UCF Knights’ interim head coach discussed the future of the team at a Monday afternoon press conference only one day after George O’Leary’s sudden retirement announcement.
“In an effort to allow UCF to accelerate its search for my successor and clarify the facts regarding my future plans, I am retiring effective immediately,” O’Leary said in his statement on Sunday.
Although O’Leary will not finish out the rest of the 2015 football season, UCF quarterbacks coach Danny Barrett, who has been with the team for five years, will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season and is optimistic about the Knights’ future.
“We got to stay together and find a way to win a ball game,” Barrett said. “You know and it has to start tomorrow when we get back on the practice field and it all starts with the right attitude.”
UCF football players Thomas Niles, Joseph Puopolo and Cedric Thompson spoke together and answered questions from the media before Barrett at the press conference.
Puopolo, H-back for the Knights, described the room as “quiet” after O’Leary personally told the football team about his retirement.
“We didn’t really know how to react,” he added.
Thompson, H-back for the Knights, expressed that he thinks O’Leary would not have made this retirement announcement if the team were having a successful season.
“It is tough because a lot of the losses and a lot of things that we went through was on us as a team,” Thompson said.
Thompson continued to talk about how he believes the coaches have done their job in preparing the football players.
“It is a little disheartening, as a player, to know that we could of had a greater effect on this in a more positive manner,” Thompson said.
Thompson added the he does not know if O’Leary’s decision will help the program, but the team has four games to play and they need to focus on finishing strong.
“In this program we have pride and we don’t quit,” Thompson said. “We work hard regardless if things aren’t going the way we want them to go; We still want to finish strong.”
Barrett said he is going to focus on motivating the football players.
This will not be the first time Barrett has taken on such as position since he worked as the head coach for the Canadian Football League’s Saskatchewan Roughriders from 2000 to 2006. Barrett stated at the press conference that he is the only staff member to date that has previous head coaching experience.
UCF offensive coordinator Brent Key will receive a $700,000 payout in exchange for not being the Knights’ next head coach, said Grant Heston, Vice President of communications and marketing at UCF.
The university expects to hire a new vice president and director of athletics by December, the release states. After those positions are filled, the new athletics director will search for a new head football coach.
Barrett said he came to UCF because it was “the place to be.” He added, “and it’s still the place to be.”
Photo by Aileen Perilla
