Notes & Quotes | Knights Eager to Play 1st Home Game in a Month

(Photo by Adrian J. Hernandez / New Day Review)

Sept. 26, 2017 at Wayne Densch Center

Availability: QB McKenzie Milton, TE Jordan Akins

• The UCF Knights are coming off a 38-10 victory over the Maryland Terrapins in Week 4.
• UCF returns home to play the Memphis Tigers on Saturday to open American Athletic Conference play.
• Memphis and the Knights were originally supposed to play in Week 2, but the game was rescheduled to Week 5, replacing the University of Maine game, because of Hurricane Irma’s impact.

QB MCKENZIE MILTON: “Monday and Tuesday have been pretty good so far. I like our attention to detail. Guys are locked in, not dwelling on the past, not dwelling on the Maryland win. Just, at the end of each week, we just wanna be 1-0, whoever we’re playing.”

 

“I wouldn’t say we added too much more. I mean, obviously, they played a couple more games, and you can game plan a little more for them. They showed a couple of different things, so we’ll add a little more, maybe take a little off. It was pretty much just attack it the same.”

 

“We’re very excited. We’re excited to play in front of our fans. Hopefully they sell it out. That’d be great. We got a tough opponent coming in, so it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

 

TE JORDAN AKINS: “Just preparing. You know, it’s just not being satisfied with beating Maryland. Coming out, practicing hard and, you know, giving everything we got, and, you know, it’ll take place in the game. Just come out and give it everything and trust the process, depend on each other to get assignments done and, you know, execute on game day.”

• Against Maryland, the Knights rushed for 250 yards and three touchdowns.
• Milton led all rushers with 94 yards and a long of 55 yards.
• The second-year starter from Hawaii also threw for 178 yards and a touchdown, turning the ball over zero times.
• In last year’s game against Maryland, the Knights lost 30-24 in double overtime, as Milton had four turnovers.

QB MCKENZIE MILTON: “I think, just as a whole, as a unit, as a whole, we’re clicking better. O-linemen are getting their calls faster. I’m seeing the defense a little better. Guys know their assignments and what they’re supposed to do. So I think, just as a whole, we’ve all improved.”

 

“Yeah, [the O-line’s] been awesome. I haven’t got touched this year yet, so they’ve been doing a great job, and I expect them to keep it up.”

 

“Yeah, there’s always room for improvement. Obviously, in the FIU game, we didn’t run the ball too great. Maryland, we picked it up. So, we just gotta keep improving week in and week out. Just keep being physical up front. Keep blocking on the perimeter so those long runs can break. So, we just gotta keep making strides.”

 

“Well, the plays are RPO, so I got the option to pass it or run it. So, just take a look at defense, see if there’s a picture I like to throw it. If not, then give ’em a little head fake and then part it like the Red Sea. So it was nice.”

 

“I love running the football, but I also love distributing it to the playmakers.”

• Akins tore his ACL during the winless 2015 season.
• The fourth-year tight end is second in receiving yards (102) and tied for first in receiving touchdowns (two).
• Akins originally was a receiver but was moved to tight end last season.

QB MCKENZIE MILTON: “I mean, he’s awesome. He’s put in the work in the offseason and is paying dividends during the games. In my opinion, he’s probably the best tight end in the country. He runs like gazelle, and he’s big, physical, 260 pounds, 6-foot-5, played center field in baseball. Like, he’s just a freak athlete and blessed to have him.”

 

TE JORDAN AKINS: “I feel great. I’m actually playing without a knee brace, and, you know, I feel like a lot more looser, and I know the offense a lot better. So, I’m able to play fast and use my ability to get open and make plays.”

 

“Yeah, you know, having a knee brace, you only can get, really, just get north and south really fast. Without a knee brace, I’m more shifty, you know, and I can run better routes and, you know, go in and out real quick.”

 

“I love [the offense]. You know, we spread the ball all around, and I think it opens up plays for everyone, not only myself but for running backs and receivers also. But I definitely love making plays, and I love helping the team any way I can.”

 

“Well the main focus was gaining weight [in the offseason] and, you know, learning how to use the weight. And just learning, you know, the techniques and the fundamentals of blocking. That was my first year last year hand in the dirt, playing tight end, so, you know, this year, I gotta, you know, I kinda got a grasp of it and perfected it and trusting the process that the coaches are teaching me, and, going for, it’s worked out for me right now.”

 

“It’s been great, you know, just coming out and, you know, leading by example. Helping ’em with routes and, you know, teaching ’em a couple things. A lot of ’em taught me a couple things about blocking, and, you know, being a previous wide receiver, I can teach ’em a couple things about routes. I’ve taught them a couple things about routes. And it all just bonded together. You know, the tight ends are looking really good and, you know, looking forward to the season.”

• The last time the Knights brought home championship hardware was when they won a share of the AAC title in 2014.

TE JORDAN AKINS: “This team, we’ve come together a lot. It’s not just cliques and groups like it used to be. So, everyone is on one accord. Everyone’s chasing the same dream. We get it in in the weight room; we get it in, you know, in the playbooks. We come together. You know, just it doesn’t take the coaches to motivate and get us inside this building to get our work done. So, I would say everyone’s taking on the role and, you know, becoming professionals and getting the job done so when Coach speak on anything, you know, we execute, and we get it done.”

For more on the Knights, as they turn their attention to Memphis, follow Victor Tan on Twitter at @NDR_VictorTan.