In the next couple weeks, when Dawkins will make the cross-country move from California, where he previously coached the Stanford Cardinal, to Orlando, he hopes to jump right into the process of building a new staff with "different personalities." He'll be focused on getting to know the team he aims to lead to a successful comeback season in 2016-17.

From there, he hopes to better utilize Fall, whose recruitment garnered national attention. The Senegal native continued to make headlines with multiple American Athletic Conference honors.

"I've seen Tacko. Tacko is 7-6 and he should be a force around the basket and we need to utilize that," Dawkins said. "Meaning that a lot of times, a team can fall into that trap of becoming so perimeter oriented that you forget about someone who has that presence."

Full article: http://www.centralfloridafuture.com/stor.../82211186/

Dawkins just landed a Lithuanian transfer from Texas Tech. Has to sit out a year, and will have three to play. This may be a good back-up for Tacko. This guy will benefit by the extra year. UCF has been doin work on the recruiting trail.

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UCF lands Texas Tech 6-11 big man Rokas Ulvydas, sources told ESPN. Will sit and have three years left with Johnny Dawkins.

(06-02-2016 04:21 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  Dawkins just landed a Lithuanian transfer from Texas Tech. Has to sit out a year, and will have three to play. This may be a good back-up for Tacko. This guy will benefit by the extra year. UCF has been doin work on the recruiting trail.

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UCF lands Texas Tech 6-11 big man Rokas Ulvydas, sources told ESPN. Will sit and have three years left with Johnny Dawkins.

Challenge is will this be a "lost" season for Tacko and BJ Taylor...as Dawkins lost all of his HS recruits and ended up signing 4 transfers that have to sit out a season.

I hope this is just a first year "have to" strategy and Dawkins focuses solely on HS recruits for his first full year class (already has one HS verbal) as it seems coaches that focus on transfers each and every year don't do so well in the end (i.e. keep chasing quick fixes).

Heaven forbid if BJ (or others) get injured again this year...as it could go from bad to worse.

As for Frosh, I doubt there are many left available worth adding, So next year is what it is. Seems like most he is taking in will have 2 or 3 years left which is fine.The Tex Tech kid is a perfect example, next year will be the same as a redshirt year, He will be the equivalent of an redshirt sophmore.

Football and BB are totally different, in BB you have constant transferring going on, One year players, and 2 year players. Football not so much.

Perhaps at some point, UCF may focus on signing good American players. :)

You guys just need to make sure he can run back on defense. That's where I noticed UCF's biggest weakness was last season

(06-03-2016 06:43 AM)goodknightfl Wrote:  As for Frosh, I doubt there are many left available worth adding, So next year is what it is. Seems like most he is taking in will have 2 or 3 years left which is fine.The Tex Tech kid is a perfect example, next year will be the same as a redshirt year, He will be the equivalent of an redshirt sophmore.

Football and BB are totally different, in BB you have constant transferring going on, One year players, and 2 year players. Football not so much.

While at least one of the transfers was a key starting player...others were role players and one barely even played (Texas Tech transfer) so their future benefit to the program is still up in the air...but it will cost the program a year of scholarship for all (except Dawkins kid who will receive tuition benefit from his Dad's employment).

Hopefully most will be key contributors next year but the focus has to be mostly on HS recruits for the benefit of the program long-term.