Josh Heupel updates status of McKenzie Milton & Brandon Moore

During Wednesday's recruiting press conference, UCF head coach Josh Heupel answered a couple questions about the status of two key players recovering from injuries, quarterback McKenzie Milton and cornerback Brandon Moore.

Milton, who suffered a devastating knee injury in the 2018 Black Friday game at South Florida, made a recent doctor's visit to Minnesota and was cleared to move into a more athletic-style brace.

"So excited for him," Heupel said. "You get the news, you talk to him on the phone and you see him the next day after the (doctor) visit and he's the training room doing squat jumps. Those hurdles, those are phenomenal. A couple days ago he's changing out his brace from one that's restrictive to one that gives him full functional movement to do everything that he would want to do. Those are great moments in the mountains that he's had to climb from when this whole thing started. I don't think any of us can appreciate how far he has come and the mental toughness, the physical toughness too, to get up and fight every day. He's still got a long ways to go. He knows that. But he's got great joy. It's kind of like pushing a snowball uphill. Get to the top and you push downhill and it's starting to pick up speed. He's really excited about where he's at and where he has an opportunity to go."

Brandon Moore tore his ACL in the 2019 season-opening game vs. FAMU. Heupel spoke as if he's on track to return to action right before this upcoming preseason camp.

"He's doing really well," Heupel said. "He's starting to maneuver around with his lower body. I feel like he's on track. He's still got hurdles to climb and a bunch of rehab, but he's going to be more functional as we get to the back half of the spring ball. Won't be in spring ball, but will be functional in his movement and can train at this position. Should have him ready as we get closer to the end of the summer."