UCF Press Release

November 7, 2002

ORLANDO - Practice continued on Wednesday for the Golden Knights as the team held a two-and-a-half hour workout to prepare to take on Buffalo on the road this Saturday. UCF will be facing a motivated Bulls team that will be playing its final home game of the season and could put a damper on the team's plans of winning its final four games.

"We are still in this (the MAC title hunt)," stated sophomore tailback Alex Haynes. "We just need a couple of things to fall our way. As far as we are concerned, we have to win these final four games."

Aside from their opponent, the Knights are hoping to not have to overcome difficult weather as well. Game-time temperatures are expected to be in the low 50's with a chance of showers.
"It may be tough to there," added Haynes. "We just have to go there and put the elements behind us, if it is bad, of course I would to love the run the ball a lot."

Overall the team seems generally unconcerned about how tough the outside environment may be, knowing it is out of their control. The focus is on just running the table.

"We just have to go out and win every game," added quarterback Ryan Schneider. "It doesn't matter who we play, where we play. We just have to go out and execute every play and find a way to win."

Schneider does however have a very spirited attitude about the possibility of poor weather. "Personally I hope it is 10 degrees, snowing, windy terrible weather," added Schneider. "We have to get used to it. We have games further down the road where it may become a factor, so I hope it is cold and sloppy." The junior signal-caller already has his strategy ready. "I think bad weather is an advantage to the offense," added Schneider. "A receiver knows where he is going, where a defensive back has to react. One slip by a DB and a receiver is gone."

The team will begin practice on Thursday at approximately 3:15 when kickers and punters take to the field.


OTHER NOTES:
Senior Doug Gabriel will certainly be hoping for a fast track on Saturday, as he jumped 15 spots to No. 6 in the country in all-purpose yardage with 169.88 a game. Last week Gabriel set a UCF record with 324 all-purpose yards.

The sixth-place ranking is the highest for any individual player. Only quarterback Ryan Schneider comes close as he ranks seventh in the country in total offense putting up 299.13 yards a game. As a team, the Knights match the sixth-place ranking in passing offense putting up 312.13 yards in the air.


 

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