"The Program" Helps Bring UCF Knights Together In Offseason

In the 2000 film Remember the Titans, a high school football team comprised of players from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds had to find a way to come together and succeed in the upcoming season.

In 2025, the UCF Knights football team had to find a way to integrate 70 new players, each with their own college football backgrounds onto its roster. If running back Myles Montgomery's comments are any indication, it seems it has done just that.

"The coming together part is kind of over because we're already together," Montgomery said after Friday's practice. "We're a team. This is our team for the 2025-26 season."

When players reported for camp on Sunday, Frost said The Program, run by former U.S. Marine Eric Kapitulik, was a "huge part" in jumpstarting the team's connection with each other.

"It's really hard to build a team when you have a collection of new guys, I hate to call it this, but a collection of mercenaries to some degree, because guys are getting paid now and some of them are here for those reasons," Frost said. "I think the teams that are going to be able to rise above that and make team the most important and bring guys together are going to be even more successful. I think that's even more important than it used to be."

One Team. One Heartbeat.

🎥 The Program: 2025 pic.twitter.com/VKTPirHkSX
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) June 14, 2025

It's a strategy that has seemingly produced positive results, according to transfer running back Jaden Nixon.

"I'm not gonna lie, we've been growing quick," Nixon said on Monday. "We're always doing stuff together outside of football and stuff like that. So, I'm loving that."

It's not just the new additions responding positively. Frost said that, during a punishment run, he took the time to speak with an unnamed returning player who will have a leadership role this season. He asked him what was different.

The player's response: "'Everybody's together now.'"

"I hope that holds true, because I think there's enough talent here to really surprise some people if we come together as a football team," Frost said.

UCF's Lone All-Big 12 Returner Eyes Improvement This Season

UCF Knights defensive end Nyjalik Kelly is used to the Florida heat.

He grew up in Fort Lauderdale, played his first two college seasons at Miami (FL).

Kelly is the only returnee of six Knights to earn All-Big 12 honors last year. He was honorable mention after finishing tied for seventh in the Big 12 in sacks (5.5), tied for 10th in tackles for loss (9.5), and tied for third in forced fumbles (three). He also recorded 53 total tackles, 23 of them solo.

"It's fine getting an accolade like that, but I don't like to look at accolades," Kelly said. "I'm just ready to play this year and hopefully get better awards, more awards. I just want to help my team win."

Kelly rejoins a defensive line that allowed the fewest rushing yards, the least rushing yards per carry and the third-least rushing yards per game in the Big 12 last season. He is joined by fellow returner Malachi Lawrence, who is back in action this fall after a spring injury. There's also John Walker, who returns to the field after an injury that sidelined him all of last season.

"We're now seeing our front four together, so us learning each other in lanes and us learning how each other rush so we can rush off them, it's great having them back," Kelly said.

This defensive line's first in-game action comes on Aug. 28 in the Knights' season-opener against Jacksonville State. While Kelly said he is smarter, more mature, faster, more physical and more of a leader, his sights remain set on improvement.

"I've been doing good, but there's always room for improvement," Kelly said. "I don't ever want to say I'm doing the best. I mean, I can always improve on what I'm doing."