The Orlando Sentinel from Orlando, Florida • C6

C6 Orlando Sentinel Sunday, September 18, 2016 COLLEGE FOOTBALL KNIGHTS GAME DAY REPORT Nov. 12 Cincy Time TBA TVTBA MiWHI Sept. 3 S.C. State 38-0 (1-0) Sept. 10 Michigan 51-14 (1-1) Sept.

17 Maryland Late Game Sept. 24 FIU 7 p.m. beIN Sports Oct.l Carolina Time TBA TVTBA Oct. 7 Tulane 8 p.m. ESPN2U Oct.

15 Oct. 22 Oct. 29 Temple UConn Houston Time TBA Time TBA Time TBA Time TBA TVTBA TVTBA Nov. 19 Tulsa Time TBA TVTBA Nov. 26 USF Time TBA TVTBA KNIGHTS EAGER TO GROW Against South Carolina State, UCF reported an announced attendance of 36,260 fans at its season opener.

They're hoping to see those numbers climb throughout the year. "Coach Frost's goal as a coach is to win every game. Our goal as a marketing team is to sellout every game. That's what you strive for," Carr said. "What's the best way to create an electric atmosphere? Sell out the game.

You can have video boards, you can have sound systems and things of that nature, but when you have a full house, it just makes the entire stadium electric." Increased fan attendance isn't just important to the internal marketing and operations team. Both Carr and Skiles said Frost has directly contributed ideas to enhance the overall game-day experience. He even wrote a Knights Oath to be performed before the start of every fourth quarter. "We want to have support. I think we have good support from our students and fans.

That's their job and ours," Frost said before taking on Maryland. "When we're winning games and playing well, people are gonna want to show up. We need them there to support us for a lot of reasons, so I think we're moving in the right direction with that and I can't wait to see what the stadium looks like Saturday." sgreen orlandosentinel.com UCF tries to court fans by offering better game-day experience By Shannon Green Staff Writer UCF's game against Maryland did not end in time for this editon. For results, go to Scott Carr and Jimmy Skiles have, arguably, the hardest jobs on UCF football home games behind the team's head coach, Scott Frost. UCF fans may not all know their names, but Carr and Skiles lead the marketing department and game-day operations for the Knights.

New athletics director Danny White tasked them with creating one of the most dynamic fan experiences on game day a necessary plan for a fan base that endured 13 consecutive losses dating back to 2014. Last season, the Knights drew 30,065 fans per game and the crowd numbers plummeted as the loses piled up for UCF. Carr and Skiles have helped generate unprecedented excitement so far this year. This spring, UCF football drew a record attendance at its spring game, bringing in 23,147 fans, and the department is looking forward to improving on those numbers. So what role did UCF's marketing team play in reviving interest in UCF's football program this CHARLES KINGSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Injured UCF quarterback Justin Holman (13) celebrates a touchdown with teammates Jason Rae (73), a senior offensive lineman, and freshman quarterback McKenzie Milton (10) during the Maryland at UCF football game Saturday.

erate marketing and sponsorship agency IMG in June. Since Bright House Stadium opened in 2007, the school has seen 10 sellout crowds of fans. The last sellout for UCF came in 2014 when the team defeated Be-thune-Cookman University 41-7 in its season opener in Orlando. The 2014 "home" season opener came on the road to Penn State in Ireland. concerts to inflatables and specialty game-day hot dogs, the marketing of UCF football games turned up more than a few notches.

The staff saw about a 10 percent increase to its budget to help execute a broader vision for game day. Most of the new features have come through reallocating existing funds and have been executed by a UCF athletic staff that is made up of at least 50 percent new bodies. Cultivating a positive fan experience coupled with improving attendance numbers is arguably the most important priority for the athletic department, even ahead of winning football games. Big 12 expansion conversations aside, increasing ticket sales is always a key marker for the athletic program's growth particularly since UCF broke ties with conglom season? "There's so much new that we're trying to do," said Skiles, who graduated from UCF. "That was a part of our goal after a season like last year.

We made a list immediately at the end of the year. We wanted everybody when they showed up to this first game and this second game, for it to be a new experience." From motocross cyclists to fireworks to tailgate UCF's new coach might have given a clue that change was coming, saying, "We need to throw the ball better to win games." pounds, big schools shied away from Milton, but Frost signed him after the dual-threat Mililani High star decommitted from Hawaii. Milton attended Oregon's camp for high school stars when Frost was offensive coordinator for the Ducks' "Quack Attack." He had also tutored Milton's idol, Marcus Mariota, who starred at Oregon and became the first Hawaiian-born player to win the Heisman Trophy. As a former quarterback at Nebraska, Frost knows how vital the main man in the huddle can be. It's not a coincidence that the state's major teams came into Saturday with unbeaten records thanks to decent to dominant quarterback play.

Florida State appears to have found its successor to Jameis Winston in redshirt freshman Deon-dre Francois, although he was no match for Lamar Jackson and Louisville. The Florida Gators, lost at mid-season last year after Will Grier was suspended for PEDs, have reason to believe in his successor, Luke Del Rio. Brad Kaaya, projected by most NFL scouts to be a first-round draft pick, has steadied the Miami Hurricanes while learning new coach Mark Richt's system. UCF fans were spoiled in recent years by Blake Bortles. He led the Knights to Fiesta Bowl glory and was picked No.

3 in 2014 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Holman was Bortles' understudy. He has showed promise at times but has lacked consistency. Holman was injured in the second quarter against the Wolverines. Patti came on in relief but didn't fare any better as SCHMITZ Continued from Page CI Bright House Networks Stadium.

Milton had yet to take a collegiate snap. But it looks as if Frost wants to get an idea how the kid fits in the big picture, especially with Holman and Patti in their final seasons. Why start another QB next season if Milton can learn on the job now? Holman had been nursing a hamstring injury, so there was no telling if he couldn't play or simply lost the job. He struggled in a lopsided loss to Michigan last Saturday, as did Patti, who came on in relief. Frost wouldn't divulge Holman's condition all week, per team policy.

He guarded the quarterback issue like a launch code until Milton's father leaked the identity of the Knights' starter on Friday night to Hawaii Prep World: his son. UCF REPORT CHARLES KINGSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER UCF sophomore receiver Tre'Quan Smith (4) leaps over Maryland defenders to make a catch during Saturday night's game at Bright House Networks Stadium. the Knights turned to the run and rolled up 275 yards on Michigan. Holman and Patti each was 3-of-ll and neither threw for more than 40 yards. "The game of football is a what-have-you-done-lately type of game, so you have to earn your job every day you step on the practice field, every game you go out there," Holman said earlier this season.

"You can look at the Tom Brady and Jimmy Garop-polo situation. "If Jimmy Garoppolo goes out there and has a monster set of games while Tom Brady is out, then the fans, coaches and staff are wondering, 'Well, should we keep this kid going because he could eventually be our You have to prove yourself day in and day out in this league." Holman doesn't know now if he's the odd-man-out and the kid, McKenzie Milton, is UCF's future. did not return He was listed as No. 1 on the depth chart Monday and Frost indicated earlier in the week that the injury wasn't as bad as previously thought The senior has started 23 games during his career, including the first two of this season during which he's combined for more than 300 total yards of offense with three total touchdowns. Patti, a redshirt senior, has appeared in 25 games during his college career without a career start SPECIAL TEAMS BOUNCE: Michigan took advantage of several special-teams miscues by the Knights last week.

Punter Caleb Houston spent much of the afternoon being pressured by the Wolverines and his four lacks went for an average of 32.5 yards per lack nearly nine yards less than his career average. Redshirt sophomore Matthew Wright was 0-for-2 on field goals, includ True freshman QB Milton earns surprise start McKenzie Milton became the first true freshman to start a game at quarterback for UCF since Jeff Godfrey in 2010. The Hawaii native got the nod over injured starter Justin Holman and backup Nick Patti. Hawaii Prep World first broke the news of Milton's start after receiving a text message from the quarterback's father. "UCF coaches told McKenzie that he is starting tomorrow night versus Maryland," Mark Milton texted Hawaii Prep World Friday.

"They are not going to red-shirt him" Milton, a three-star dual-threat quarterback from Mililani High, was one of the key pieces to Scott Frosf first recruiting class. Milton's first collegiate drive didn't go as planned. After leading the Knights into Maryland territory on the game's opening drive, McKenzie fumbled the ball cause we didn't get to have it It's the same with the uniforms. I had one pair of cleats for the year." Samuel was back on campus to watch the Knights for the first time under Frost So far, he's liked what he's seen. "You've got to give it time," Samuel said.

'Just from what I know of him and his personality I've definitely been impressed. "He's definitely a people person and that's what it's all about You treat the people right and the kids right and you go from there." Maryland features a handful of players from the state of Florida, including defensive back Antwaine Richardson (Delray Beach), defensive lineman Kingsley Opara (Jacksonville), defensive back Denzel Conyers (St Petersburg) and wide receiver Jahrvis Davenport (Tampa). MattMurschel and Shannon Green ing having a lack blocked. On Saturday, redshirt sophomore Mac Louder-milk took over the team's punting duties and his first punt of the evening was just 32 yards. Frost and his staff tried to jumpstart the lacking game with some deception.

After their third drive appeared to stall at their 23-yard line, UCF lined up for a punt but the ball was directly snapped to linebacker De-meitre Brim, who carried it 17 yards for a first down The drive, however, eventually ended with a 47-yard Louder-milk punt SAMUEL IMPRESSED: Asante Samuel looked up at the new 114-foot-wide scoreboard at Bright House Networks Stadium and shook his head. "It's fun and it's bad at the same time," the former UCF and NFL cornerback said when asked about the changes to the stadium and the program "It's bad be CHARLES KINGSTAFF PHOTOGRAPHER UCF freshman RB Kenneth Williams picks up a big gain before being tackled by Maryland safety Denzel Conyers. back to the Terrapins on a bungled handoff. Milton would settle down and on the team's fourth offensive possession drove UCF 75 yards on eight plays before hooking up with Don-travious Wilson for a 4-yard touchdown pass his first collegiate touchdown. "McKenzie, he's got it, the 'it' factor, whatever it is," Frost said Monday.

"He's had a great camp, does everything the right way. We want to bring him on trips to get him the experience so that he understands what's gonna be asked of him somewhere out in the future." Holman suffered what appeared to be a leg injury in the second quarter of UCF's loss to Michigan last week and.