After landing a haul in the transfer portal, Gus Malzahn and the UCF Knights have sky-high expectations in 2024. Can they match those expectations?
Transitioning to the Big 12 brought seriously high highs and seriously low lows that resulted in a 6-7 campaign. In the eyes of coach Gus Malzahn, that wasn't good enough. So, UCF hit the transfer portal hard. The Knights bring in one of the more notable hauls in the Big 12 and hope to reload and compete in their new league.
And that's when things really took off. UCF went 12-1 in Year 1, but petered under O'Leary. He was replaced with a familiar name, Scott Frost, who led the Knights to a 25-1 record in 2017 and 2018, including the famous 13-0 2017 season, in which UCF still claims a national championship. UCF moved to the Big 12 in 2023 after finishing its stint in the AAC at 86-46 .
Harvey and Hudson are back, complemented by a host of new and talented faces. UCF's most notable transfer is Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson, a veteran who threw for nearly 8,000 yards and accounted for 88 total touchdowns in four seasons in Fayetteville. Jefferson, an imposing figure at 6-foot-3, 250 pounds, is a dynamic playmaker who fits the Malzahn offense nicely.
Four starters return from that unit, including DT Lee Hunter . But, like on offense, Malzahn hit the portal hard to fill gaps. Corner Mac McWilliams leads the 247Sports transfer rankings on the team. He and Cincinnati transfer Byron Threats project to start. In total, four of the top six transfers landed by UCF play in the secondary.
Just a little chemistry from the offensive line – one that continued to improve under Herb Hand despite turnover – could send UCF to the nation's leader in rushing. The cast of opposing defenses could be worse, with Florida and TCU leading the way between Weeks 1-12, but both teams would need to see serious improvement to be considered stout. UCF doesn't face an elite defense until Utah in the season finale.
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