Knights celebrate facility renovations
Christmas came a few months early for the UCF football team.
After spending the past four weeks displaced from their practice locker rooms, players finally got their first glimpse of the Knights’ newly renovated gathering space.
“People were pretty excited, I was looking around so I didn’t really notice anybody, but everyone was real excited,” receiver Nick Patti said. “Everyone was looking around, looking for their new present, so it was pretty neat.”
Renovations started July 10 and concluded Aug. 25. Each new pro-zone, custom-made locker includes USB and power outlets; a ventilation drying system; and the school’s logo and player numbers engraved into every locker. The bathroom was also updated with new shower fixtures and sinks. There are seven new LED-backlit LCD televisions throughout the practice locker room. Finally, the locker room got a fresh paint job and new carpet with a bold UCF logo in the middle of the room.
This marks the first major locker room renovation since the building opened in 2003.
“I felt blessed, because I knew what the old locker rooms looked like,” senior linebacker Mark Rucker said. “They weren’t bad, but these new locker rooms look like we’re in the NFL, the major league, so I’m very happy about the new locker room thanks to Coach [George] O’Leary and all the sponsors, the fans. And everything is just nice.”
Rucker said his favorite change is the new logo in the middle of floor. He’s hoping UCF can start a tradition, much like other teams, to avoid stepping on the school logo.
“I don’t want anybody to step on that, because it’s beautiful,” he said. “People have stepped on it because we haven’t set the tradition yet ... as a team to not step on that UCF logo.”
QB battle
Instead of one back-up quarterback, the Knights will likely rotate Tyler Harris and Bo Schneider in the position, O’Leary said.
“I told them they’d be 1,2, 3, but I’m going to roll two and three right now [at] quarterback,” he said.
O’Leary is still settling special teams lineup.
“The punt returners and kick returners, we’re practicing people back there we think can help us two-deep,” O’Leary said. ‘I haven’t named anybody yet, but I will before Monday.”
Akins improves
on
his
Jordan Akins has been working hard to lead the receivers this year as the sole returning wide out with game-time playing experience.
Since arriving at UCF last year, Akins said he’s studied former Knights Josh Reese and Rannell Hall along with NFL players Brandon Marshall, Odell Beckham, Randy Moss and Cris Carter.
“Ten times better, 10 times better,” Akins said of his improvement from last season to this season. “I know a lot more, I learned from some of the best last year, and I know how to play the UCF way.”
Akins, a sophomore, caught 12 passes for 135 yards last season and averaged 24.2 yards on special teams as a kickoff returner. He competed in all 13 games, starting five, and is aiming to collect his first UCF touchdown this season. In Akins’ college debut against Penn State, he ran back five kickoffs for 142 yards, one of those being a 68-yard burst.
“I’m a lot stronger, faster and, hopefully when I break, I’ll take it to the house,” he said.
More tickets
UCF football fans appear to be fond of California so far. The school requested an increase of its ticket allotment for the UCFStanford game scheduled for Sept. 12.
Administrators requested an additional 350 tickets beyond the original 1,000-ticket allotment. UCF will not receive any revenue from its ticket sales.
UCF fans are expected to be a small, but noticeable presence to the Bay Area. Stanford Stadium, renovated in 2006, seats 50,424 fans.