UCF utility player Otis Anderson Jr. took to social media to address the question Knight Nation has been waiting to hear the answer to — will the “spark plug” of the UCF football team declare for the NFL draft or stay for his senior year?
Anderson Jr. said he will return for a fourth season in a Thursday statement posted to his social media accounts.
“I was raised to complete everything I started. With that being said, after speaking with my family on numerous occasions, we have come to the conclusion that it is best for me to NOT forgo my Senior season. Doing so, gives me the opportunity to address my weaknesses, add onto my legacy during my last season, complete my Bachelor’s Degree, and start on my Master’s Degree,” Anderson Jr. wrote in the statement.
“I look forward to greater responsibilities, an increased leadership role on and off the field, and to continuing to be the ‘Spark Plug’ of the offense. Go Knights!” the statement reads.
Anderson Jr. demonstrated his versatility at both running back and wide receiver during Monday’s 2019 Bad Boy Mowers Gasparilla Bowl in Tampa, Florida.
In the Knights’ 48-25 victory over the Marshall Thundering Herd, Anderson Jr. caught a 35-yard pass from freshman quarterback Dillon Gabriel to bring the Knights’ lead to 31-7 in the third quarter. The Jacksonville, Florida, native also rushed for 61 yards on nine carries in the game.
Anderson Jr. rushed for 726 yards on 113 passes and five scores in 13 games played this season. The junior is also responsible for 365 yards on 31 receptions and three touchdowns.
In his sophomore season, Anderson Jr. was responsible for 683 all-purpose yards in 12 games, where he started in eight. The then-sophomore utility player rushed 51 times for 275 yards and four touchdowns on the ground while accounting for three touchdowns on 16 receptions for 230 yards through the air. He also returned 15 punts for 178 yards during the 2018 season.
As a freshman, Anderson Jr. started in one game but appeared in 12 games — splitting his time between running back, where he ran for 494 yards and four touchdowns on 69 carries, and wide receiver, catching 30 passes for 351 yards and three touchdowns.
As a Knight, Anderson Jr. has contributed 1,434 yards on 224 passes and 13 scores on the ground, and 877 yards on 72 receptions and eight touchdowns in the air.
