It has been a pretty good year in the central section of Florida. The Knights of UCF pulled off the perfect season and will compete for the AAC championship this Saturday against Memphis. USF won 9 of 11 games setting school records on the way.
We surely can’t make mention of the success of each without highlighting arguably the game of the year in the college football market between the two schools. The War on I-4 was as good as advertised. USF tied the game late only to have joy stripped with a UCF kick off return for a TD to end the game and take the win.
Each school is loaded with a Florida based roster. Not many reasons to leave the state and go too far to pull in recruits. Florida is the mecca of football talent and both schools have become extremely attractive to recruits. 97 of the 106 players on the USF roster hail from the state of Florida. That represents nearly 91 percent of the roster with Georgia (3 players) being the only other state producing more than one a current Bull. UCF numbers are not far behind. Check this out though…
In the major individual statistical categories, a handful of the Knights most productive players are from out of state while USF has a clean sweep with Florida players. Passing leader McKenzie Milton, who is a candidate for several national awards hails from the great state of Hawaii. Milton has completed .69 percent of his passes this season for 3,301 yards and 30 TDs. Mike Hughes leads the team in punt return yards (232, 1 TD), kickoff return yards (523, 2 TDS) and tied for the lead in interception (4). Hughes made his way to UCF from New Bern, North Carolina. Leading tackler Pat Jasinski (83) and Punter Mac Loudermilk have Georgia roots and Kicker Matthew Wright comes from Lancaster, PA.
The rest are Florida dudes. Safety Kyle Gibson who has 4 interceptions is from Tampa. Team leading rusher Adrian Killins (99 att, 711 yards, 9 TDs) is a Daytona Beach guy and just south is Delray Beach, the home of team leading receiver Tre’Quan Smith (921 yards, 11 TDs). Shaquem Griffin leads the team again in sacks and tackles for loss. Drive Two hour west and you are at his front door in St. Petersburg. Knights share the love and use a slightly larger net. Will recruit out of state for selective prospects.
South Florida on the other hand likes to keep the fence at the state line. Don’t knock on too many doors outside of the Florida. Therefore, their statistical leaders are Florida kids…All of them. Of the 12 statistical categories we used, all 12 team leaders are from Florida high schools. Three players lead in multiple categories.
On offense, QB Quinton Flowers leads the team in passing yards(2600 yards, 21 TDs) and rushing yards (972 yards, 10)…he is from “The Bottom…Miiiiiiiami!” Also from Miami is kicker Emilio Nadelman who is 20 of 24 on field goals and averaging 62.37 yards on kickoffs. Marquez Valdez-Scantling became the primary target for Flowers this year and is a St. Pete kid. Immokolee is the home RB D’Ernest Johnson, 155 kickoff return yards and punt return yardage leader Tajee Fullwood if from Tampa.
Defensively, Pinellas County has two of the three players who will be mentioned. Tarpon Springs native Devin Abraham leads the team with four interceptions while St. Petersburg native LB Auggie Sanchez set the school record for career tackles. Back over the bridge, from Tampa is Bruce Hector. Hector led the defense in tackles for loss (13) and sacks (7).
Programs who can recruit their own state with success have a significant advantage. Both the Knights and the Bulls have produced on the field with a high priority recruiting home first. UCF has dabbled past the state line and it has payed off. USF has kept a tighter line. Putting their efforts into Florida kids primarily. The root is still the same for both schools. Florida is where the heart is.