Future stars are arriving. UCF secures dual-threat Rocco Marriott and targets athletic Brice McCurdy, building a robust quarterback pipeline.
After multiple seasons of shaky quarterback play, UCF finally seems to have turned a corner. The Knights secured Alonza Barnett III in the transfer portal, solidifying him as the starting quarterback upon his arrival.
But the Knights are also looking past this season, bringing in young talent and pursuing top-level high school talent.
First off, head coach Scott Frost flipped former James Madison commit Rocco Marriott, bringing in the 4-star quarterback early in the offseason. Marriott, from Platte County, MO, had an incredible junior year, finishing with a 14-0 record and a Class 5A State Championship. In the final Rivals rankings of 2026, Marriott finished as the No. 15 ranked quarterback in the country.
He has dual-threat ability, putting up big numbers in both the passing and run game. He posted impressive numbers, accumulating 167-of-245 passing for 3,077 yards with 39 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He also ran for 627 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Marriott comes from an NFL-family, as his father, Jeff Marriott, played for the New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers and St. Louis Rams in the early 2000s.
The Missouri standout quarterback was recently named one of the biggest 2026 recruiting class steals by Rivals, sitting atop the list and being featured in the graphic.
UCF has also been involved with the recruitment of class of 2027 3-star quarterback prospect Brice McCurdy. McCurdy, from Waco, TX, recently posted his top six contenders which included UCF.
The list was dominated by Big 12 programs, such as Cincinnati, TCU, Baylor and Arizona. The Duke Blue Devils rounded out the sextet, representing the ACC.
McCurdy is currently the No. 51 quarterback in the class, playing for Robinson High School. He is an incredible athlete, playing basketball and running track alongside his standout quarterbacking.
In 2024, McCurdy threw for 2,016 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions on 113-for-180 passing as a sophomore. He also showcased his track background, running for 410 yards and 4 touchdowns on a blazing 8.04 yards per carry.
This past season, he increased all of his numbers, throwing for 2,207 yards and 23 touchdowns, while adding 695 yards and six scores with his legs.
For a program that has endured quarterback woes for much of the last half-decade, the effort being put into recruiting and building out the QB room is encouraging to see.
Marriott will have the opportunity to sit behind Barnett III this year and pick up valuable knowledge from the junior transfer.