UAB’s Moll: Transfer to UCF ‘a blessing’

When UAB linebacker Kris Moll entered the NCAA transfer portal in late December, he had his mind set on a Power Five school.

Moll had established himself as not only one of the best defensive players in Conference USA, but the entire country. He had won two conference championships and had received an All-American Honorable Mention.

Moll believed he was ready to make the jump to the next level. There was just one problem. “I was very undersized at the time,” Moll told the Orlando Sentinel over the phone.

That’s because Moll broke his thumb and was still recovering from surgery. He had lost weight and didn’t look like himself.

“I hadn’t been working out as much,” he said.

When he visited Louisville — a Power Five school in the ACC — Moll expected to commit but the coaches there had another plan in mind.

“They ended up going with someone else and going another direction recruiting,” Moll said. “I had to wait until the summer because I waited too long to look for another school.”

Unaware of the different deadlines across the country to enroll at a school for the spring semester, Moll found himself stuck in the transfer portal.

But there was one school that stayed in touch.

“I kept in contact with UCF from when I first went into the portal,” Moll said. “They were trying to figure how out to get me to come to school over there because they didn’t have a spot.”

The Knights had already added 5-star and Maryland transfer linebacker Terrence Lewis, who made his way campus for the spring.

Shortly after spring camp started, Eastern Illinois transfer linebacker Jason Johnson, a two-time FCS All-American, verbally committed to the Knights.

Moll continued to weigh his options, but the interest had dropped among Power Five

schools. He received offers from Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Southern, Arkansas State, Charlotte, UNLV, Marshall and Texas State.

The one Power Five school that extended an offer was Kansas.

The week after UCF wrapped up spring camp, redshirt freshmen linebackers Kadeem Leonard and Cole Joyce entered the transfer portal.

The Knights were in need of help once again at linebacker.

“They knew I was interested and they ended up telling me they had a spot for me,” he said. “After talking with my family, I decided to commit.”

Moll, a Miami native who attended Coral Gables High School, was headed back to the Sunshine State for his final year of college football as a graduate transfer.

“Getting this opportunity to come back home for my last year, it’s a blessing,” he said.

During the recruiting process Moll got to know UCF coach Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Travis Williams, among other coaches on the staff.

“I felt like the coaches were great,” Moll said. “They have good history. They were relatable. They were just good coaches all around.”

He’s looking forward to working under Williams, who’s known for his high-energy as the linebackers coach.

“That’s what I need — a coach that’s going to be on me all the time and give me some juice while I’m out there,” Moll said. “It’ll be exciting to be able to play for him.”

Moll was aware of what UCF had accomplished in the past five years — 50 wins while posting the seventh-highest winning percentage (80.7%) in that stretch nationally.

“What they’ve been doing these last few years, from a winning standpoint, it’s a program on the rise,” he said.

Moll has experience winning a lot of games, too. At UAB, he won two Conference USA championships while playing in 51 games in five seasons.

“I know what it takes to win a championship,” Moll said. “I know UCF has won championships, too, but I’ve been on a top ten defense for multiple years. I’m a leader on the field. I’m a hard worker.”

As for his injury, Moll said his hand is good and he’s back up to 220-225 pounds.

He’s ready to join the Knights this summer and is looking forward to the season.

“I’ve been doing field workouts, lifting weights ... doing everything I need to do,” Moll said. “Obviously I haven’t been working out with the team or competing out there as much as I wish I could but I’ve still been putting in the work.”