Shaquem Griffin is having a camp-long sleepover at UCF's football facility

Shaquem Griffin is literally eating and sleeping football for his final UCF preseason camp.

The senior linebacker and reigning American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year would have been spending a lot of time at the Wayne Densch Sports Center anyway, but he's decided to never leave.

"I'm starting something new," Griffin said. "I'm actually staying the night in the Wayne Densch for the rest of camp. I went and bought a blow-up mattress and a little comforter. I'm getting the full experience of camp because it's my last one. I'll be the only one staying in Wayne Densch. I'll be watching film, going in the weight room doing certain stuff. Just getting the full experience instead of going back and forth home. I'm staying here for the entire camp."

Griffin says the fridge is stocked with various snacks, Powerade and Pedialyte. If he's hungry, he'll make himself a sandwich.

This conversation was Thursday night, right after the first practice of camp. UCF went again early Friday morning and held their third practice on Saturday morning.

"We had a level that I didn't expect us to be at on the first day," Griffin said. "Communication wise we were talking. Even the young guys are talking and communicating our signals."

Asked to name someone who has impressed him, Griffin said it was Shawn Burgess-Becker, who is making the move from safety to outside linebacker, mirroring Griffin's position change last year. Burgess-Becker sat out last season after transferring from Alabama.

"That's a guy you can look out for," Griffin said. "He's a guy on the come up who is going to step up for the team. He comes in at night and asks for help, going over pass rush and plays. He's not thinking about the negative, oh why did they move me from DB to linebacker. He's all about, 'How can I learn and step on the field as soon as possible.'"