UCF’s countdown to kickoff has reached No. 53, and that brings the spotlight to offensive lineman LaParka Langston.
Langston, known as “LP” on his UCF Athletics profile page, arrived in Orlando after spending his freshman and sophomore seasons at the JUCO level with Northwest Mississippi Community College. That same program was also home to former UCF wide receiver Jacoby Jones.
At Northwest Mississippi, Langston earned first-team NJCAA All-American honors after appearing in 10 of the Rangers’ 11 games. He helped lead the team to a 10-2 record, including a 6-0 mark in MACCC North play, while contributing to an offense that piled up 2,000 yards rushing and receiving.
His first season with the Knights was a redshirt year. Langston played in just one game, seeing action against North Carolina A&T.
That redshirt season gave him time to adjust to the Division I level and keep two seasons of eligibility in his pocket. Now, the offseason represents the next step in his development, and the competition up front is crowded.
Offensive line coach AJ Blazek did not mention Langston after an April 9 practice, though he did say he wanted “eight to nine guys” he knows can play for the program. UCF already has several experienced options in the mix, including Preston Cushman, Connor Meadows, Owen Spell, Tyler Gibson, Henry Tabansi, Cooper Terpstra and Brady Wayburn.
That leaves Langston fighting for one of the final spots in the rotation against Jacob Maiava, Camp Lott and Justin Royes. Royes missed most of last season with an injury, and the way Blazek spoke about Maiava suggests Langston may be on the outside looking in for now.
Still, fall camp is ahead, and that gives him a chance to make his case. Even if his role stays limited in 2026, Langston would still have one more year of eligibility left in 2027.
For now, his path to regular snaps is a tough one. But his JUCO résumé and a year of development in Orlando at least give UCF a potential depth option if injuries start to hit.
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How UCF's Standard Fell This Far Under Scott Frost
The standard at UCF has slipped in a hurry since the move to the Big 12 and the coaching change from Gus Malzahn to Scott Frost. After two straight seasons without a bowl, the Knights are staring at a stretch that has felt far removed from the programs recent high point, with a 4-8 finish in 2024 followed by a conference slate in 2025 that never quite got back on track.
Frost now has the task of pulling the program back to relevance in a league that has exposed how quickly things can unravel when the roster thins out and the results stop coming. The Knights are aiming to regain bowl eligibility in 2026, and in this spot, simply getting back to December football would go a long way toward resetting the baseline. [Read more 🡒]