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Top 100 UCF Knights Male Athletes Of All-Time: #60-51

More football stars continue our countdown

Wild Card Round - Seattle Seahawks v Philadelphia Eagles
Shaquill Griffin
Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images

#60 - Ben Lively (UCF Baseball)

Cleveland Indians v Kansas City Royals
Ben Lively in 2018
Photo by Brian Davidson/Getty Images

Lively was named All-C-USA 2nd team in 2012 after he was the first UCF pitcher to win nine games in a season since Tim Bascom in 2005. In 2013, Lively was First Team in 2013, and had an era of 1.88 and was the ace of the program. In his three seasons. Lively went 20-7 with a 3.07 ERA. Lively was part of UCF two NCAA Tournament teams (2011 and 2012) and was selected in the 4th round of 2013 MLB Draft by the Cincinnati Reds.

In 2014, Lively would be traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, making his MLB debut in 2017. Following a stint with Kansas City Royals, Lively signed with the Samsung Lions of the Korean Baseball Organzation in 2019 where he is currently pitching.


#59 - Joe Rogers (Baseball)

Rogers is UCF Baseball’s all-time leader in saves with 30. 13 of those came in 2012 when Rogers went 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA and was named All-American. The 13 saves broke a 14-year record that was set by UCF Athletics Hall of Famer Jason Arnold, who had 12 in 1998.

Rogers ranks 5th all-time in appearances with 79, and helped UCF make two NCAA Tournaments in 2011 and 2012, including a regional final in 2012 at Coral Gables.

Rogers was selected in the 5h round (#184 overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers.


#58 - Bob Spitulski (Football)

RAIDERS V SEAHAWKS
Bob Spitulski (#58) with the Seattle Seahawks in 1994
Getty Images

Bob Spitulski still ranks among the top career tacklers in UCF Knights history. He currently owns the school record for tackles for loss in a game with 7 vs. Savannah State in 1991, and his 46 career TFLs are fifth-most at UCF. In 1990, he put together the third-most sacks in a single season (13), while his 22 career sacks tie for fifth all-time. He led the team in sacks three of his four seasons.

In his senior season in 1991, he was named team captain and would go on to become a third team All-American from the Associated Press.

A diamond in the rough, Spitulski was the highest rated linebacker at the 1992 NFL Combine. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round (#66 overall) and would spend three years there from 1992-94.


T-#57 - Ryan Schneider (Football)

Sporting News Archive
Ryan Schneider at Virginia Tech in 2003
Photo by Bob Leverone/Sporting News via Getty Images via Getty Images

Schneider played for the Knights from 2000-2003, and his name still dots the record books. He is still second in program history behind Daunte Culpepper with 10,976 passing yards and 82 touchdown passes.

Schneider still holds the school record for passing yards in a single game when he threw for 497 against FAU in 2003, and most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass with 28 straight games.


T-#57- Doug Gabriel (Football)

New York Giants vs Oakland Raiders - December 31, 2005
Oakland receiver Doug Gabriel takes an eight-yard pass from Kerry Collins in for a score in the second quarter versus the New York Giants at McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California, Dec. 31, 2005. The Giants defeated the Raiders, 30-21.
Photo by Robert B. Stanton/NFLPhotoLibrary

Gabriel played two years at UCF, finishing his career with 97 receptions for 1,869 yards and 20 touchdowns, plus 795 yards on 37 kickoff returns. His 20 touchdowns rank seventh all-time at UCF. Gabriel held the single season record at UCF for most receiving yards in a single season for 17 years with 1,237 yards in 2002, and was one half of the most prolific UCF wideout tandem in program history with Jimmy Fryzel (1,126). Gabriel also shares the UCF record for most touchdown catches in a game with 4.

Gabriel was selected by the Raiders in the 5th round (#167) of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played in Oakland until he was traded to the Patriots during the 2006 season before eventually returning to the Raiders. Gabriel also played in the United Football League (2009-2010) for the Florida Tuskers, California Redwoods, and Sacramento Mountain Lions. He concluded his football career playing in the Arena Football league playing for Orlando Predators in 2011. He’s now a high school football coach in the Orlando area.


#56- Marquette Smith (Football)

A product of Lake Howell High School, Smith transferred to UCF from Florida State and led UCF in rushing in 1994 and 1995. He set single-season school records for rushing with 1,511 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior. He was inducted into UCF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005.


#55 - Mike Clark (Basketball)

Playing for his father, Torchy, Mike Clark led the Knights to a 67-25 record during his career (1969-1973) and was the school’s career scoring leader with 2,085 points until his brother Bo came along. Clark averaged 22.1 points during his time at UCF and his 2,085 points came before the advent of the 3-point line.

Clark was inducted into the UCF Athletics Hall of Fame in 2001. He and the rest of the inaugural UCF Men’s Basketball team (1969-1970) was honored during the January 19th, 2020 home game vs. South Florida.


#54 - Jacoby Glenn (Football)

Bitcoin St Petersburg Bowl - North Carolina State v Central Florida
ST PETERSBURG, FL - DECEMBER 26: Jacoby Glenn #12 of the UCF Knights is seen during the NCAA Bitcoin St Petersburg bowl between the North Carolina State Wolfpack and the UCF Knights at Tropicana Field on December 26, 2014 in St. Petersburg, Florida. North Carolina State won the game 34-27.
Photo by Alex Menendez/Getty Images

Glenn was the American Athletic Conference’s Co-Defensive Player of the Year and an All-AAC First Teamer in 2014. He was also selected to the Associated Press’ All-America Second Team in 2014 (UCF’s first AP All-American since 2007). He was the first freshman or sophomore in UCF history to be named a conference player of the year.

Glenn played in the NFL with the Chicago Bears (2015-2016) & Kansas City Chiefs (2017).


#53 - Matt Fox (Baseball)

A graduate of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fox was named All-American and A-Sun Pitcher of the Year in 2004 when he went 14-2 with 1.85 ERA and helped lead UCF to the A-Sun Championship and a trip to Tallahassee Regional Final. His 14 wins is tied for 2nd-most by any UCF pitcher in program history behind only Justin Pope’s 15 in 2001.

Fox ranks in UCF’s top five all-time in shutouts (3) and strikeouts per 9 innings (9.82). He was a first round pick (35th overall) in the 2004 Major League Baseball Draft by the Minnesota Twins. He got a no decision in his only MLB start in 2010, against the Texas Rangers.


#52 - Shaquill Griffin (Football)

NFL Pro Bowl
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - JANUARY 26: Shaquill Griffin #26 of the Seattle Seahawks in action during the 2020 NFL Pro Bowl at Camping World Stadium on January 26, 2020 in Orlando, Florida.
Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images

SHaquill Griffin played at UCF from 2013-2016 but had his best year as a senior, earning All-AAC Second Team honors. He grabbed a team-high four interceptions and broke up 15 passes, tying him for the second-most in a single season at UCF. His 19 passes defended ranked fifth in the nation and tops in The American.

Griffin would be drafted in the 3rd round of 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2019.


T-#51- Benard Ford ( Football)

Benard Ford played for three seasons at UCF (1986-1988) set numerous offense records and was a weapon not only on offense but on special teams as a punt and kick returner.

Ford helped UCF reached the Division 2 playoff semi-finals in 1988 as he was a All-American leading the offense with 68 passes for 1,180 yards with 13 touchdowns. If playoff games would have counted towards final statistics, his number skyrocketed to 82 catches for 1,403 yards. Ford is tied for 5th all-time with 21 touchdown receptions, 2nd in yards average per reception (19.3). Ford amassed 2,138 yards on 111 catches during his three seasons.

Ford would get drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the third round of the 1988 NFL Draft. His pro career would also see him spend time with the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Oilers and Green Bay Packers, as well as with the London Monarchs of the former World League of American Football. Ford was inducted into UCF Athletic Hall of Fame in 2011


T-#51 - Gabe Davis (Football)

Gabe Davis UCF
Gabe Davis played at UCF from 2017-2019
Photo: Derek Warden

A product of Seminole High School, Gabriel Davis finished in the top 10 at UCF all-time in TD catches (23, 2nd) yards (2,447, 7th), catches (152, 10th), and games with 100 or more receiving yards (8, tied for 9th). He was part of three bowl teams, including two New Year’s Six Bowl trips, and two American Championships (2017-2018). Davis also broke Doug Gabriel’s single season school record for receiving yards with 1,241 in 2019.

Davis was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the 4th round of the 2020 NFL Draft.