Notre Dame QB Wimbush to visit UCF as he weighs transfer
Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush is slated to visit UCF this weekend, a source confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel.
The Knights are considered the favorites to land Wimbush, who has also been linked to Penn State, Tom Loy of 247Sports.com reported citing multiple sources. Loy reported sources also indicated Wimbush is visiting UCF this weekend.
Wimbush, who declared his intention to transfer from Notre Dame following the regular season, started 16 games for the Fighting Irish but was replaced three games into the 2018 season by Ian Book.
Wimbush passed for 719 yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions this season while adding 256 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
During his career, he’s completed just over 50 percent of his passes for 2,606 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 1,156 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Wimbush reportedly planned to visit several schools before making a decision in the next 8 to 10 days.
Meanwhile, UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton is still recovering from a severe knee injury suffered in the regular-season finale. He’s been through multiple surgeries and continues to rehab, leaving his status for the 2019-20 season up in the air.
Darriel Mack Jr., who started three games for the Knights in Milton’s absence, including earlier this month in the Fiesta Bowl, presumably would be the starter heading into spring practice. The Knights’ quarterback group also includes Quadry Jones, Hayden Kingston and Dillon Gabriel, an early-enrollee from Hawaii.
Wimbush wouldn’t be the first Notre Dame quarterback to transfer to a school in the state of Florida.
Everett Golson (FSU, 2015) and Malik Zaire (Florida, 2017) both were graduate transfers who continued their college careers in the Sunshine State with mixed results.
FAU adds new coach
Lane Kiffin will this coming be reunited season with one of his assistants at Southern Cal.
The Florida Atlantic Owls coach hired one of his former offensive line coaches at USC, Mike Summers, from Louisville to fill his only remaining assistant coaching vacancy, a source confirmed on Saturday.
FAU has not announced the hire. The news was first reported by the Palm Beach Post.
Summers was with Kiffin at USC in 2013, the season in which Kiffin was fired from the Trojans. Summers would go on to coach at Florida the following three seasons and the past two at Louisville.
With his Louisville line blocking for Pompano Beach native and former Boynton Beach High standout Lamar Jackson in 2017, Louisville ranked third in total offense and 11th in scoring offense. The Cardinals averaged 544.9 yards and 38.1 points per game. They set school records for total offense and rushing offense.
Coaching college football for nearly 40 years, Summers has also had stops at Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas A&M, Northern Illinois, Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Ohio and one season professionally with the Atlanta Falcons (2007).
Earlier this offseason, Kiffin replaced defensive coordinator Tony Pecoraro with Glenn Spencer and wide receivers coach Gary Harrell with D.J. McCarthy.