The history of the Citronaut, Silverfield's start at UCF and we're #KickerU
How did the green astronaut with an orange for a body come to be? Let's drive into the history that's now synonymous with the Space Game.
I’m pretty sure Cincinnati fans have replaced South Florida fans for the worse people on Twitter. Plenty of folks call out our Twitter mafia, but Bearcats Twitter is frankly delusional. Don’t mind me, I’m just venting 😅
Today’s read is 3 minutes ⏲️
🚨 UCF quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who’s out of a sling, posted photos on Instagram Wednesday night on the practice field, just four weeks after breaking his clavicle. There’s a chance he returns earlier than expected 🚨
Trending in the Kingdom: History of the ‘Nauts
Space Game week isn’t just about our out-of-this-world uniforms or honoring the 40th anniversary of the Shuttle Program, it’s also a time to remember our past. The re-birth of the Citronaut has some fans (here’s looking at you, J.P. Gilbert) clamoring for ‘Naut nation to replace the Knights as the primary mascot, but that’s not likely to happen.
A poll I ran had 77 percent of you saying the Knights should remain the primary mascot.
Still, the embrace of UCF’s (and FTU’s) history is a beautiful touch every season amid Space Game week, and this Friday is no different, but do you even know how the Citronaut came to be?
Here’s the scoop: Way back in the early days of Florida Technological University, the Citronaut graced the cover of the inaugural 1968-69 student handbook, and it wasn’t a fan favorite at the time. In fact, it was never even the “official” mascot.
The Citronaut, created by Norman Van Meter, one of the designers of the university’s official seal, looked like an odd cross between an orange, a The Jetsons character and a space cadet. It was a green-bodied orange with the head of an astronaut.
Students weren’t pleased and petitioned the student government to adopt an official mascot.
The student newspaper, The Future (RIP, my old friend) even covered the drama of mascot-gate in a 1970 article, "Are we doomed to be the Citronauts forever?"
So, along came the official Citronaut challenger in 1970: Vincent the Vulture. The black and gold vulture was an idea pitched by a night nurse, Judy Hines, who worked at the campus health center and was drawn by her husband, Gene. It was inspired by the number of vultures that were commonly known to circle campus.
Still, it was merely a suggestion and never became an official mascot either.
The proposed mascots were, um, interesting:
Chargers
Sun Devils
Thunderbolts
The Knights of Pegasus
We obviously know which finalist won out, and in 1970, FTU’s athletics program finally had a nickname, the Knights. The logo that students rallied behind was the university’s well known Greek-themed Pegasus.
Once the football team was born, the mascot was altered to drum up excitement for the program, which made for some fun times.
“Sir Wins-a-lot” debuted in 1980, which was a knight-themed mascot featuring a large smiling face made of plastic.
"Puff" made an appearance too, which was inspired by Disney.
“Mack the Knight” made its debut in time for UCF’s 25th anniversary.
"Golden Knights" was ushered in by new AD Steve Sloan in 1994.
“Knightro” was born in 1995, thanks to cheerleader Trey Gordon who helped to create the mascot and even dressed up as it himself.
Becoming the norm 🚀: I do like that the Cirtonaut, even though it wasn’t an official mascot, still gets the rightful respect it deserves. UCF football embraced the vintage look with the Citronaut head on its uniforms for the first time in 2018, and has for every Space Game since. UCF’s men’s basketball team donned the Citronaut in February of 2020. UCF’s baseball team was the first, welcoming back the Citronaut in 2014.
This year’s Space Game uniforms, the fourth of five in the series to feature the Citronaut, may be the best yet, but that’s my take. You decide for yourself.
What they’re saying 🗣:
“I’ve always looked at it from afar and admired the uniforms,” wide receiver Brandon Johnson, a Tennessee transfer, said to the Orlando Sentinel. “Being a part of it now, it’s crazy. I’m not going to lie. I can’t wait to get into those threads.”
Silverfield’s stint under George O’Leary
If there’s anyone that’s seen the growth of UCF’s football program firsthand, it’s Memphis head coach Ryan Silverfield, who got his first big break from former UCF head coach George O’Leary.
Fill me in: Silverfield, who took over for Mike Norvell when he left for Florida State, is in his second full season with Memphis, and became the first head coach in school history to win a bowl game in his first season. He’s been climbing the coaching ranks ever since leaving Bolles High School in Jacksonville.
Silverfield cherished his time at UCF, where he served as a graduate assistant under George O’Leary from 2006-07, his first foray into Division I football. He told the Memphis Commercial Appeal last year that meant sleeping at the football offices, if necessary.
“It meant at 2 a.m. when an assistant coach needed coffee or there was copies to be run or plays to be drawn up on cards, well guess what … that was me,” Silverfield recaled.
In 2006, Silverfield was an offensive graduate assistant, where he worked with Kevin Smith, who went on to rush for 2,567 yards a season later, the second-most yards ever in a single season at the time.
Silverfield told the newspaper that he credits O’Leary with teaching him “how to work and be a grinder.” He respects the way UCF had to fight its way to the top of college football.
“I hope they always feel like the underdog," Silverfield said. "I do think they’ll always play hungry and with a chip on their shoulder.”
Here’s Silverfield’s coaching resume:
2016-Present: University of Memphis - Head coach, offensive line coach, run game coordinator
2015: Detroit Lions - Assistant offensive line coach
2015: Arizona State - Senior offensive analyst
2014: University of Toledo - Offensive consultant
2008-13: Minnesota Vikings - Offensive quality control staff, defensive line staff assistant and assistant offensive line coach
2006-07: UCF - Offensive and defensive grad assistant
2005: Jacksonville University - Quarterbacks coach
2004: Memorial Day School - Head coach
2000-03: Hampden-Sydney College - Offensive assistant, Defensive Line coach, Tight ends and H-back coach
1999: The Bolles School - Assistant coach
Knights of the Roundup 🏈
🏈 Can we officially call us #KickerU now? Jaguars kicker Matthew Wright, who is UCF’s all-time leading scorer, made NFL history on Sunday in London becoming the first kicker in the game to hit multiple field goals of 50-plus yards in the last 4 minutes of the fourth quarter in a single game. That earned him AFC Special Teams Player of the Week and the full-time job. Wright was working for Lockheed Martin just a few weeks ago.
Arizona Cardinals and former UCF kicker Matt Prater, who has over 1,500 points over his career, also won the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after booting three field goals and four extra points in a win on Sunday.
🏈 UCF center Matthew Lee has been added to the Rimington Trophy watch list, the yearly award given to the nation’s best center.
⛳️ UCF’s women’s golf squad is ranked No. 24 in the latest Top 25 released this week.
What does 305 mean to ucf I heard it was the area code back in 1963 the first founding of ucf is that correct