Top College News Subscribe to the Newsletter

Uncle Luke: O’Leary needs to resign or let Godfrey transfer

Guest Columnist

Published: Saturday, November 26, 2011

Updated: Sunday, November 27, 2011 17:11

Luther Campbell

Luther Campbell

Editor's note: Luther Campbell, also known as Uncle Luke, is a former member of the Miami hip-hop group 2 Live Crew and a columnist for the Miami New Times. Campbell is a philanthropist in his community, co-founding the National Youth Football League and mentoring at-risk youth in Miami through youth football organizations for more than two decades. Campbell is a known mentor to UCF quarterback Jeff Godfrey and had reported on Twitter Saturday night that Godfrey's father requested a scholarship release from head coach George O'Leary.

George O'Leary is the biggest back-stabbing cutthroat coach in the NCAA. He should have resigned from UCF's athletic program a long time ago.

Thanks to O'Leary, former athletic director Keith Tribble and former assistant football coach David Kelly are being made as the fall guys for the ongoing NCAA investigation into infractions at UCF.

O'Leary never got along with Tribble, who insisted the Knights recruit players from South Florida — the No. 1 hotbed for talented players in the country. O'Leary had a big problem with that. He prefers to get his players from Georgia and upstate New York. He was happy with a team that lost four games a year and didn't win any championships.

Central Florida was a doormat before Tribble's arrival. O'Leary has undone all the good work Tribble accomplished in the past two years.

One thing is for sure: It will be difficult for O'Leary to recruit in South Florida considering how much love the football community has for both Tribble and Kelly. Since the scandal broke, O'Leary won't take Kelly's calls. That's messed up.

It's also a shame how O'Leary has thrown quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey under the bus this season. Godfrey was the first quarterback in school history to win a Conference USA championship and a bowl game. Yet, O'Leary has treated the poor kid like trash this year by abandoning the option and catering the offense more to Blake Bortles, Godfrey's backup. That shows you the head coach has no loyalty.

Why should Godfrey, last year's C-USA freshman Rookie of the Year and freshman All-American, show any loyalty to UCF?

O'Leary should be a man and grant Godfrey an unconditional transfer when the season is over.

Recommended: Articles that may interest you

10 comments

Alex
Wed Nov 30 2011 13:35
This paper is a joke. No wonder people go to Knightnews.com for their UCF news.
Anonymous
Mon Nov 28 2011 10:45
Message to Jeff Godfrey:

Listen to your all your advisors. Look at all the facts. Act as your head and heart tell you to act.

PS: Finish your degree.

Anonymous
Mon Nov 28 2011 09:51
I guess this is the type of "informed" hack that passes for a columnist in Miami. Uncle Luther might just be a little too close to the situation to be rational.

Godfrey was very consistent this year...at making terrible decisions with the ball.

Anonymous
Mon Nov 28 2011 07:27
Why does this dirty bag porn director, have an article published in the UCF student newspaper. I am a life long Hurricane fan and a graduate of the UCF business school in 1993. Before you go off on me being a Miami fan, UCF was 1-AA team when I was going to school there. Campbell knows nothing about the UCF program or it's history. UCF won the C-USA title before Godfrey ever stepped on campus. George O'Leary is not going any where for the next several years. Georgia Tech fans would love to have him back after getting destroyed by UGA this year.

Campbell is nothing but a race baiter. In the 1995 Miami had a quarterback race between Frank Costa and Ryan Collins. Campbell told coach Erickson to start Collins or he was going to go to the NCAA. Collins was black, and he was trying to distance himself from Campbell. Costa ended up starting in 1995, and Collins in 1996. Campbell did go to the NCAA, but was mostly ignored because of his reasons for reporting to the NCAA. Miami banned him from going to any games or having anything to do with the program. That was lifted when Randy Shannon was hired as head coach. Since Shannon has been fired, Campbell has not been seen around the program much. One thing that was not in his bio was he is the current DC at Miami Northwestern high school. Miami NW did not make the playoffs this year for the first time in years. I wonder why?

Padrick
Mon Nov 28 2011 03:04
I am annoyed I used the Britta'd comment for that other exercise in word vomit, because I really want to use it here.

But I won't, because it would be pathetic.

I guess you deserve a congrats, however. Because this is popular, and I imagine it will remain popular for a while, and you can probably milk more out of it, maybe get some other pseudo-celeb to weigh in. Perhaps Daunte Culpepper, who has the benefit of actually attending UCF, though not while any current football coach was there. But hey, that's more of a connection than Luther Campbell has.

But it's popular in the way a column about UCF being better off with President Hitt dead would be popular. It's popular not because it has anything of merit or makes any nuanced or creative argument. It's popular because it appeals to the base level of interaction. It presents one steady emotion, and that is "I AM SO ANGRY AND MAD AND LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IT." Which is reasonable if you are a cute child, less so if you are pretending to be an adult.

So, hell, be happy about the popularity and the proliferation of column. But please don't be proud of it.

Amused at the absurdity of this
Sun Nov 27 2011 21:36
This "column" makes absolutely no sense. How is Tribble a "fall guy" for infractions that he himself did and then lied about to the NCAA and how is Coach Kelly a "fall guy" if he's the one who lied to the NCAA? Sounds more like he's trying to make O'Leary a fall guy for his buddy getting asked to resign. Remind me what wonderful things Tribble "did" that O'Leary "undid?" O'Leary, who was hired by the PREVIOUS AD, brought UCF football to three division championships and two conference championships, and worked UCF Athletics to bring the on campus stadium to fruition.

Godfrey "thrown under the bus???" What on earth is this guys talking about? O'Leary plays whatever kid deserves it at the time and has said on numerous occasions, "This is Jeff's team." Didn't Jeff start most (or maybe even all) games this year? There are no guarantees in college football... no player is guaranteed to play ALL minutes in ALL games. UCF is not the first college to play more than one quarterback and what the heck is wrong with building depth anyhow?!?

This guy's threat about UCF not being able to recruit in South Florida is silly. He's giving the kids down there no credit for being able to make intelligent decisions, but I think most are smart enough to see past this guy's personal vendetta. I doubt that they'll be foolish enough to turn their back on opportunities at the country's second largest university, with a beautiful campus, awesome athletic facilities, great academics and a history of sending quality athletes to the NFL, just because some former rapper has decided HE is upset with UCF. It seems to me that he's trying to manipulate people by starting unsubstantiated rumors.

And finally... why was this column even printed? Is the CFF aspiring to stoop to the level of the National Enquirer?

UCF CC
Sun Nov 27 2011 17:54
The only thing GOL is guilty of is not realizing that once JG's cat was out of the bag and he had to think in order to be productive, his QB days were over. Can't say I blame him for not wanting to pollute the program with thugs from south Florida. I say let JG go back to Miami where he take take care of his baby mama.

.

Anonymous
Sun Nov 27 2011 17:26
Hahaha I guess this site just let this guy get his article posted to show how ridiculous he is. The man clearly has less intelligence than a walrus, so why should anyone take him seriously.

I feel bad for Godfrey, who will probably end up listening to this guy who just wants to be able to control things. If Jeff is the man he always seemed like me to be, he would not run from a little QB competition.

That said, it's clear that Blake has the brighter future QB as Godfrey could not make adjustments to teams that game-planned against him. Jeff should be appreciative that UCF gave him the chance to play QB, but he does not have a future at the position.

Oh, and you guys do realize that this is the same system that was run for Godfrey at QB last year, when he "took the team to the championship". Newsflash, the defense carried the team last year.

Anonymous
Sun Nov 27 2011 16:50
Really? Nothing like twisting facts to fit your agenda here "Uncle Luke".

Jeff Godfrey isn't perfoming on the football field due to Jeff Godfrey, not O'Leary. O'Leary continued to start Godfrey in EVERY game this season despite playing poorly. I would say he gave him ever shot in the world to make plays and Godfrey just isn't cutting the mustard as a QB. Godfrey has talent, no doubt. It just isn't a talent that includes seeing over 6'6" lineman and being able to assess downfield coverage and find an open reciever. Godfrey also has a nasty habit of tripping over his own two feet when trying to run. Godfrey has tackled himself more than the opposing defenses has.

Bortles is the better QB right now. Sorry your "son" didn't do well this year and you are frustrated at the season. We all are. I am not even a supporter of O'Leary overall. With regard to the NCAA violations, they were all on Tribble and somewhat on Kelly. Tribble lied repeatedly to NCAA investigators about his relationships. Tribble created a alternate e-mail. Tribble used thugs to help attract players to UCF. That was not GOL.

Alex
Sun Nov 27 2011 16:33
Why would Godfrey leave, he doesn't seem like that kind of man because that would be a b**** move.




log out