Outreach on team’s pre-bowl agenda
TAMPA —While much of the UCF Knights’ focus this week is on football, the Knights had opportunities to give back to the Tampa community.
Players from UCF and Marshall, who will face off in the Gasparilla Bowl, spent part of Friday afternoon building bicycles for underserved kids in the area while team captains and cheerleaders spent time passing out gifts at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
“I think that’s the great thing about bowl games: they get to go have fun and then they get unique experiences in the community that they travel to,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said. “They get a chance to give back and in the process, you gain more than you’re actually giving. It’s a great opportunity for them to gain some perspective in life.”
Senior receiver Jacob Harris was looking forward to the opportunity.
“I’m pretty familiar with bikes. When I was little I used to race bikes,” Harris. “I think it will be cool getting the guys and building bikes. It adds a sense of fulfillment to what we’re doing out here, giving back to the community.”
Added safety Antwan Collier: “It’s important to give back to the community and to the kids. I know they would love for us to build a bike for them and to be able to ride it on Christmas. To have a good time and see the smiles on their faces and make them proud of having a group of guys like us giving back to them, I feel they would be happy to see that.”
Most of the players said they knew their way around a bicycle, but defensive lineman Anthony Montalvo said he didn’t have any experience with building a bike.
“I have none,” Montalvo said. “I always just bought mine and rode it around.”
But Heupel wasn’t betting on how many of his players would use instruction manuals to piece together the bikes.
“That will be a free-for-all, for sure. I don’t want any part of that,” Heupel said with a smile.
Home sweet home: For Montalvo, this weekend’s trip to Tampa has been a homecoming.
The redshirt sophomore grew up in the area, attending Sickles High.
“It feels good to be back in Tampa, back where I belong,” Montalvo said following practice Friday. “It feels great, especially going to Raymond James Stadium again.”
Montalvo isn’t the only Knight with Tampa area ties.
Senior receiver Jacob Harris is from Palm Harbor, not far from Tampa.
“I’m definitely getting excited as we’re getting closer to the bowl game,” Harris said. “It’s nice having those back home feelings, everything is familiar.
“I’ll have a lot of people at this game, a lot of friends and family. I’ve used up all of my tickets and my sister, her company has a little booth at Raymond James that they all got too.”
Mixed roller coaster reviews: Most of the players said they enjoyed spending Thursday afternoon at Busch Gardens as part of the bowl experience, some more than others.
“I had a good time. There are some moments where your stomach drops, but I had a good time,” Harris said.
Other Knights weren’t nearly as comfortable on the rides.
“I don’t like roller coasters, but they made me go, so I did,” Williams said. “I won’t go again. I like to have fun with the guys, so I’ll take the L.”
A video posted on linebacker Eric Mitchell’s Twitter account showed the redshirt junior along with senior defensive lineman Kenny Turnier both appearing terrified while riding the Cheetah Hunt roller coaster. He vowed to never ride a roller coaster again.
“They did have fun and there were some pictures of some guys on the roller coasters yesterday and it looked like some of them were having fun and some of them might have been scared,” Heupel joked.
No update on Davis: Heupel continued to remain quiet on whether the Knights could be without some of their top playmakers when they face the Thundering Herd Monday.
Receiver Gabriel Davis announced he was skipping his final year of eligibility to enter the NFL draft, but his status for the bowl game has been a mystery.
“I don’t. I will later in the week,” Heupel responded when asked if he had an update on Davis following practice Friday.
Senior running back Adrian Killins thanked fans on social media this week for their support, saying it was time for him to turn his focus toward the future and a possible career in the NFL. He didn’t explicitly say, however, he was skipping the bowl game and coaches have declined to address his status.