Change of plans: Big Kat Bryant announces new transfer commitment
After previously announcing his transfer commitment to Tennessee, former Auburn defensive lineman and Second-Team All-SEC defensive lineman Big Kat Bryant has announced a new transfer commitment.
Like just about everyone that has left Auburn this offseason, Bryant is headed to UCF to reunite with Gus Malzahn. Bryant announced the news on Tuesday afternoon.
During his time at Auburn, Bryant registered 56 tackles, 10 sacks, seven passes defended, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery for the Tigers. He left the program as a graduate transfer following the 2020 season. SEC coaches named Bryant a Second-Team All-SEC selection following the end of the regular season.
The defensive lineman becomes the third former Tiger to follow Malzahn to UCF as running back Mark-Antony Richards and receiver Nate Craig-Myers each also made the decision to continue their playing careers in Orlando this offseason.
A little over a month ago, Bryant announced he planned to transfer to Tennessee to play for Jeremy Pruitt and outside linebackers coach, Shelton Felton. Felton, along with Pruitt and inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer, were fired by Tennessee and called out for recruiting violations during a public press conference held by the school.
Bryant never enrolled at Tennessee, he just announced his commitment plans. Following the firings of Pruitt and Felton, Bryant never clarified his status with Tennessee until now.
UCF—Auburn South?
More like Oregon East, as with Frost … although slightly different.
In reality, Gus at UCF will be more like his Tulsa self than Auburn self. And that will serve UCF well in the AAC.
Sure, some ‘power’ football might show up. Gus likes to run first, just like Frost, too.
Now if UCF gets into a P5, then the P5 class Florida recruits will come, and it will change again. But the competition will go up.
If UCF gets into the Big XII, that could serve it well. If UCF gets into the SEC (very unlikely), it might be good in the East, not so good in the West. If UCF gets in the ACC (even more unlikely, 3 Florida teams?), would it suffer the same fate of Miami?
In any case, P5 is still a huge ‘if.’ And UCF is AAC for now. People forget Tulsa had a lot of success in the years around Gus, and UCF and Tulsa combined, by far, for the most C-USA divisional and conference championships during their years.
You are going to find out how little you about Gus. We have only watched him for 8 years.
We know all of his flaws, lack of player development, draft picks that should have first or second rounders only going 4-7 round, constant meddling in his assistants decisions, and non existent shows at fan events.
And if you are expecting improvement at your QB position, you are going to be waiting until you buy him out.
You go ahead and yuck it up. Just like the media thinks this looks good now because of his record and the all famous “he beat Saban 3 times” junk, so do you. By game 4, you will be calling his plays. You will get tired of lack of preparation by his teams. You will get tired of press conferences that contain “battling for the job”, “the future is bright” (already used that one), “they are competing hard”, and all the other coach speak you can think of.
I hope it works for you. You have tremendous program possibilities down there. Unfortunately after 8 years of Gus and the frustrations we dealt with all those missed opportunities, I can’t see it. And a lot of AU can’t either.
One other thing. Gus left a lot of bad feelings behind in Arkansas that isn’t written about when he first went there in 2005. Houston Nutt didn’t want him. Onlyreason he got it was because Mitch Mustaing and a few others. And the alumni didn’t want him back in 2017, when Auburn stupidly gave him that contract. Now he is sitting on $21M of AU money, half of which he already has. I have serious doubts he is going to be very motivated to do the job you want. The two transfers you just got?? Well, Craig-Myers left because Malzahn would not target him enough. He is there because nobody else wants him. Bryant had 68 tackles in 48 games. That way less than 2 per game. And he 2 NFL guys playing next to him. That’s hardly production.
Lots of his cronies heading your way too.
Good luck. You are going to need it.
By the UCF doesn’t need a page on this site. Use ours..
Gus’ shelf life is 5 year. He stayed at Auburn too long.
University of Auburn at Central Florida
And the Gus Bus keeps rolling. UT could have used him
Say what you will, but Malzahn could do really well at UCF.
Unless UCF doesn’t get into any CFP by 2025, especially if the CFP stays at 4 teams, I don’t see Gus ever leaving UCF. We have to be honest about the fact that if the CFP never expands, and there is a ceiling for every G5, then Gus might leave … realizing he has no chance at UCF, and he very much does want to the CFP at some point.
But Gus is 55 years-old, much like O’Leary when he came in at 57. He wants UCF to be his ‘retirement job.’ He wants to build a program over a decade-plus. He wants it to be his legacy. And he knows how UCF was both loyal and worships O’Leary (despite all the bad press), especially UCF’s Boosters who built him a statue.
That’s what no one is talking about.
No G5 should ever be in the CFP if it stays at four.
I hear that he will be calling the plays, guess he had enough of the supermind Chad Morris.
Big Kat should be a superstar at UCF…playing in that conference. Helps his NFL stock greatly.
Does it help a player’s NFL draft stock to be an average (at best) player in the SEC then in his last season transfer to much weaker conference and put up better numbers?
It’s not like the player demonstrated an elevation in his skills and ability.
Good luck BigKat!
Another Gus article. Another transfer.
SO WHAT??
Another Gus article. Another transfer.
SO WHAT??
In four years he had 56 tackles in 48 games..
And 3 of those years he had Derrick Brown and Marlon Davidson playing beside him. And that’s all the productivity we got??
Gus can have him. He will get fun, no contact practices not to mention a low (if any) draft number on day 3.
And we get another article about a coach that is no longer employed by AU.
Got you to respond. ;)
“Saturday Down South
The top news site and community of SEC football fans providing coverage of all 14 teams in the Southeastern Conference, plus UCF”
Very true..
Wont be the last time we will be talking.
well said yet again! Could not have said it better!
Not this crap again….
Another AU has been. Dont let the door hit ya on your way out… UCF will be the next 7-5 or 8-4 team. I just hope you guys learned to pay for results with the Gus Bus.
Im glad to see the out with the old. Hopefully this is all just a part of our upgrade.
You know, it really pisses me off is that Gus is all they can write about.
But at the same time, we are flying along under the radar, doing the things that Gus SHOULD have done but didn’t. And I think its going to work out well.
So I think I will the sites totally devoted to us for the news.
The only reason I really come here is so I can post comments. This is about the last site you can do this on.
I miss the old days of posting on AL.com. But it was getting really personal at the end.
Oh, well.
WDE
Hopefully Big Kat can finally reach his potential
Big Cat, Big Worm, Big Snake, Big Perm just make up your mind already.
What a great hire for UCF. An established coach and upgraded players.
Big Cat was not a true difference maker in the SEC but he should light up the AAC.
Would he hilarious if Nix transfered to UCF