THANKS

Before we get too far into this newsletter, I wanted to acknowledge that this past week was Thanksgiving, and we at the Sons are so thankful for all of the support Knight Nation has given us over the years. I know that you all have options on what content you consume and who you allow into your life, and the fact that you’ve chosen us means the world. So, we are thankful for all of you!

THE SEASON COMES TO AN END

The 2024 season officially came to an end on Black Friday with another embarrassing loss, this time to Utah, 28-14. From the start it was obvious that the Knights were going to have challenges on offense, and mixing and matching three different quarterbacks throughout the evening certainly did not help. The lone bright spot was running back RJ Harvey, who further cemented his UCF legacy with his program record 47th career touchdown

However, things got really interesting in the immediate aftermath of the game. First, there was the fan reaction as Gus Malzahn and his family left the field

Then, there was this interaction with the media at the end of the press availability

And then, there was an immediate portal announcement from QB EJ Colson, presumed to be one of the leading QB options heading into 2025

Obviously, we know what happened next, but first, if you missed it, here is the postgame reaction from Trace and Andrew Cherico

And the postgame breakdown from Christian and Bailey of the Pegasus Podcast

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Also, congratulations to Matt Steiniger, who won the UCF polo by subscribing in our first week

THE END OF THE MALZAHN ERA

On Saturday afternoon Knight Nation learned via social media that Head Coach Gus Malzahn submitted his resignation to UCF, reportedly to take the Offensive Coordinator position at Florida State. I’ll pause for a second so that you can read that again.

You could have given me 1000 guesses as to how Gus Malzahn’s tenure at UCF would end, and I would have never arrived at this configuration. That said, based on all of the information available to us right now, it appears to be a clean break for both sides. UCF did not terminate employment, which negates the buy-out provision in the contract (saving a reported $12M-13M payout for the remainder of the contract term), and Gus got to land at a destination and challenge that he felt was best for him. [EDITORS NOTE: There are some in the coaching and media space that are still skeptical that money did not change hands in this transaction, but there is nothing definitive to know for certain]

For now, what we do know is that the Gus Malzahn era at UCF ends after four seasons, an overall 28-24 record, one conference championship game appearance (AAC 2021), a 1-2 bowl record, and eight different starting quarterbacks. And, to be fair, Gus helped usher UCF into the Big XII, produced program record recruiting classes in consecutive years, and contributed to the formation of the Kingdom NIL model. Only time will tell if he left it better than he found it, but he deserves a tip of the cap and well wishes as he moves on to new challenges.

In the immediate aftermath, Christian and Bailey from the Pegasus Podcast recorded an instant reaction episode

The entire Sons crew also got together for a special Brunch Edition of Sons of UCF LIVE to look back at the Gus tenure, and forward at what is to come for the Knights. You can get caught up on Twitter, or go to our YouTube channel. [EDITORS NOTE: For some technical reason I am not able to to embed a link from a YouTube live event]

It’s the holiday season, so why not get that special Sons fan in your life some new Sons of UCF gear, available exclusively as part of Knight Fan Shop. Shop early, shop often.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR UCF

As of this writing we do not have much by way of official information. UCF released a statement wishing Gus and his family well, but did not offer any specifics on his departure or next steps. A UCF Athletics Department spokesperson informed media that there would be no further statements or comments at this time.

Obviously there are a list of names that are floating around as possible options for UCF, and I’m sure there are some more likely than others for a number of factors. However, as of this writing, everything is simply a rumor or conjecture. It has been insinuated by some that Athletics Director Terry Mohjair wants to move quickly, but, I think Terry knows that this hire will literally cement his long term fate at UCF, so it is within his best interest to get it right.

One thing I can promise you is that when information breaks, you can count on the Sons to cover it from start to finish. Which, leads me to announcement: the Sons will have a different show on LIVE every night this week at 8pm. This includes Sons Today, the Pegasus Podcast, Around the Kingdom, and Sons of UCF LIVE. Stay tuned for more

Make sure you check out our wonderful sponsor: Werner, Hoffman, Greig, and Garcia. If you have legal questions about VA benefits, insurance claims, or personal injury, they can give you honest advice. Visit their website to make contact and learn more

TODAY I LEARNED…

Your weekly history lesson from the Sons

With all of this talk about coaches, UCF, and FSU, it brings us almost full circle to the early years of UCF Football. In 1985 when UCF was searching for their next football coach (and Athletic Director), they tapped long time FSU Assistant Coach Gene McDowell to lead the then Golden Knights. McDowell inherited a mess from the previous regime, including a budget shortfall that nearly ended the program. In interviews we’ve done on the Sons of UCF Podcast over the years, we’ve heard stories about how strapped UCF was back in those days, and how McDowell even leaned on his former boss Bobby Bowden for old equipment and supplies. Perhaps the most headline grabbing moment of the early UCF/FSU partnership comes in the form of Burt Reynolds, famous Hollywood actor and noted FSU alum, who attended a “Night of the Knights” fundraising event in 1989 that helped raise $300k for the program. Reynolds and his then wife Loni Anderson also gifted UCF with black stallion to be used for the Knight mascot.

Make sure you bookmark our website to read the latest from Brian Peterson, Dali Drama, Robert Aronoff, and more

THE BEST OF THE REST

Here is some content from the past week that you might have missed. As a reminder, you can always find all of our work on your favorite podcast platform or the Sons YouTube channel.

That’s all for now friends. We’ll have you covered throughout the coaching search and selection process, so be sure you are following the team at the Sons of UCF on social media.

Until next time, take care of yourself, and each other.

Charge On!