The 2015 UCF Knights football team represented the University of Central Florida in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Knights were members of the East Division of the American Athletic Conference (The American), defending conference co-champions, and played their home games at Bright House Networks Stadium on UCF's main campus in Orlando, Florida. The Knights were led by head coach George O'Leary, who was in his 12th and final season with the team. After starting the season 0–6, O'Leary resigned as UCF's interim athletic director, a position he had held since June when Todd Stansbury left for the same position at Oregon State. Following UCF's 59–10 defeat by Houston on homecoming, dropping the Knights to an 0–8 record, O'Leary resigned as head football coach. Quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett served as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.
The 2015 season was UCF's third in the American Athletic Conference, and the first year the conference split into two divisions. This was the Knights' first season since 2011 in which they would fail to be eligible for postseason play. This campaign marks UCF's third winless season in program history (along with the 1982 and 2004 seasons).
Coming just two years after the banner BCS-bowl-winning 2013 season that saw them finish in the top 10 nationally, and a year after winning the conference for the second straight year, the 2015 season was not just a failure, but a shocking one. In the aftermath, UCF finally moved on from the O'Leary era and hired renowned offensive coordinator Scott Frost from the Oregon Ducks to be their head coach. After a 6–7 2016 bounce-back campaign, the Knights would go undefeated in 2017 and win the Peach Bowl, completing a turnaround from 0–12 to 13–0 in just two years.
Personnel
Coaching staff 2015 UCF Knights coaching staffHead coaches Head coach – George O'Leary (resigned after 8 games), Danny Barrett
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/running backs – Brent Key Quarterbacks – Danny Barrett Wide receivers – Sean Beckton Offensive line – Allen Mogridge Tight ends/h-backs – Keegan Kennedy Graduate assistants – Rob Calabrese and Josh Linam Offensive quality control – Sean Fitzgerald
Defensive coaches Defensive coordinator/linebackers – Chuck Bresnahan Safeties – Andrew Thacker Cornerbacks – Travis Fisher Defensive line – Lorenzo Costantini Graduate assistant – Pat Bastien and Zach Crespo Defensive quality control – Mike Sims-Walker Special teams Special teams coordinator – Keegan Kennedy
Administrative staff Athletic Director (A.D.) – George O'Leary (resigned after 6 games), Brad Stricklin Assistant A.D. for Football Operations – Marty O'Leary Director of player development – Kristy Belden Director of player personnel – Mike Buscemi Recruiting assistant – Ryan Callaghan Special assistant to head coach – Manny Messeguer
Roster 2015 UCF Knights rosterQuarterbacks 8 Tyler Harris – freshman 9 Bo Schneider – freshman 12 Sean Pratt – sophomore 13 Justin Holman – junior
Halfbacks 17 Cedric Thompson – senior 31 Gary Demarest – freshman 32 Mario Mathis – sophomore 39 Joseph Puopolo – senior 40 Chris Larsen – freshman 42 Justin Rae – freshman 43 Aaron Cochran – freshman
Fullbacks 44 Mark Messeguer – freshman
Running backs 7 Dontravious Wilson – junior 27 Taj McGowan – freshman 28 William Stanback – junior 29 CJ Jones – freshman 37 Michael Willett – sophomore 45 Daron Humphrey – junior
Wide receivers 2 Nick Patti – junior 5 Jordan Franks – sophomore 6 Tristan Payton – freshman 10 Kyle Coltrain – sophomore 12 Blake Tiralosi – junior 14 Pete DiNovo – sophomore 20 Taylor Oldham – junior 21 Jamari Fye – sophomore 23 Adrian Gordon – sophomore 25 Tristan Reaves – freshman 26 Trace Ryan – freshman 80 Tre'Quan Smith – freshman 81 Chris Johnson – sophomore 82 D'erren Wilson – freshman 83 Cam Stewart – freshman 86 Michael Colubiale – sophomore 88 Jordan Akins – sophomore 89 Hayden Jones – junior Tight ends 46 Zack Laurinaitis – freshman 49 Joe Turk – freshman 84 Michael Campbell – junior 87 Cal Bloom – junior
Offensive line 55 Joey Grant – Graduate Student 61 Tarik Cook – senior 62 Micah Anderson – junior 63 Nick George – freshman 66 Aaron Evans – sophomore 67 Jared Warren – sophomore 68 Charles Sprenkel – sophomore 70 Luke Palmer – freshman 71 Chester Brown – junior 72 Tyler Hudanick – freshman 73 Jason Rae – junior 74 Jake Brown – freshman 75 Tate Hernly – sophomore 76 Colby Watson – junior 78 Wyatt Miller – freshman 79 Chavis Dickey – sophomore
Linebackers 16 Mark Rucker – junior 34 Justin McDonald – junior 40 Chequan Burkett – sophomore 41 Demeitre Brim – junior 50 Domenic Spencer – senior 51 Errol Clarke – junior 52 Maurice Russell – junior 53 Quintin Hampton – freshman 54 Alex Hunt – sophomore 56 Pat Jasinski – freshman 57 Neal Nelson – freshman 58 Marcus Foster – freshman Defensive line 49 Seyvon Lowry – sophomore 59 Monte Taylor – junior 69 Thomas Niles – senior 90 Lance McDowdell – senior 91 Joey Connors – freshman 92 Luke Adams – junior 93 Tony Guerad – sophomore 94 Demetris Anderson – senior 95 Jamiyus Pittman – sophomore 96 A.J. Wooten – freshman 97 Jock Petree – sophomore 98 Brendon Hayes – freshman 99 Titus Davis – freshman
Defensive backs 3 Mike Rogers – freshman 10 Shaquill Griffin – junior 18 Shaquem Griffin – sophomore 21 Drico Johnson – junior 22 T.J. Mutcherson – Graduate Student 24 D.J. Killings – junior 25 Kyle Gibson – freshman 26 Brandon Scott – freshman 30 Rashard Causey Jr. – freshman 31 Jeremy Boykins – junior 33 Tre Neal – freshman 35 Brendin Straubel – senior 38 Nevelle Clarke – freshman 48 Jerod Boykins – junior Punters/Kickers 11 Matthew Wright – freshman 19 Donald De La Haye – freshman 36 Caleb Houston – junior 47 Connor O'Sullivan – sophomore 48 Mac Loudermilk – freshman
Snappers 53 Mason Bedell – freshman 54 Gage Marsil – junior 60 Caleb Perez – freshman
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
Schedule The 2015 schedule was officially released by The American on February 19, 2015. The 2015 schedule is the first for the conference under a new permanent system developed to address expanded membership and the creation of divisions. UCF will face eight conference opponents: Cincinnati, UConn, East Carolina, Houston, South Florida, Temple, Tulane, and Tulsa. The Knights will also play four non-conference games: Florida International (C-USA), Furman (FCS), South Carolina (SEC), and Stanford (Pac-12).
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Game summaries
FIU
This was the fourth meeting between UCF and the FIU Golden Panthers, with the series tied 2–2. The Knights won the previous meeting, a 38–0 shutout at FIU in 2013. FIU got onboard first with a field goal. UCF then responded with two touchdowns by Jordan Akins to take a 14–3 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Knights were plagued with defensive struggles which allowed FIU to take the lead 15–14. UCF then set up within field goal distance with thirty-seconds left; however, a Matthew Wright field goal was blocked and FIU ran out the clock.
The loss was UCF's first to a Florida opponent since September 17, 2011, UCF's first meeting with FIU, as well as UCF's first home opener loss since 2007 to Texas. The loss also marks UCF's first home loss since September 28, 2013 to South Carolina, as well as UCF's first Thursday night loss since November 3, 2011 against Tulsa.
Stanford
This was the first meeting between UCF and the Stanford Cardinal. The trip represented the longest travel for any FBS team during the 2015 season, at 2,427 miles. The loss also results in UCF's second consecutive season starting with an 0–2 record.
Furman
This was the second meeting between UCF and the Furman Paladins, with the Paladins winning a 1984 game, 42–6. This was QB Bo Schneider's first career start, going 7-for-11 for 63 yards. UCF initially took a 12–0 lead, which included the first sacks of the season for defense, one of those resulting in a safety. After getting a turnover on downs, Furman scored a touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the half. At the third quarter, Tyler Harris started as QB. A few minutes into the 3rd quarter, Furman scored a 61-yard touchdown which gave them the lead 13–12. Towards the end of the quarter, UCF kicked a field goal to retake the lead 15–13. Furman responded with a 55-yard field goal to retake the lead 16–15. With forty-nine seconds remaining, QB Tyler Harris threw an interception which sealed the victory for the Paladins. The game marked the Knights first loss to an FCS team since ascending to Division I-A (FBS) in 1996 (20–1), as well as their first 0–3 start since 2004.
South Carolina
This was the fifth meeting between UCF and the South Carolina Gamecocks. With the loss, UCF remains winless against South Carolina. After falling behind 5–0, Bo Schneider, in his second career start, led the Knights to fourteen unanswered points to take a 14–5 lead with five minutes remaining in the second quarter. After entering halftime with a six-point lead, UCF was held scoreless in the second half. USC QB Lorenzo Nunez threw for two scores, Pharoh Cooper had two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving, and K Elliott Fry had a field goal to give the Gamecocks a 31–14 win. The loss dropped the Knights to 0–4, the first time the team has started the season winless through four games since 2004, when UCF went 0–11.
Tulane
The game marked the seventh meeting between UCF and the Tulane Green Wave. UCF holds a 5–2 advantage against Tulane, losing for the first time in the series since 2006. The loss marks the first time UCF lost their first conference game of the season since 2009 when they fell to Southern Miss. After going ahead 7–0 with a pass from Bo Schneider to Jordan Franks, Tulane scored 24 unanswered points taking a 24–10 halftime lead. By the end of the 3rd quarter, Tulane took a 38–10 lead. Additionally, Bo Schneider was sacked 7 times for a total of 45 yards, one of those resulting in a fumble, and threw 3 interceptions, each resulting in Tulane touchdowns. Tyler Harris entered after the beginning of the 4th quarter and scored 3 touchdowns on all of his drives, each connecting to D'erren Wilson, who finished the game with 7 receptions, 114 yards, and 3 touchdowns.
UConn
This was the third meeting between UCF and the UConn Huskies. UCF beat UConn in 2013 62–17 in Orlando, while in 2014, UConn upset UCF 37–29 in East Hartford. As of the start of the 2015 season, the 2014 meeting was the only conference loss for UCF since joining The American. QB Justin Holman returned for the Knights after a three-game absence following his injury against Stanford. On the first drive, Holman led the Knights seventy-three yards but UCF had to settle for a 19-yard field goal from Matthew Wright. Afterwards the Huskies dominated the Knights both defensively and offensively and scored forty unanswered points to score their second consecutive victory over UCF. Through six games, the Knights were outscored 70–3 in the third quarter. 3 turnovers doomed the Knights, including Hayden Jones accidentally stepping out of his end zone on a kickoff return and going back in to take a knee that ended up giving UConn a safety in the 1st quarter.