One day before UCF takes to the field for the first practice of the season, Josh Heupel and members of the team assembed inside Spectrum Stadium's Roth Tower for Media Day.

While the back-to-back American Athletic Conference Champions have plenty of returning talent, there are several big questions that need to be addressed during camp, notably who will step up at quarterback.

Here's everything Heupel had to say.

Opening statement:

"I appreciate everyone being here. So excited to get kicked off here tomorrow morning. Get an opportunity to go on the field and start the next phase of preparing for the 2019 season. Really proud of our team and what they've done since we got back from Christmas and bowl break and started our second semester. They've had a great offseason. I talked about that as we got into spring ball. I thought they handled January and February strength and conditioning and spring ball extremely well. Competed extremely hard. Made a lot of gains. Really proud of what our kids have done throughout the summer. I've had an opportunity to see them throughout the course. Their bodies changed physically, the way they're preparing to go out and be the best football player that they can. Ultimately, that's what the next three and a half weeks are about, leading up to game week. We're in a race against ourselves to be as good as we can, as fast as we can. You look at it as a unit, as a team, but ultimately it's up to each of our individual players to go achieve those things. Proud of the freshman class who joined us in late June. Have some young guys that we're going to find out what we're capable of as we start training camp. In the first two weeks, everybody will get fairly equal reps as we look for great competition on the field."

On the summer conditioning program:

"Rules have changed where you're actually allowed to be around them a little more and get a chance to really see how they're able to develop. First of all, we've had dramatic changes in our weight room. The Gualts and Kohns have stepped up and dramatically changed what our players are able to use as far as equipment inside, the way it aesthetically looks and functions every day. It's a really good resource for our players to maximize everything they want to do inside our strength and conditioning area. I think our strength and conditioning staff is absolutely fantastic. Coach Schmidt and his staff do a great job of developing our guys position specific. When you watch those guys work out, our bigs, o-line, d-line, line of scrimmage guys run completely different than our skill guys and our big skills which is we want to call them, tight ends, linebackers, are going to train differently as well. I think everything that they do, our players understand the why behind it and how it correlates to them being a better football player. When players understand the why, they're going to buy in and push themselves to obtain the best that they can."

On his comfort level in year two:

"I'm a seasoned vet now. I was a rookie last year. I think our entire program, we were in a great place last year. Great buy-in and great communication between players and coaches. We developed trust as we went along the way. Everything was brand new for our players though. It was the first time they'd gone into spring ball, first time in summer workouts, first time going into training camp (with us). There's always some uncertainty in those things. There's nothing like going through the test of time together. Going through trials and tribulations, peaks and valleys, ups and downs. The battles that we went through during the course of last season to ultimately bring your football team a lot closer. We did that as we went through the season. In coming back after the bowl game, as good of a place as we were, during the course of last season, I felt like there was a heightened sense of urgency. A heightened sense of trust between players and coaches. Accountability inside of our locker room. An understanding of who and what we truly want to be and how we're going to get there. I think that only takes place as you go through the course of time. When players truly understand what the expectations are, they're typically going to meet the standard every day. If you do that, you give yourself a chance to become what we're capable of."

On using the Fiesta Bowl loss as motivation:

"You had two seasons of not losing a football game. Not that our team ever took it for granted or anything like that. I thought they prepared in a great way. I think the course of that 60 minutes showcases how each and every play matters, whether it's the first play or the last one. Doing your job to the absolute best that you can and paying attention to every detail in your scheme and your technique, how those things add up to being successful and finding a way to go win a football game. We've got great belief in who and what we are as a program. Our players are extremely confident. Since I've been here, I think our players have and probably always have a chip on their shoulder. I don't think that's a bad thing for our program."

On how much Heupel observed the quarterbacks' leadership skills during the offseason:

"We spend time and energy, not just the quarterback position, but everybody inside our program. One, what is leadership? And two, when you are a guy that's a great teammate and making sure that you're doing things right and holding the teammate accountable next to you, how do you phase into a true leadership role. What does that look like inside of your meeting room? What does it look like inside of your unit? What does it look like when you're a full team? What does it look like in workouts, in practice? Those are all things that when you're older in age, you experience those things and you take them for granted. The great thing about college football is a quarter of your roster turns over every year. It's a hard thing about college football too. It's a great thing. Starting in January, those leadership roles, players walk into those position rooms and all of a sudden there's a guy who graduated and moved on, he was the leader inside that room, it takes them a couple weeks to figure out, one, it's going to be me, two, how do I find my voice in that? Those are things coaches spend a lot of time, I spend a lot of time, trying to help those guys find out what it is and put them in position for when they have to speak up. They have to make sure we're accomplishing our mission."

On the depth going into the season:

"From year one to year two, I think we're developing a lot more depth inside of our program. I think in particular, you look at the recruiting classes the last couple years. The line of scrimmage, the number and the types of guys that we added, I think will allow us to continue a lot of depth. I said it earlier, but when you look at what we signed, the numbers in the previous recruiting classes, obviously the line of scrimmage has been a point of emphasis for us. We've got great skill players and we're going to continue to do that. I like what we've done at the line of scrimmage here the last couple years. Ultimately, we're going to find out where those guys are at when we get out tomorrow in training camp. As we go through it, the process of building our team, but I think great competition is the absolute best friend that a coach has. It's going to drive everybody inside that meeting room to compete with themselves and the guy next to them in a positive way, but compete in a great way every single day."

On the quarterback competition:

"I want to see a guy fully take the reins of it and prove that he is the guy. I want it to be fierce and competitive. I want the guy who isn't the guy to be playing at a championship level too. I think it's important for that position, like any position on the football team, but that position in particular because they have the ball in their hands, in some ways they control the destiny of your football team, that they prove to the guys next to them and on the line of scrimmage, that they are the guy. I think that's important that they take that ownership and the guys feel that way about them. To do that, somebody has to go out and earn it and really take the job. The great thing about spring ball, in a quarterback battle, somebody is going to play poorly enough that they prove that they're not the guy. That hasn't been the case through the 15 practices in spring ball. I feel like all of them are going to dramatically from where they were when they left after the spring game. They've spent a lot of time inside the building. They've poured a lot of energy into understanding our schemes, growing and understanding defenses, pressures and ultimately being a smarter football player. We're going to find that out and go through that process starting tomorrow."

On whether he wants one starter or a rotation at QB:

"At the end of the day, we're going to play the guy that's ready to play. I certainly hope that somebody goes out and proves that he's the guy."

On the timeline for naming a starter:

"I don't have a specific timeline just because every quarterback battle I've ever been in, whether that's as a player or a coach, kind of unfolds differently. I think you've got to go through the process. When a guy truly earns and proves that he's the guy, then you name them and go in that direction."

On his biggest question on the team, besides QB:

"Competition. You need to continue to develop depth at every position. Guys have got to earn starting positions. I think just with the graduation on the defensive line, I think the two interior spots in particular are critical to finding out who and what we are on that side of the ball. We have a couple transfers, a grad transfer and junior college transfer who has been here since the middle of May. I think they're going to add great competition immediately. Have some young guys that have been in our program, some through spring ball and some that just arrived. I think athletically are pretty special. How quickly can they understand how hard you have to compete and understand your schemes too, just from snap to whistle. We're going to find that out."

On the role of McKenzie Milton:

"This summer he's been with those guys. Taking the year as a quote-unquote coach type of year. He's a great sounding board for all our quarterbacks. The way we practice, some of the tempo you see on game day. After a series, he'll pull those guys back to the sideline and rewind things, ask their perspective but also give his insights as well. I think that's been great inside of the meeting room as well."

On non-conference scheduling and his thoughts as the head coach:

"At the end of the day, I've got great trust and belief in Danny as our leader. He's grown a phenomenal brand here in a short amount of time he's been here. We're willing to go play anyone. Our players are extremely confident. We're a confident coaching staff. I think every university is a little bit different. The track record of what we've proven here, not just the last couple years but the last decade too, is important to understand. Certainly over the last couple years. The other thing too is that thing is sold out every week. That may be different at some other places that are playing some of those 2-for-1s. I think that's important to note as well."

On sticking with the "1-and-0" mantra:

"We talk about going 1 and 0 inside of our program every day. It's true to me. I think it's true to our players. That absolutely is a part of who and what we are. Controlling what we can control. That's today and how we prepare and go through it."

On replacing Dredrick Snelson:

"We have great competition. Some guys who have been here and played a little football. Marlon Williams did a great job. He's a guy that through the course of the summer has changed his body and his ability to play consistently at an elite level because of what he's done. Jacob Harris is a guy that's played multiple positions. I think he's going to compete at that position. We've got some young guys that will get a shot as well... and I should mention Otis Anderson. He played there last year, played running back. His ability to play both positions."

On the kicking competition:

"That's a position that you graduate three guys that were pretty special. For us to be what we need to be, we need to win special teams, that third of the game, every single week. We've got some young guys that are on campus that have got to take ownership of the role. Alex Ward has done a phenomenal job snapping the football for us. I think he's going to be really, really solid and ultimately be a great player for us at that position. I think the kicking competition for field goal and kickoff is something we're going to see as we go through training camp."

On incoming transfers Tony Gray (OL) and Brandon Wilson (DL):

"Brandon in particular, because of the youth on that side of the line of scrimmage, his ability to be eligible immediately for sure. Mature. Highly competitive. Has played on big stages. Understands the way you need to operate. Having seen him in the weight room. Because of the graduation of a year ago and the youth in that room, that experience, that maturity will be critical to the develop of that position inside. Tony Gray, all those guys that have transferred in, have done a great job of blending in to who and what we are. They show up day one and don't understand the expectations and standards inside our building. They don't know anybody's name. They've got to learn 124 names. They've grown throughout the course of summer and really ingrained themselves to the fabric and DNA of our program."

On UCF's national reputation:

"Our brand, our logo is recognized coast to coast. Constantly front and center in media. It changes the landscape of recruiting. Our ability to have great players. It allows us to maybe be a little more meticulous and picky maybe in the recruiting process. But at the end of the day, a major part of what we do is Florida, South Georgia and include Atlanta in that area, those guys all have great respect for what we're doing, the recruits and high school coaches."

On Adrian Killins:

"An All-Conference play. One of the most dynamic players in college football. If you can get him in open space in the run game or pass game, he'll have game-changing explosive plays. You take over a program and in year one you're trying to develop trust with offensive guys and defensive guys too. What type of scheme you're going to run. I thought we got better at that as the season unfolded, both sides of the line of scrimmage. Also special teams. He's a guy that coming back in January has been really focused. Sometimes you get to your senior year, you understand the urgency of how fast this is going to end. What your goals and aspirations, why you're here and long term as well. He's had a great offseason."

On a Darriel Mack Jr. update:

"We still don't know when he'll be back exactly."

On Randy Charlton being a leader on the defensive line:

"I think it's unique that he's got maybe as much experience as anybody on the front four besides B-Hayes. I think those two guys, if you talk about leadership on the defensive line group, those are the two guys that immediately come up as the cornerstones in that room. I think that unit, I said it at media days, maybe grew and changed as much as any position throughout the course of summer. Physically, when you see them come out on the practice field, they look different. They're moving different than they were. I think those two guys really grabbing the reins of that group. Took them to a different place this summer, but will ultimately who and what we're going to be up front on the line of scrimmage during the course of the season."

On the offensive talent overall helping the new QB:

"We need those veterans to play at an elite championship level. They're certainly capable of it. They've got to prove it every day still. Absolutely. If you're able to run the football, that changes the numbers in the passing game. Changes the third downs that you play in. You're able to throw it on your terms instead of being forced to throw the football. Changes the way people rush the pocket. All those things lend themselves to taking the pressure off the quarterback and giving him a chance to play his best football and not have as much pressure. At the end of the day, when you're playing that position, you're the one guy that's touching the football, besides the center, every single play. You're making a bunch of decisions. We'll need a quarterback playing at a championship level and I believe we'll have that when we kick off."