As Nationwide Signing Day kicks off at present, UCF soccer is in limbo.
After Gus Malzahn‘s resignation on Sunday, this system is with no head coach and the longer term stays unsure. A brand new coach may very well be employed quickly, however that doesn’t assist with a recruiting class hemorrhaging commitments.
“It’s not the perfect scenario and I don’t assume that comes stunning to anybody,” mentioned Andrew Ivins, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “Once you look towards 2025 and past, will probably be fairly the roster retool and rebuild.
“They will attempt to maintain onto what they’ve, however this recruiting class as of Tuesday afternoon — 24 hours earlier than — is 72nd within the rankings with simply 12 guys.”
Taevion Swint, Tony Williams and Jayvan Boggs are dedicated to signing with the Knights.
It’s a stark distinction from a number of months in the past when UCF had a top-25 class that featured greater than a handful of 4-star commitments. However after shedding eight of the final 9 video games and Malzahn going through a public firestorm, these gamers determined to go elsewhere.
With the switch window now open for UCF gamers and 18 gamers already within the portal, the roster will bear an enormous overhaul throughout the subsequent few weeks.
“This goes on like an even bigger scale the place we’re proper now on this planet of school soccer, not solely with identify, picture and likeness however the looming income sharing and the switch portal,” Irvins mentioned. “Lots of people are nonetheless making an attempt to determine how one can assemble a roster.”
Below the approaching NCAA v. Home settlement, soccer roster maximums may very well be set at 105 gamers, with some conferences selecting scholarship limits of 85.
“Highschool recruiting remains to be important and intensely vital,” Ivins mentioned. “We’re transferring nearer and nearer to the NFL mannequin the place highschool recruiting is your NFL draft and the switch portal is free company.
“The [NFL] organizations which might be having success, such because the [Kansas City] Chiefs, for instance, add some massive splash playmakers by free company, however the backbone of that roster is constructed by the NFL draft. They’re getting worth in these Day 3 picks with these guys turning into multi-year starters.”
UCF soccer switch tracker: Knights put together for loads of offseason strikes
UCF has walked a tightrope when balancing highschool recruiting and switch portal.
Final season, the Knights signed their finest recruiting class at school historical past — a top-35 class that featured three 4-star signees in receiver Kylan Fox, linebacker Qua Birdsong and offensive lineman Waltclaire Flynn Jr.
These three gamers mixed for 147 snaps, totally on particular groups.
Cornerback Chasen Johnson led the 17 freshmen with 595 snaps, adopted by tight finish Kylan Fox (140) and cornerback Jaylen Heyward (86).
Johnson entered the portal Monday, leaving final 12 months’s class hanging by a thread.
The switch class of greater than 40 gamers resulted in blended outcomes.
How the subsequent UCF coach approaches the roster is a significant query mark.
“It’s going to take a while to stabilize issues and construct that roster right into a competitor,” mentioned Ivins. “For those who go extraordinarily heavy on the switch portal, it could actually backfire.”
Matt Murschel may be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
