Will 2024 be different for the Knights

Las Vegas, Nevada.  

Glitz.  

Glam.  

“Truck stop” Football.

The Big 12 Conference kicked off the start of the 2024 football season this past week in HOT & STEAMY Las Vegas.  So hot, that even some Floridians in attendance were commenting on the temperature.  Just consider it an introduction to the upcoming Fall football weather in Orlando!

The Big 12 flexed its muscle in “Sin City,” amid rumors of the potential demise of the ACC.  This time last year, nobody believed the Pac-12 conference was in any danger.  Fast forward to last week and UCF now welcomes new conference mates, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State among its Big 12 brethren.  Could FSU, Miami, Clemson, or others be next?  That’s a conversation for another day, but keep your ears to the ground, because rumors were abound while Commissioner Brett Yormark hosted current conference members in “The City of Second Chances.”

For UCF Football, the idea of a second chance is somewhat prophetic.  Heading into their second season as a member of the Big 12, the Knights will have a second chance to prove that they belong in the “power football” conversation.  

Gus and Co. had an up and down ride in their first season entering the conference, with highs and lows abound in 2023.  Please don’t get me started on the Baylor game…

With 2023 behind us, another year of recruiting and transfers under his belt, Gus is poised to lead the Knights to a Big 12 Championship in 2024.  Or so he says.  

But, as they say, “talk is cheap.”  It’s time for Gus and the Knights to prove it in 2024.  In several interviews, Gus talked specifically about how they didn’t get the job done last year and need to do better.  Most of us would agree with that sentiment.  There were visible holes in the Knights’ offense, defense, and special teams in 2023.  While this is to be expected to some degree as the newcomer in a “power” conference, we’re not the new kids on the block anymore.  It’s time for Gus and his fellow coaches and players to SHOW us that they can win.  Not just say they can.   Traditionally, UCF Football has been at its best when the players and coaches feel that they have something to prove.  I hope that’s exactly the mindset we see in 2024.

In attendance for the Knights were both RJ Harvey (RB) and KJ Jefferson (QB).  Both RJ and KJ talked about being overlooked and knowing they need to have a chip on their shoulder to prove people wrong.  The conference is chock full of talented players.  RBs and QBs abound.  RJ and KJ fall somewhere in middle of the pack if you believe in preseason rankings.  With names such as Jalon Daniels, Cam Rising, Ollie Gordon II, and Shedeur Sanders all taking center stage in the preseason talks, can’t say anyone should disagree, yet. RJ showed he’s one of the best players in the conference last season, but KJ, who transfers to UCF from Arkansas, hasn’t taken a single snap in Big 12 play.  He better come prepped, hyped, and ready to sling the ball when the season kicks off.  Luckily, he seems to understand that he must prove himself on the field and earn the accolades that the team wants.

The Knights weren’t the center of attention at the events.  Not by a longshot.  Most of the attention given was to names such as Deion Sanders (HC of Colorado), BYU (a program with a massive following), and other Big 12 legacy teams.  Coach Mike Gundy from Oklahoma State provided some interesting comments to the media.  If you know, you know…

But, if you had to point to one theme for UCF, it’s this: A lot of Big 12 coaches talked about Gus and UCF in effusive terms.  They complimented Malzahn and UCF’s achievements of the past, but mainly any talk was centered around “We have a lot of respect for what they’ve done” – not what they are doing at the moment.  

This echoes the opinion that UCF fans may need to temper their expectations heading into the 2024 season.  Some UCF fans expect big things for the team in 2024.  But until it happens, it may be best to take a “put up or shut up” attitude.  The Big 12 is WIDE OPEN in terms of which teams could make it to the championship game in December.  Picking the top two teams would be a mammoth task, but rest assured, nobody has UCF in their top two at this time.  Minds can be changed, but the Knights will need to win games in order to change minds.

Overall, I think as excited as we as UCF fans are, people outside of Orlando are skeptical or taking a “wait and see approach.”  That should tell everyone everything they need to know about how the season could shake out.  Unless the Knights prove it by winning, that won’t change.  Neal Brown, head coach for West Virginia, commented that UCF could be a sleeper team in 2024, a statement that others in the media have also made about the Knights.  The inference one may take from such remarks is that a sleeper team is not one necessarily expected to win, but one to watch…  Take that as you will.

That being said, UCF Football is almost here, y’all.  Big 12 Media Days was a fun sneak peek of the season to come.  The sights and sounds of tailgating are right around the corner.  Rest up, book your travel plans, and get the grills ready.

Charge On!