Dr. Blackwell's BLOG

An independent investigation by famed NCAA attorney Michael Glazier commenced Friday, exonerating the Knights’ football program from improper procedures and excessive training during football practices. The University hired Glazier after the collapse of a UCF player at a practice in December and the death of Freshman Ereck Plancher during one of last season’s pre-season practices. Plancher was found to have died from an exacerbation of his sickle cell trait, which can cause crescent-shaped red blood cells to obstruct blood flow to organs. While the investigation claims UCF’s football practices are no more excessive than other programs at the IA level, Plancher’s family announced several weeks ago they were suing UCF in a wrongful death lawsuit. While my heart goes out to the Plancher family for their loss, unfortunately, this lawsuit in my opinion is nothing more than an attempt to take advantage of an unfortunate tragedy for the sake of financial gain. To read the entire report from the Glazier investigaion, click on the following Orlando Sentinel link: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/media/acrobat/2009-03/45830677.pdf

The UCF Knights football team learned Thursday that 2 more of its football games will be nationally-televised this football season. The Knights match up against the Miami Hurricanes on October 17th  at Brighthouse Networks Stadium on UCF’s campus will be nationally-televised by CBS College Sports. Kickoff has been set for 7:30pm. The other game picked-up for television resulted in a schedule change. CBS College Sports picked-up the broadcast for the UAB game, resulting in a move of the game to the Friday after Thanksgiving. Kickoff for UCF @ UAB is now set for 1:00pm with a national broadcast on CBS College Sports. The Knights will also have a nationally-televised game on ESPN when they take on the Thundering Herd of Marshall @ Brighthouse Networks Stadium on November 1st. Kickoff is @ 8:00pm. GO KNIGHTS!!! 

College Football News has ranked all of Conference-USA’s football teams in-terms of their recruiting for 2009. The UCF Knights ranked #1 in their analysis, which follows:

1. UCF: The class is heavy on … defensive backs. After losing the entire starting secondary to graduation, this was an absolute priority for George O’Leary and the Knights. The program did a magnificent job a few years ago of taking two-star players, such as CB Joe Burnett, and molding them into defensive stoppers. It may not have to do much coaching up of CB Josh Robinson, an outstanding all-around playmaker, who also drew interest from Michigan, South Carolina, and West Virginia.
The player who’ll someday be a really big deal … CB Josh Robinson
The player you might care about this year … LB Jonathan Davis
What it all means to the real world of college football … At this stage of the process, you could argue that six of the Knights’ top seven recruits are on defense, so don’t expect any drop-off in this area. The offense, however, didn’t get nearly as much help as it needed. Other than WR Leon Woods, who has a nice blend of size and speed, UCF did little to inject life into one of the country’s most feeble attacks. 

After a horrendous 4-7 2008 season, the UCF Knights are eager to get back to their winning swagger and head Coach George O’Leary is eager to keep his job. The Knights, who are one season removed from Conference USA Champions, have a great schedule for 2009 which includes 7 home games, including the October 17th matchup between UCF and the Miami Hurricanes. The Knights also have one game scheduled for nationwide broadcast on ESPN. That game is against the Thundering Herd of Marshall on Sunday November 1st. The Knights will also take on the Texas Longhorns in Austin on November 7th. Here is the complete 2009 schedule. Times are still TBA:

Sat Sept 5 vs. Samford              Sat Sept 12 @ Southern Miss    

Sat Sept 19 vs. Buffalo              Sat Sept 26 @ East Carolina

Sat October 3 vs. Memphis     Sat October 17 vs. Miami    

Sat October 24 @ Rice                    Sun Nov 1 vs Marshall (ESPN)    

Sat Nov 7 @ Texas                          Sat Nov 14 vs. Houston    

Sat Nov 21 vs. Tulane                Sat Nov 28 @ UAB    

Sat Dec 5 C-USA Champ

(Games in bold are home games played in Brighthouse Networks Stadium)

Black & Gold Baby!!! GO KNIGHTS!!!

This past Saturday, the UCF Knights Basketball team (16-9; 6-5) came-back from a major 17-point deficit to beat the Tulsa Golden Hurricane, the #2 team in Conference USA.  Easily the most fun I have ever had at ANY basketball game in my life, the Knights AJ Rompza, scored a two-pointer in the last 0.1 seconds of the game to secure a Black & Gold victory 74-72. The UCF Arena became electric and fans went crazy! This win puts UCF back into the Conference USA hunt; but with only a few remaining games, it’s going to be an uphill battle. Here’s a clip of the last minute of the game:

After a dismal 4-8 season and a slew of negative publicity surrounding the death of a player and collapse of another,  UCF Knights’ Football Coach George O’Leary has been working hard to put together a stellar recruiting class that can get UCF back on-track. The Knights were 2007 Conference USA Champions and played in the Liberty Bowl, the league’s premier post-season bowl game. But 2008 marked a significant downfall in the program and redhot rumors quickly circulated that UCF was strongly considering letting O’Leary go. But Athletics is giving O’Leary another chance to prove he has what it takes to make UCF a successful football program that can win championships and bowl games and eventually leap-out of Conference USA in-favor of a BCS conference. Despite some of the negativity, all indicators show UCF will have an amazing recruiting season. While these commitments are non-standing until the Letters of Intent are signed and faxed Wednesday, the Knights’ commitment list is pretty impressive, including one 4-star recruit and seven 3-star recruits:

SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT	Pos	Stars	Ht	Wt	40	RR	Video	Enrolled	Hometown
Josh Robinson	ATH		5-10	178	4.4	5.8			Lauderhill, FL
Jim Teknipp	TE		6-5	225	4.8	5.4			McDonough, GA

COMMITTED/UNSIGNED	Pos	Stars	Ht	Wt	40	RR	Video	Enrolled	Hometown
A.J. Bouye	DB		6-0	175	–	5.3			Tucker, GA
D.J. Brown	TE		6-2	207	–	5.3			Dunnellon, FL
Jonathan Davis	LB		5-9	205	4.4	5.7			Tucker, GA
Dontravious Floyd	WR		6-2	210	4.59	5.5			Homestead, FL
Javen Harris	LB		6-1	220	4.6	5.2			Eufaula, AL
Samuel Johnson	OL		6-5	245	–	5.5			Ellenwood, GA
Deon Simon	DT		6-4	280	5.19	5.5			Baton Rouge, LA
Henry Wright	DB		6-1	185	–	5.2			Orlando, FL

I will be attending the Golden Knights’ Club’s Signing Day tomorrow afternoon before watching the Knights BB team take-on Houston. Let’s hope tomorrow brings good news to a program that desperately needs it!  

GO KNIGHTS!!! GO BLACK & GOLD!!!

SOURCE: http://www.ucf.rivals.com

After ranking dead-last in all of NCAA IA football in total offense for 2008, the UCF Knights are hopefully getting an offensive infusion designed to put points on the board and “W’s” in the win column. Head Coach George O’Leary has hired Charlie Taaffe, a former Maryland assistant coach with extensive Canadian Football League experience, to take over as the Knights’ offensive coordinator. O’Leary also demoted offensive coordinator Tim Salem to tight ends coach and special teams coordinator, moved George Godsey from quarterbacks coach to running backs coach and shifted Brent Key from tight ends coach and special teams coordinator to offensive line coach.

Taaffe, 58, was a two-time coach of the year in the Canadian Football League (1999 and 2000) while leading the Montreal Alouettes. He was 5-23 as the head coach of the CFL’s Hamilton TigerCats until he was fired in September. Taaffe previously had left the CFL to be the offensive coordinator at Maryland (2001-05), helping the Terrapins set school records twice for most points in a season. Taaffe has run both the spread and triple-option offenses. Before the CFL, Taaffe was the head coach at the Citadel. He posted a 55-47-1 record at the school, winning the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year award after an 11-2 season in 1992. (Note: Portions of this article are courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel).

The UCF Knights ended their 2008 football season with an all-time low loss to the Blazers of UAB. It was the first time in over two decades the Knights were shutout at home, losing 15-0. The Knights’ overall record was a horrific 4-8 and 3-5 in Conference USA. Even more dismal, the Knights’ offense ranked the lowest in the nation at #119. The amazing “fall from grace” the Knights took in 2008 comes only one season removed since UCF was crowned Conference USA Champions and made an appearance in the Liberty Bowl, the crown jewel of Conference USA’s Bowl ties. Let’s hope 2009 proves to be a better year for the Black & Gold. With such a terrible season in 2008, many donors, Alumni, and season ticket holders have been clamoring for change, suggesting athletics strongly consider terminating Head Coach George O’Leary. Perhaps the off-season will be even more interesting than the season itself. GO KNIGHTS!!! GO BLACK & GOLD!!!

The UCF Knights suffered another humiliating defeat on Sunday before a live nationwide audience. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane crushed the Knights 49-14. The Knights, leading at the half, were stifiling TU’s progress on the gridiron the entire first 1/2 of the game. Two turnovers turned into points and the Knights actually displayed some of their former swagger. But after the half, the team fell flat and wouldn’t score the rest of the game. TU (#18, 8-0) rests solely on-top of C-USA West while the Knights (2-5) continue a downward spiral leaving many shaking their heads in disbelief, wondering what has happened to last year’s C-USA Champions. UCF finally returns home this Sunday with a nationally-televised showdown against fellow East Division foe East Carolina @ 8:15pm on ESPN. For those attending the game live, the COHPA/CON Tailgate Party begins in Lot E6 at 2:00pm. GO KNIGHTS!!! GO BLACK & GOLD!!! BEAT THE PIRATES!!!

The UCF Knights went into the University of Miami to play their final out-of-conference game this Saturday and although the Knights kept the game close and rallied to almost pull off the win, they fell short 14-20. The Knights (2-4; 1-1) took over 10,000 fans into Dolphins’ Stadium, including the Marching Knights and were boisterous, loud and spirited. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough to give the Knights on offense. The O-Line sputtured the entire game managing only a total of 78 yards of offense. UCF will now finish-up their season in Conference  USA play with the hope the Knights can repeat as Conference Champions. It will be a very difficult task. Marshall currently stands on-top of C-USA East at 2-0 in conference play. The Knights are tied with East Carolina for 2nd place in the division. The next game for UCF is in 2 weeks when the Knights take-on the Golden Hurricane of Tulsa on 10/26 @ 8pm on ESPN2. GO KNIGHTS!!! GO BLACK & GOLD!!! BEAT THE GOLDEN HURRICANE!!!