#ChargeOn Today: New-look Wayne Densch 👀 — Duke passes on Dawkins
Three months from this week, we’ll all be together in the Bounce House for the first time since November of 2019 🏟️. Is it September 2nd yet? I’m not sure you’re ready for this smoke, Boise State.
Today’s read is 3 minutes ⏲️
Trending in the Kingdom: New Densch, who dis? 🔥
The walls of the Wayne Densch Center is now decorated with UCF-themed mementos (Photo via UCF Athletics)
Shoot, I’m not ashamed to admit it, we all could use a little post-pandemic makeover after 15 months away from society. Apparently, UCF Athletics took the “new year, new me” to heart.
Here’s the scoop: The Wayne Densch Center, which is basically the on-campus HQ for UCF Athletics, got a much-needed facelift. The once-bare walls are now flush with UCF-themed mementos and moments, achievements and alumni.
I’ve spent many a days inside this building interviewing athletes and coaches. It was never the highlight of the facilities tour, but that’s all changed. The new wraps are dope.
So, what’s on the walls? 🖼️ UCF did a good job of hyping up the renovations, including a photo gallery of each slick graphic design.
Let’s walk you through a few 🚶🏻
(Photo via UCF Athletics)
ENTRANCE — Once you walk through the doors of the center, you’re greeted by two of UCF’s most prized trophies, from the 2013 Fiesta Bowl and the 2017 Peach Bowl (not pictured). Both were prestigious New Year’s 6 bowl wins. In place of the antiquated block glass background, UCF moved the large LED screen from the weight room into the lobby, amplifying the look and making it much more sleek and modernized.
(Photo via UCF Athletics)
COACH’S OFFICE — To the right of the entrance is the head coach’s office, now home to Gus Malzahn. The sleek, matte black doors accompanied by the stained glass with UCF’s logo are a nice touch.
(Photo via UCF Athletics)
HALLWAY — Turn left from facing Malzahn’s digs and what now meets you is a long hallway of program highlights. A third of the way down, you’re greeted by a decorative view of UCF’s NY6 victories, the two biggest in program history. Placards showcase photos and the final score from both the Peach Bowl (above) and the Fiesta Bowl wins.
(Photo via UCF Athletics)
HALLWAY — The next wall over features a running list of the UCF Knights who’ve played (and are currently playing) in the National Football League. Impressively, they’re up to 164 (and counting).
(Photo via UCF Athletics)
HALLWAY — Towards the end of the hallway - and one of the last images you see - is the commemoration of UCF’s day in the college football national spotlight, when they hosted ESPN’s College Gameday on Nov. 17, 2018.
You can view the rest of the photo gallery here.
WATCH: ▶️ Assistant Director of Recruiting Kareem Reid shows off the new look inside the Wayne Densch, including what the revamped film and meeting rooms look like (via UCFSports).
Wayne Desnch IG Tour
Newly-hired UCF Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir recently teased some of the upgrades during a Charge On Tour stop. He talked about the addition of the graphics, lights, fresh paint and some new turf.
Overall, he was pretty clear that these changes are only the beginning. He called facility upgrades “paramount” for the future.
“The people are number one, but having nice facilities is number two. Facilities are important because of recruiting. Having everyday functionality for your student-athletes, plus having a nice recruiting trail is important. At the end of the day, there’s never been a piece of stone to help anybody, people do. But, you have to have facilities.“
The fresh look certainly got the attention of one former Knight.
UCF new upgrade at the Wayne Densch🔥🔥 , y’all couldn’t do that while I was there??😭🙌🏾
Now let’s see if Mohajir and Co. can secure a naming-rights partner for UCF’s football stadium. In case you’re reading this, Elon Musk, they’ve been trying to get a hold of you.
🏀 Dawkins staying put...for now
There's quite a bond between Coach K and Johnny Dawkins (Photo via UCF Basketball)
It didn’t take long for the college basketball world to float a few names of potential successors to Mike Krzyzewski at Duke. Of course, UCF men’s basketball coach Johnny Dawkins was a natural pivot. There’s a long history there, on both sides, dating back to Dawkins’ playing days at Duke and then working for Krzyzewski.
But he’s not going anywhere, at least not to his alma mater. At least not now.
Fill me in: Coach K said in a statement on Wednesday that he will step aside following the 2021-22 season, retiring after what will be 42 years in Durham. He’ll have one more crack at a sixth national championship.
During his time at Duke, he’s won more games than any coach in the sport’s history (1,170) and has led the Blue Devils to 12 Final Fours.
Krzyzewski talked about the decision to step aside on Thursday, saying his retirement has nothing to do with health, the pandemic or the game changing (think NIL), but that “I have decided the journey is going to be over in a year.”
But the bigger news (well, at least for us) is that associate head coach Jon Scheyer will take over as Krzyzewski’s successor, meaning Johnny Dawkins is staying put.
⚠️ There were reports that Duke considered Dawkins as one of two external replacements for Coach K, before Scheyer got the nod. Dawkins is entering his sixth season in charge of UCF men’s basketball. He spent a decade as an assistant under Coach K, before taking the head job at Stanford.
Podcast: Johnny Dawkins Talks Coach K | FM 96.9 The Game
Yesterday the news broke that the upcoming college basketball season would be the last for Coach K. UCF men’s basketball coach Johnny Dawkins joins the show to talk about the news, he discusses Coach K recruiting him to Duke, and what it means to come from his coaching tree.
🎧 Dawkins appeared on The Beat of Sports with Marc Daniels on 96.9 The Game in Orlando on Thursday. He didn’t get into the rumors, but did divulge just how important Coach K has been to his career path.
Dawkins admitted he wanted to go the administration route, but it was Krzyzewski who pushed him into coaching:
“I’ve fallen in love with this profession,” Dawkins told Daniels. “It’s where I should be and what I should be doing with mentoring young people and teaching. I tell him that all the time, how thankful I am that he had enough belief and faith in me.”
Marc also asked him about the legendary March Madness game between Duke and UCF two years ago, when the Knights nearly knocked off Zion Williamson’s bunch as a 9-seed in the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament. There’s the iconic image of Dawkins hugging Krzyzewski post-game. The whole game was pretty emotional for everyone involved.
“It wasn’t the outcome that we wanted here, but I think our guys should be proud of the way they performed for 40 minutes that night and showed that our brand and our program is capable of competing against the best teams in the country…
"Our conversation at the end was just, you know, I love that man and I know he loves me. That’s basically what that’s about. The gist of it is that it’s all love and I have an immense amount of respect for that man.”
In terms of his tenure at UCF, Dawkins just signed an extension that keeps him in Orlando through the 2024-25 season, although his name will continually come up for higher-profile gigs. Remember, Vanderbilt went after him hard in 2019.
Here’s a look at his year-by-year resume. We can probably give him a pass the past two seasons because of the pandemic:
🏀 2016-17: 24-12, 4th in AAC
🏀 2017-18: 19-13, 6th in AAC
🏀 2018-19: 24-9, 4th in AAC (first NCAA tournament win)
🏀 2019-20: 16-14, 9th in AAC (No postseason due to COVID)
🏀 2020-21: 11-12, 6th in AAC
Can UCF improve in 2021-22? Two of Dawkins’ best players, Darius Perry and CJ Walker, have declared for the NBA Draft, but can withdrawal by July 7. Isaiah Adams has already pulled out, so he’ll be back.
But Dawkins has been hitting the transfer portal hard, recently landing UNLV forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong, who averaged 21.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a three-year starter for the Runnin’ Rebels.
He also lured JUCO All-American guard Tyem Freeman (18.1 ppg and 7.3 rpg) as well as high school signees PF Ed’Xavior Rhodes, G P.J. Edwards and PG Darius Johnson.
📅 This year’s schedule is brutal, by the way. In addition to conference foes Memphis, Cincinnati and Houston, the Knights have a heck of an out-of-conference slate, with games against Oklahoma, Auburn, Miami, Michigan and Florida State.
“Another really good schedule, it’s going to test us,” Dawkins said. “As you know, we have to be ready for our conference and the only way you can do that is to play teams like that.”
Good news friends, the weekend is almost here 😎 Make it a good one and let’s chat again next week! - Ryan
By Ryan Bass
The #ChargeOn Today Newsletter is dedicated to covering trending UCF Athletics news and topics. Have some feedback? Shoot me a message: chargeontoday@gmail.com
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