Visit Weekend Preview: UCF looks to shore up defensive line
UCF's first official visit weekend of January focuses on the defensive line.
The Knights are bringing in two prospects:
-DT Tyrese Black, McDonough (Ga.) Eagle's Landing
-DE Landon Woodson, Stafford (Va.)
Black was visited earlier this week by defensive line coach Shane Burnham.
"Coach and I were getting to know each other," Black told UCFSports.com. "He was telling me about the UCF program and the team bonding and chemistry they have, about how the team being very tight and close. Also, he was telling me about the amount of players that graduate after football.
"What really sticks out to me the most is the coaches. "They actually care about your life off the field. I'm very excited to visit UCF."
Arkansas, TCU, Louisville, Syracuse and Kentucky are a few of the other schools recruiting Black. This will be his first official visit.
Woodson was a prior target of Burnham while he was at Rutgers. He had an injury-plagued start to his football career, tearing a meniscus as a freshman then an ACL as a sophomore only to re-injure the ACL as a junior. His senior year was his first full injury-free season.
Woodson received his official offer shortly after UCF's victory in the Peach Bowl.
"With them coming off such an amazing season, I was amazed," Woodson told Fredericksburg.com. "It was literally two or three days after the game, which made me feel even better. They like me at tight end and defensive end."
UConn and Syracuse are also in the mix and he is scheduled to visit Storrs the weekend of Jan. 26.
The Knights graduate Jamiyus Pittman and Tony Guerad from a defensive line that was the best in the American. The unit dominated Auburn in the Peach Bowl, contributing for six sacks and limiting the Tigers' rushing attack. Returners include upperclassmen Trysten Hill and Joey Connors along with several promising players who redshirted: Jeremiah Zio, Mason Cholewa and transfer Canton Kaumatule.
UCF signed four defensive line prospects in the early period: Randy Charlton, Davonchae Bryant, Demetreius Mayes and Issac Walker.