Winter work paying off in spring ball

Malzahn: Players have gotten stronger, faster since last year

Although UCF football officially kicked off spring practice Tuesday, the Knights have been putting in the work in the weight room since the end of January.

Under the guidance of the director of sports performance Chris Dawson, UCF had a broad focus during the past six weeks, Knights coach Gus Malzahn said.

“A lot of them have gotten stronger, faster,” Malzahn said. “Some of them gained weight. We needed a couple to lose weight. Very strategic in that area and getting ready for spring, getting ready to go.”

Senior wide receiver Ryan O’Keefe said he gained about 10 pounds during the winter workouts. He shared that UCF’s win over Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl provided a boost in the early part of the offseason.

“Workouts went really well,” O’Keefe said. “It just felt like we fed off the energy from the Florida game so we were just even more hungry to accomplish what we want to do this year.

“I feel like I’m bigger, stronger and faster. Coach Dawson did an unbelievable job and I feel like we just brought in as a group.”

On the defensive side, junior cornerback Davonte Brown said he put on about 8 pounds. Brown, who started all 13 games for UCF, said he noticed how the workouts had a positive impact on the entire team.

“We would lift in different groups but I felt like with just my group coming in there, everybody was ready to work,” Brown said. “Leaving, I’d see the next group coming in excited, ready to work.

“As a team, everybody made improvements during winter workouts.”

When speaking with reporters, Brown was asked who stood out to him during

UCF’s first spring practice.

The junior defensive back cited true freshman and Apopka product Nikai Martinez, who is one of four early enrollees this spring from UCF’s 2022 high school recruiting class.

Martinez received honorable mention for the Sentinel’s 2021 All-Area football team.

“He’s adjusting well,” Brown said. “He’s quiet like me but seems to be picking [things] up well. I like what I’m seeing from him out there, just picking up on the plays.”

Martinez missed most of his senior season this past fall because of a knee injury but returned in the Florida 8A playoffs to make 2 interceptions for touchdowns on 154 return yards, helping Apopka reach the 8A title game.

During a portion of practice when the team ran 7-on-7 drills, Martinez had to defend a go route — when a receiver runs in a straight line deep down the field in an attempt to create space from the cornerback.

Brown said Martinez adjusted well and tipped the pass to avoid giving up a catch. For Brown, that was the highlight play of the first spring practice.

“He’s confident out there and comfortable,” Brown said about Martinez. “He’s been impressive.”

Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @ therealBeede.

UCF’s spring practices began Tuesday with the Knights intent on building off their Gasparilla Bowl victory.