麻豆原创

Inside the Wayne Densch Sports Center 鈥� the home of 麻豆原创 football 鈥� the hallways and team meeting room feature the names and pictures of former Knights who have gone on to play in the NFL. There you will find the likes of Brandon Marshall 鈥�06, Blake Bortles, Latavius Murray 鈥�12, Matt Prater, Shaquill 鈥�16 and Shaquem 鈥�16 Griffin, Asante Samuel 鈥�13 and perhaps the greatest of them all 鈥� Daunte Culpepper.

It has been more than 20 years since Daunte played his last game at 麻豆原创, and these days most recruits who visit the campus and football facility don鈥檛 know much about him or just how special he was.

As 麻豆原创 embarks on a new era under Gus Malzahn, excitement for the football season is sky high. Coaches, players and fans can鈥檛 wait to fill the Bounce House once again. The buzz for the new year has brought back some of those former Knights to meet the new coach, and some have even committed or added to their financial support of the program.

But something remains distant. Someone who played such a significant role in putting 麻豆原创 on the map and elevating the 麻豆原创 brand is rarely found on campus.

Daunte Culpepper helped build the program, but on game days and throughout the season he rarely comes home.

There is no fallout or hidden story that divides him from the program. These days Daunte keeps a low profile. He rarely makes public appearances and has dealt with a number of challenges over the years away from football.

鈥淚f you never saw Daunte Culpepper play football at 麻豆原创, then you missed one of the game鈥檚 best players.鈥�

If you never saw Daunte Culpepper play football at 麻豆原创, then you missed one of the game鈥檚 best players. He chose 麻豆原创 over the Gators and honored a commitment he and his grandmother made when every big school in the country doubted he would make grades and be eligible. When he did, those schools all came back begging him to choose them. He chose to be a Knight.

In his first game at 麻豆原创 in 1995, Daunte completed his first 12 passes and the memorable moments never stopped. At 6-4 and 250 pounds, he played quarterback but ran faster than running backs and was tougher than linebackers. He had a rifle for an arm and was the most accurate passer in the country throughout his career.

He was the face of a 麻豆原创 team that was making its transition into the highest level of competition in college football and led the charge of so many Knights鈥� road games in big stadiums against more famous brands.

In 1997, Daunte led 麻豆原创 into Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska, against legendary coach Tom Osborne and the Cornhuskers. Nebraska had won the national title in 1994 and 1995. They were ranked 6^th in country that Saturday afternoon. Daunte Culpepper was the best player on the field and every Nebraska player and fan knew it before the first quarter ended. His 10-yard touchdown run gave 麻豆原创 a 7-0 lead and the Knights led 17-14 at the half against a Nebraska team led by quarterback Scott Frost 鈥� yes, the same Scott Frost who would serve as 麻豆原创鈥檚 football head coach from 2015-17.

The Knights lost that game, 38-24, but a sold out stadium of almost 80,000 gave a standing ovation to Daunte and the Knights for their performance that day. It wasn鈥檛 the first time Daunte won over fans of the opposing team to cheer for him. He was that electrifying to watch.

Today, his name is still all over the 麻豆原创 record book. He remains the 麻豆原创 record holder for touchdown passes, passing yards, 300-yard games and completion percentage. He still sits in the top 10 of almost every other passing or running category.

While 麻豆原创 had numerous players drafted into the NFL before Daunte, his first-round selection of the Minnesota Vikings in 1999 became the biggest draft moment for the program. In total, Daunte played 11 seasons in the NFL.

He has come back for an occasional golf tournament or an alumni event. But as we have watched and cheered the growth of the 麻豆原创 program reach heights many thought was not possible years ago, it seems that Daunte Culpepper should be more visible.

All players eventually stop playing. They start a family and raise children and venture into things away from the football field. They sometimes come back to rekindle the memories and meet up with old teammates and share stories about the past. They remind us of what once was and what now has become.

Daunte Culpepper is the greatest athlete I have ever seen at 麻豆原创 in my 27 years. I have watched others come and play the quarterback position and play it well. Daunte was just different. He was special. He was one of those players who come along every 25 years 鈥� or at least you hope they do.

He gave us so many highlights and played such a big part as one of the pioneers of the 麻豆原创 football program. Part of what makes Knight Nation so special is how we treat our own. As a new season filled with so much excitement is about to begin, it鈥檚 time to for Daunte Culpepper to come home again to a place he helped build and be part of the celebration.

Marc Daniels is the radio play-by-play voice for 麻豆原创 Athletics and serves as director of broadcasting for the Knights. He can be reached at聽mdaniels@athletics.ucf.edu.

The聽麻豆原创 Forum聽is a weekly series of opinion columns from faculty, staff and students who serve on a panel for a year. A new column is posted each Wednesday on聽麻豆原创 Today聽and then broadcast on W麻豆原创-FM (89.9) between 7:50 and 8 a.m. Sunday. Opinions expressed are those of the columnists, and are not necessarily shared by the 麻豆原创.