The 2010 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2010 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Their head coach was George O'Leary, who was in his seventh season with the team. For the first time in program history, the Knights were nationally ranked following a nationally televised rout of Houston on November 5. For the third time in six years, UCF won the Conference USA Eastern Division, and later became Conference USA champions for the second time in four seasons. As a result, the Knights appeared in the Liberty Bowl, in which they defeated Georgia 10–6, for the first bowl victory in program history. UCF finished the season ranked in both final national polls, 20th in the Coaches Poll, and 21st in the AP Poll.UCF football ranked in final Top 25 polls
All games were broadcast live on the UCF-ISP Sports radio network. The flagship was WYGM "740 The Game" in Orlando.
Personnel
Coaching staff 2010 UCF Knights coaching staffHead coaches Head coach – George O'Leary Asst. head coach/wide receivers – David Kelly
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Charlie Taaffe Running backs – George Godsey Offensive line – Brent Key
Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator – Dave Huxtable Defensive run game coordinator/linebackers – John Skladany Defensive backs – Sean Beckton Defensive line – Jim Panagos Special teams Special teams coordinator/tight ends – Tim Salem
Administrative staff Athletic director (A.D.) – Keith R. Tribble Assistant A.D. for Football Operations – Marty O'Leary Director of player personnel – Albert Boone
Roster 2010 UCF Knights roster2010 Roster from the University of Central Florida KnightsQuarterbacks 2 Jeffrey Godfrey – freshman 4 Rob Calabrese – junior 5 Blake Bortles – freshman 17 L.D. Crow – junior
Halfbacks 13 Dontravius Floyd – freshman 28 Latavius Murray – sophomore 43 Ricky Kay – senior
Fullbacks 32 Billy Giovanetti – sophomore
Running backs 7 Brandon Davis – junior 11 Jeff Brinson – sophomore 24 Brendan Kelly – sophomore 27 Jonathan Davis – sophomore 33 Kerlon Williams – junior 34 Brynn Harvey – junior 35 Ronnie Weaver – junior
Wide receivers 3 A.J. Guyton – junior 6 Brian Watters – senior 9 Jamar Newsome – senior 10 Nico Flores – freshman 12 Marquee Williams – freshman 14 Quincy McDuffie – sophomore 31 Austin Hudson – senior 80 Joshua Reese – freshman 81 Kamar Aiken – senior 82 Khymest Williams – junior 87 J.T. McArthur – junior
Tight ends 85 Willie Gaetjens – junior 86 D.J. Brown – freshman 88 Adam Nissley – junior Offensive line 58 Josh Wofford – freshman 62 Rey Cunha – freshman 63 Jordan McCray – freshman 64 Justin McCray – freshman 65 Cliff McCray – junior 66 Abre Leggins – senior 67 Perry Meiklejohn – freshman 68 Theo Goins – sophomore 69 Zac Norris – junior 70 Chris Martin – freshman 72 Torrian Wilson – freshman 73 Jordan Rae – sophomore 74 Chad Hounshell – sophomore 76 Jah Reid – senior 77 Nick Pieschel – junior 78 Joe Perno – freshman 79 Tony Jacob – freshman
Defensive ends 48 David Williams – senior 49 Bruce Miller – senior 52 Jack Carter – junior 53 Darius Nall – junior 73 Kevin Garvy – sophomore 90 Ash Weekley – sophomore 93 Quenton Brown – freshman 97 Robert Pritchard – sophomore
Defensive tackles 94 Wes Tunuufi Sauvao – senior 95 E.J. Dunston – freshman 96 Andrew Rice – freshman
Defensive backs 12 Robertson Auguste – sophomore 18 Kemal Ishmael – sophomore 19 A. J. Bouye – sophomore 21 Darin Baldwin – senior 23 Justin Boddie – senior 29 Lyle Dankenbring – sophomore 30 Jordan Ozerities – freshman 31 Cornelius Whitehead – freshman 33 Jamar McClain – freshman 36 Woodley Cadet – freshman 37 Henry Wright – freshman 39 Omar Hansborough – junior 40 Reggie Weams – senior 46 Ray Shipman – sophomore 47 Clayton Geathers – freshman Defensive line 44 Brandon Bryant – freshman 58 Troy Davis – sophomore 91 Victor Gray – freshman 92 Barry Snider – junior
Linebackers 38 Derrick Hallman – senior 42 Loren Robinson – sophomore 45 Javen Harris – freshman 50 Josh Linam – junior 51 D.J. Williams – sophomore 54 Chance Henderson – senior 55 Vinny Mazzurco – junior 56 Cody Ralston – freshman 59 LeBranden Richardson – freshman
Cornerbacks 20 Josh Robinson – sophomore 22 Emery Allen – senior
Safeties 25 Jarrett Swaby – freshman Punters/kickers 16 Nick Cattoi – junior 17 Steven Faucher – freshman 41 Blake Clingan – senior 98 David Bohner – junior 99 James Boyle – sophomore
Snappers 59 Matt Morrison – freshman 60 Charley Hughlett – junior 61 James Getsee – junior
Terms: Freshman – A player in his first year Sophomore – A player in his second year Junior – A player in his third year Senior – A player in his fourth year Redshirt – A player who sat out a previous season
Recruiting class
Notes:
Schedule
Rankings
Game summaries
South Dakota
UCF hosted South Dakota, becoming the FCS squad's first-ever FBS opponent.
In a match that analysts said might determine whether or not quarterback Rob Calabrese would get the team for his senior year, he rose to the challenge, throwing 12-of-15 for 176 yards and a touchdown. Jonathan Davis rushed for 107 yards on 20 carries with a touchdown, and A.J. Guyton caught 8 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown. The team never turned the ball over, and did not suffer a three-and-out. It proved to be UCF's largest margin of victory yet in a season opener.
True freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey was brought in for the 4th quarter, when the game was already in hand, and led a touchdown drive of his own, passing 6-of-7 for 65 yards.
NC State
In a game where NC State was looking for reprisal following its 2007 upset by the Knights during the team's last meeting, UCF turned the ball over five separate times including a 43-yard interception return by the Wolfpack. Trailing by 21 points at the start of the fourth quarter, the Knights, led by true freshman quarterback Jeff Godfrey, scored two times to bring UCF within seven, but fumbled the ball with 51 seconds left on the clock at the NC State 11-yard line. Godfrey went 7-for-10 for 107 yards, and rushed for 53 yards including two rushing touchdowns. Calabrese went 10-for-18 for 106 yards with two interceptions.
Following the loss, debate arose once again over the fate of the Knights' starting quarterback job.
Buffalo
In his first game as the Knights' starting quarterback, Jeffrey Godfrey went 15-for-24 for 130 yards. Ronnie Weaver had eight carries for 49 rushing yards, while Godfrey had 13 carries for 44 yards. Bruce Miller had a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter. DE Darius Nall earned Conference USA defensive player of the week honors with nine tackles, including three tackles for a loss, and two sacks.
With the start, Godfrey became the ninth true freshman quarterback to start for the Knights, and only the second, after Daunte Culpepper, to win their first start.
Kansas State
In a game where the UCF defense proved dominant on the field while the offense struggled, the Wildcats orchestrated a late 4th quarter comeback, scoring two touchdowns, including the winning TD with 24 seconds left on the clock. In his second game as the starting quarterback, Jeff Godfrey rushed for 99 yards, and went 8-for-18 for 92 yards. Godfrey passed Daunte Culpepper's career rushing record of 95 yards with his performance. Ronnie Weaver had 22 carries for 130 rushing yards, including one touchdown. Nick Cattoi was 2-for-4, missing 23-yard and 42-yard field goals.
With the loss, UCF held a 2–23 record against opponents from BCS automatic qualifying conferences since joining the FBS in 1996.
UAB
In their conference opener, the Knights proved dominant both offensively and defensively. They were able to capitalize on Blazer turnovers, scoring three touchdowns from a forced fumble and two interceptions. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 80 yards, and went 9-for-11 for 137 yards. Rob Calabrese went 3-for-3 for 34 yards, serving as the second half of the quarterback tandem. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 50 yards on 21 carries for two touchdowns. FS Kemal Ishmael won Conference USA defensive player of the week honors with seven tackles, an interception and forced a fumble.
With the defeat of the Blazers, the Knights had a seven-game conference winning streak dating back to their October 3, 2009 win over Memphis. The game also represented the first weekday game played at Bright House Networks Stadium since its opening in 2007.
Marshall
Playing for the second straight week on a Wednesday night in front of a national television audience, the Knights outlasted and dominated the Marshall Thundering Herd in Huntington. UCF had now won sixstraight games against the Thundering Herd, never losing to them as Conference USA foes. In a game that was delayed 68 minutes due to lightning, and in which there was no halftime, the Knights possessed the ball for over 40 minutes while the Thundering Herd held it for under 20. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 27 yards, and went 11-for-21 for 138 yards. Rob Calabrese suffered a season-ending knee injury on a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 150 yards on 30 carries. On Marshall's third play of the second half, A. J. Bouye intercepted Brian Anderson and returned it 42 yards for a touchdown. UCF had now returned three interceptions for touchdowns this season; the Conference USA record was four.
Defeating the Thundering Herd, the Knights were riding an eight-game conference winning streak, tying East Carolina for the nation's fifth longest active conference winning streak. With the win, UCF was off to its best start since the 1998 season when the Knights went 9–2, and which was also Daunte Culpepper's senior year. UCF ranked atop Conference USA in all defensive categories, and the Knights' defense ranked ninth in the country.
Rice
UCF scored the first touchdown of the game 1:23 after kickoff with two plays completed, and held Rice's offensive line from completing a first down until the second quarter of the game. The Knights scored on their first five drives and did not punt until 2:58 was left in the 3rd quarter. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 41 yards, and went 13-for-18 for 178 yards. L.D. Crow, the Knights' new second-string quarterback to replace Rob Calabrese, went 5-for-6 for 91 yards. Ronnie Weaver rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries. DE Darius Nall won Conference USA co-defensive player of the week honors for the second time this season with 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass pressure.
With the defeat of the Owls, the Knights had a nine-game conference winning streak, tied for the fourth longest in the nation. UCF was 21–10 all time on Homecoming weekend and 17–7 (12-3) at home. UCF's defense ranked atop Conference USA in all categories and was ranked seventh nationally. After the game, the Knights received two votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll, and three votes in the Harris Poll. They were ranked 41st in the BCS Standings.
East Carolina
The Knights proved dominant both offensively and defensively throughout the game, garnering their first win against East Carolina in five years. The game marked the latest that two undefeated Conference USA teams had played since the conference expanded to 12 teams and started divisional play in 2003. UCF proved so dominant on the field that for the first time since a 48–0 win over Eastern Illinois in 1998, the Knights did not punt the ball. For the entirety of the second half of the game, UCF held at least a 14-point advantage. Jeff Godfrey rushed for 43 yards, and went 8-for-12 for 159 yards. Ronnie Weaver earned Conference USA offensive player of the week honors, rushing for a career-high 180 yards on 30 carries for two touchdowns. Latavius Murray had 7 carries for 47 yards with three touchdowns, and Brian Waters had two receptions for 55 yards.