including 55 solo stops. He was named the C-USA Defensive Player of the Week following the victory over UTEP (Nov. 26) after he posted a career-high 13 tackles.

Junior Chance Henderson led the linebackers with 74 tackles - a total that ranked third on the team. In two seasons, Henderson has made 15 starts at the middle backer spot. Sophomore Derrick Hallman made 10 starts as a true freshman in 2007. The rookie collected 50 tackles, three sacks, including the Knights' first of the season in the opener vs. NC State, and added an interception.

Hallman's classmate Lawrence Young started the opening two games of the season at NC State and vs. Texas for Hogue and appeared in 12 games at linebacker. He collected the team's first of 24 interceptions on the season in the win over the Wolfpack and finished the campaign with 31 tackles and two forced fumbles. Redshirt junior Alex Thompson started along side Young in the first two games of the season, filling in for Henderson. He tallied a career-high nine tackles vs. NC State.

Richards missed all of the 2007 season, but will add depth and experience to the unit. As a freshman, he earned a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team and in two seasons has 72 tackles in 17 games for the Knights. Mid-year enrollee Josh Linam received some valuable learning experience in the spring. Linam, who was an original member of the 2007 signing class, was a second-team All-State performer as a senior at Tavares (Fla.) High School and registered over 350 tackles in his prep career.

Linam will be joined in the linebacking corps by a pair of 2008 signees: Loren Robinson and D.J. Williams. Both of these players will likely spend the 2008 campaign learning the defensive schemes and getting bigger, stronger and faster while redshirting.

DEFENSIVE LINE
One of the strengths of the UCF football team a year ago was the defensive line where the coaching staff used an eight-man rotation to help keep players fresh in the fourth quarter. Entering the fall, defensive line coach Jim Panagos is going to have to find four capable replacements for a quartet of seniors who were instrumental in that unit's success in 2007.

Gone are Leger Douzable, Rex Hill, Emeka Okammor and Keith Shologan. That foursome appeared in a total of 165 games for the Knights over the past four years. The half returning from the eight-man rotation is a relatively young group that will benefit from its `07 experience.

The lone senior in the group, Antonio Wallace, will split time between the end and tackle positions. Wallace had 2.5 sacks as a junior and will be flanked by a pair of C-USA All-Freshman Team members in Bruce Miller and Darius Nall. Miller had seven sacks in his first campaign with the Knights and also received Freshman All-America honorable mention honors. Nall began the season at linebacker, but midway through made the transition to defensive end. He tallied 22 tackles and had a sack during his rookie season that saw him land a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team.

Junior college transfer Jarvis Geathers, who was an all-conference performer at Feather River Community College, also will provide depth at the end position. Geathers is the son of former NFL standout Jumpy Geathers.

Sophomore David Williams, who saw action in all 14 games last year on special teams, was the most improved defender during spring drills and worked his way onto the two-deep at end. Williams brings high energy and should be a main cog in the Knights' eight-man defensive front rotation.

At defensive tackle, juniors Torrell Troup and Travis Timmons both return with plenty of game experience through two seasons. Both played as true freshmen in 2006 and saw action in all 14 games a year ago.

Helping the Knights up front at the tackle positions could be a pair of signees from the 2008 class. Both Chris Martin and Theo Goins will need to show the coaches they are ready to contribute during fall camp, but defensive tackle is an area where a true freshman could make an impact.

SECONDARY
The most experienced unit on the field will have to use the chemistry it has developed during their careers together to help adjust to a new position coach for the third time in three seasons. Former Bowling Green head coach Gary Blackney will lead the Knights' defensive backs in 2008. Blackney inherits a unit that has four players who have started at least six games in each of their three seasons at UCF.

At cornerback, seniors Joe Burnett and Johnell Neal return after being the first duo in school history to intercept six passes in the same season. Burnett is second on the UCF career charts with 12 interceptions, while Neal is also in the top 10 with eight picks. Both have been three-year starters for the Knights, combining for 73 starts. The Knights ranked third in the NCAA FBS with 24 interceptions in 2007.

At safety, seniors Sha'reff Rashad and Jason Venson are back for one more go-around in the Knights' secondary. Rashad led the club with 103 tackles a year ago and had four interceptions. Venson had a career-high three picks as he finished second on the team with 94 takedowns. Fellow classmate Breon Rogers provides depth at the safety positions and has also been a contributor on special teams. Rogers has two career starts. Junior Emery Allen also brings with him starting experience as well as several plays as the team's nickel back over the past two seasons.

Sophomore Reggie Weams was one of a trio of true freshmen to earn playing time in the secondary a year ago. Classmates Darin Baldwin and Justin Boddie also gained valuable experience during their initial collegiate campaigns. Baldwin and Neal both returned picks for touchdowns a year ago, while Boddie had back-to-back games with interceptions vs. Southern Miss and Marshall.

Mid-year enrollee Chad Keys will also get a chance to work his way into the two-deep at defensive back. Keys played both sides of the ball in high school and was an original member of the class of 2007.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Special teams will be an area that will see new players take over key roles following the departure of placekicker Michael Torres and long snapper Michael Buscemi. Torres made a school-record 21 field goals in 2007, while Buscemi was an All-Conference USA First Team honoree after holding down the snapping duties on both punts and field goals the previous two seasons.

South Carolina transfer Jordan Dodds appears to be the front runner to take over the placekicking reigns after earning the top spot on the depth chart following the spring. His competition will come from a pair of new walk-ons who will join the team in August.

Sophomore Blake Clingan will look to hold down the punting duties for another season after averaging 40.7 yards on 59 punts as a true freshman. Clingan started 13 games and placed 14 punts inside the 20-yard line. Redshirt sophomore Parker Langley earned the other start at punter and also served as the team's holder on place kicks. He had four punts for an average of 38.7 yards a year ago.

At long snapper, redshirt freshman James Getsee, walk-on Zac Norris and tight end Adam Nissley will be competing for that responsibility on special teams.