UCFSports.com - Goray loved everything about UCF

June 16, 2006

Brandon Helwig
UCFSports.com Publisher

Everything seemed to fall into place for Jake Goray, who last week became UCF's first commitment for the Class of 2007. The tight end from Choctawhatchee High School in Fort Walton Beach said UCF fit the bill for everything he was looking for. Goray loved the entire package that UCF has to offer with top of the line coaches, facilities and academics.

"I made a solid commitment to Coach George O'Leary and the University of Central Florida," Goray said last week. "It was what I wanted. Each aspect-- the coaches, facilities to system, possible early playing time-- right on the down the line, everything is good. Honestly, I couldn't find a negative thing about it. I absolutely loved the school."

"It's going to provide very good flexibility as far as academics go for me. "I'm going to be in the engineering field and it's a great fit. I'm real comfortable down there. If it's there, why wait? If it's where you really want to go and that's where I really wanted to go, I'm just going to take it and pull the trigger."

Goray said he always wanted to make an early commitment and he didn't see any reason to wait on UCF's offer.

"My original plan was to commit early," Goray said. "I wanted to make sure I'm focused on my senior season and I didn't want to have any distractions as far as recruiting goes. I went down to UCF and that's what I want. I'm not going to wait around for something that I don't really want. I just took it."

UCF was the first school to offer Goray.

"They offered in February," Goray said. "I went to two junior days there. I went to the one on April 1 and the one last Saturday (June 4). Coach (James) Bernhardt e-mailed my dad and they said they were interested and they intend on offering a scholarship. I then got a hand-written letter from Coach (Brent) Key, the tight ends coach, and the next week they basically gave me the offer online. It just really came out of nowhere."

Goray really started to like UCF after his first visit there in April.

"I had been to Orlando, but I had never been to the university so I really didn't know much about it," Goray said. "I was very, very impressed with Coach (George) O'Leary and his staff there. Coach Key, Coach (Tim) Salem and all those guys-- just super impressed. I was impressed with the facilities, academics and just the attitude there. They have an attitude that they'll play anybody any time, anywhere. They've got so many good things going for them right now. They're building a new stadium and renovating all the facilities and dorms. It's just a really great place."

It was on June 1 that Goray decided the time was right to go ahead and make that commitment official. He had been leaning to UCF for quite some time.

"We finished our spring practice and I had received phone calls in May," Goray said. "People were calling and I had talked to UCF along with a bunch of other people. We didn't discuss a commitment at that time, but I stayed up until midnight watching movies on June 1 and I was thinking about all the schools that had called. I realized UCF is the right place. I can sit around and wait and let other accept because they've offered other people. They could accept it and I'm left with nothing really."

He informed the UCF coaches of his decision on Friday, June 2.

"After football practice I called Coach Key," Goray said. "I said I've thought everything out and done my homework on this. I decided I'm going to commit early and I'm committing to you, UCF. This is where I want to go and this is where I want to be. Of course he was super excited. I went ahead and verbally committed on the telephone last Friday and then I went down and talked to Coach O'Leary in person (on June 4). I said Coach, this is where I'm coming and I'll see you this December because I'm graduating early. Coach Key and the staff already knew about my commitment, but I wanted to tell Coach O'Leary to make it official."

Goray is especially looking forward to working with Coach O'Leary next year.

"It was incredible really," Goray said. "I got to talk to him the last time we were down there and he told me the offer was there on table back in April. Shortly after that I got the actual written offer. It was so neat, a guy with his reputation. He's a great person and a great coach too. The whole staff is really a great bunch of guys. I look forward to being coached by them. It was incredible last Sunday, just committing. It's a great feeling. All the hard work and the hot summer days and early morning workouts really pays off when you commit. It's a great feeling."

Houston, FIU, Louisiana-Lafayette and Middle Tennessee had also extended offers to Goray.

"Those were great offers, every one of tem, but they just didn't match up as well as UCF," Goray said. "I was hearing from some other schools for a long time. Auburn and Alabama were there for a while and Notre Dame back in January. LSU stayed in contact and I got some interest from Georgia Southern, South Carolina and Ole Miss. I talked to one of the Stanford coaches. The main ones were Coach (Art) Briles and Coach (Randy) Clements from Houston. I pretty much talked to the whole staff at FIU, Coach (Don) Strock and Coach (Kevin) Fouquier. I got to talk to all the Louisiana-Lafayette staff, Coach (Shawn) Quinn once or twice over the phone. Then Middle Tennessee was the last to offer a couple days back, kind of out of nowhere. They were all good people and they're great programs, but UCF is the best not only for me but for my family too."

Goray said his family couldn't be happier with the decision.

"My parents love it there," Goray said. "They were going to decide either way which school I wanted to go to, but deep down I know they wanted me to go to UCF and the rest of my family too for that matter. They just wanted me to pick the school that was best for me. They felt like I really did and I feel that way too. I knew once I came back from there the second time, this is it, I made the right choice."

Goray, who is an excellent student with a 4.2 grade point average and 24 ACT score, plans to major in engineering at UCF.

"UCF has a very prestigious engineering program with a lot of subprograms that give me flexibility," Goray said. "Should I change my mind when I get down there and even if I want to get out of engineering completely they've got like 95 different undergraduate majors that they offer."

Goray caught eight passes for 160 yards and one touchdown as a junior. He also punted for his team.

"We're looking forward to starting off the season," Goray said. "We're working hard and we're looking forward to having a great year."

Sometimes recruits take other visits after they commit, but not Goray. He's 100 percent solid with the Golden Knights.

"There's no doubt about that," Goray said. "I appreciate the interest and I want to call and thank the other coaches that offered, but it's a solid verbal and I'm not going to change my mind. UCF is where I'm going."

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