2008 Woodie Awards
A record-breaking season
Padrick Brewer
Issue date: 12/10/07 Section: Sports
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From the opening of the on-campus stadium to the win over Tulsa to secure the Conference USA Championship, the UCF Football team has been on an historical ride this season.
Here are the key moments from the 2007 season:
Smith is anointed
The most obvious storyline from this season for the Knights is running back Kevin Smith's emergence from solid running back to record-breaking beast.
It started with a 217-yard performance against the NC State Wolfpack, and he finished it off with a 284-yard game against West Division Champions, Tulsa.
Smith finished the regular season with 2,448 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns on an NCAA single-season record 415 carries.
Smith now owns just about every rushing record at UCF. He has set the school's career marks in rushing touchdowns, yards, and 100- and 200-yard games.
Smith's 188.3 rushing yards per game leads the nation, and although the coaches of Conference USA voted that he was not the best offensive player in his own conference this year, he was a first-team Walter Camp All-American.
Israel leads the way
After splitting time with Steven Moffett at quarterback last season, Kyle Israel came into the season as the starter.
But just like last season, no one had a firm grip on the job. Though backup Michael Greco never started, he was sporadically given playing time, including the game against South Florida, in which he threw 16 passes.
Israel all but ended any ideas about a quarterback controversy when he went 21-of-29 for 224 yards and a touchdown against Tulsa on Oct. 20. He has thrown just four interceptions in the seven games since the USF loss.
Turning point
It was Oct. 13 in Tampa, and the Knights were coming off their first conference defeat, a 52-38 loss at East Carolina.
Facing the then-ranked No. 5 South Florida Bulls, UCF had a chance to make a statement in a series that USF has no interest in playing past 2008. But UCF left Raymond James Stadium with a humiliating 64-12 loss, and the season appeared to be heading down the drain.
Here are the key moments from the 2007 season:
Smith is anointed
The most obvious storyline from this season for the Knights is running back Kevin Smith's emergence from solid running back to record-breaking beast.
It started with a 217-yard performance against the NC State Wolfpack, and he finished it off with a 284-yard game against West Division Champions, Tulsa.
Smith finished the regular season with 2,448 rushing yards and 29 rushing touchdowns on an NCAA single-season record 415 carries.
Smith now owns just about every rushing record at UCF. He has set the school's career marks in rushing touchdowns, yards, and 100- and 200-yard games.
Smith's 188.3 rushing yards per game leads the nation, and although the coaches of Conference USA voted that he was not the best offensive player in his own conference this year, he was a first-team Walter Camp All-American.
Israel leads the way
After splitting time with Steven Moffett at quarterback last season, Kyle Israel came into the season as the starter.
But just like last season, no one had a firm grip on the job. Though backup Michael Greco never started, he was sporadically given playing time, including the game against South Florida, in which he threw 16 passes.
Israel all but ended any ideas about a quarterback controversy when he went 21-of-29 for 224 yards and a touchdown against Tulsa on Oct. 20. He has thrown just four interceptions in the seven games since the USF loss.
Turning point
It was Oct. 13 in Tampa, and the Knights were coming off their first conference defeat, a 52-38 loss at East Carolina.
Facing the then-ranked No. 5 South Florida Bulls, UCF had a chance to make a statement in a series that USF has no interest in playing past 2008. But UCF left Raymond James Stadium with a humiliating 64-12 loss, and the season appeared to be heading down the drain.