UCF heads to Atlanta confident and determined
UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton said the Knights were fired up as they held their final practice in Orlando and departed for Atlanta ahead of the Peach Bowl.
“Very excited,” he said while the Knights boarded buses at the UCF football complex bound for the airport Tuesday afternoon. “I think the whole team’s stoked to get on the plane, get to Atlanta. It’s going to be a little cold, but it’s gonna be a fun time.”
The No. 12 Knights have been on many road trips during their run to a 12-0 record, but this one is clearly special.
“We get to spend about a week down there,” Milton said. “Got families coming up. Taking two planes this time. I think it’s just going to be a lot of fun. It’s going to a cool experience for us, all these festivities and stuff like that. And just playing in a big bowl game, representing our university, to be a lot of fun.”
While they plan to enjoy bowl festivities, UCF players have insisted their top priority is playing their best and defeating No. 7 Auburn.
“We’re going to play to our strengths, we’re going to play with our speed,” Milton said. “But you have to tweak some things for each opponent you face and the same thing for Auburn. They’ve got a lot of athletes just like us, so we’re going to have to try to expose some weaknesses that they have.” it’s going seasons and was part of the staff when a sexual assault scandal within the football program cost Briles, athletics director Ian McCaw and president Ken Starr their jobs.
Shane Burnham, most recently the Rutgers defensive line coach, will hold the same job at UCF.
Anthony Tucker, most recently the running backs coach at Maryland, will hold the same job at UCF.
And Darrell Wyatt, most recently the receivers coach at Houston, will hold the same job at UCF.
Rodney Hill, who worked as a strength and conditioning coaching intern with the New York Giants, will be the team’s assistant director of sports performance. Marc Votteler, who recently was the associate director of player personnel at the University of Tennessee, will be the Knights’ assistant director of player personnel.
And Dave Young, most recently the head strength coach at Vassar College, will be UCF’s assistant director of sports performance.