Brady Wayburn didn’t need long to decide UCF was the right stop after leaving UConn.
After four seasons with the Huskies, the veteran offensive lineman said one conversation with Knights offensive line coach AJ Blazek helped make the fit obvious. Blazek told him he wanted to run the same offense and schemes UConn used, and that familiarity - along with Blazek’s reputation for building elite offensive lines - pushed Wayburn toward Orlando.
Wayburn arrives with a résumé that should matter immediately. He played 12 games for UConn, including six starts at right guard, and helped the Huskies finish with the No. 3 run-blocking unit in the nation. PFF listed him as the 42nd offensive guard and the No. 12 run-blocking tackle, with a run-blocking grade of 77.4 on the year.
Blazek’s background only added to the appeal. He has coached some of the best run-blocking offensive lines at Wisconsin and North Dakota State. Wisconsin finished with the eighth-best rushing attack in the conference in 2024 at 153.7 yards per game, while North Dakota State set a program record in 2019 by rushing for 4,601 yards during an undefeated season that ended with its eighth FCS title in nine years.
At UCF, Wayburn looks positioned to take over the starting job at left guard after spring and fall camp. That role could be especially important because penalties were one of the Knights’ biggest problems last season.
The issues came from inexperience and poor communication, and they showed up in all the wrong ways: illegal shifts, delay of games and false starts. Those mistakes kept wiping out progress downfield and cost UCF in conference play, including a stretch against Kansas on Oct. 4 when the Knights drew three false starts in the fourth quarter after Leshon Williams scored the lead-taking touchdown.
Cleaning that up has become a clear point of emphasis in practice, starting with what happens before the snap.
"Everything we do from the moment we step on the field is getting us ready to go play that first game and just locking into the little details," Wayburn told local reporters on Wednesday.
Wayburn’s goals for the season match the size of his opportunity. He said he wants to be remembered as a Big 12 champion.
That’s a tall target for a program that has gone 7-20 in Big 12 play since joining the conference in 2023, with conference struggles helping keep UCF out of bowl games.
For his final season in a Power Four conference, Wayburn is settling into a familiar system and a job description he knows well. If the Knights are going to get the run game moving and keep the pocket cleaner, he’ll be one of the linemen expected to make it happen.
"Just a guy that's gonna move you off the ball and also have the versatility to protect when the time's needed," Wayburn said.
In Other News...
Former UCF Back Myles Montgomery Just Hit A Brutal NFL Roadblock
Myles Montgomerys path into the NFL had been trending the right way after the former UCF running back landed with the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent. He arrived with some momentum, too, having turned heads during minicamp and carrying the kind of athletic profile that made him an intriguing add, from his production with the Knights to a 2026 Pro Day that featured a 4.39-second 40-yard dash and eye-catching strength and agility numbers.
Now the next step gets a lot murkier. The Patriots moved on from Montgomery because of an undisclosed injury, a tough setback for a player who had just been building his case in camp and trying to carve out a roster path at the pro level. For UCF fans, it is another reminder that the leap from college standout to NFL opportunity can be brutally fragile, especially when a promising spring suddenly gives way to uncertainty. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Has Two Depth Chart Battles Fans Should Watch Closely
UCFs 2026 roster is already shaping up to have a few quietly important spring and summer battles, and two of the names worth keeping on the radar are Caleb Flagg and Caden Piening. Flagg arrives after stops at Houston Christian and Missouri, and the expectation is that he will slide into the safety mix as the Knights sort out the depth behind their top options.
Piening is in a different spot, but the intrigue is similar. The tight end committed to UCF in 2024 and saw only limited action in 2025, yet he now gets another chance to carve out a role behind returning starter Dylan Wade. For a team trying to build dependable depth, both players have a path to meaningful snaps if they can turn a crowded competition in their favor. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Real Pass Rush Test As Edge Battle Heats Up
A healthy fall would mean a lot for Ken Talley, and UCF is counting on it. The senior EDGE transfer arrived as a veteran piece in Mike Dawsons room, bringing experience from Arkansas and a chance to carve out a starting role after injuries limited his run there. For a Knights defense that has leaned on turnover at the edge, Talleys presence adds a new layer to a position group now trying to replace the production left behind by Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly.
The competition there is shaping up as one of the more important camp battles on the roster. Talley is working to sharpen his pass-rushing game while pushing for snaps, and the outcome of that fight will help define how disruptive UCF can be off the edge when the season opens. With the Knights still sorting through options, the job is there for someone to claim, and the pressure on that group is only going to rise as the opener gets closer. [Read more 🡒]