Ten…Five…Touchdown as time runs out, Mark-Antony Richards scores a touchdown for the UCF Knights. Richards, a senior running back for the Knights, has experienced both highs and lows in collegiate football.
Richards had a strong year in 2021, rushing for 309 yards and 5 touchdowns on 48 attempts in 12 games. The highlight of his season was the crowd yelling as he ran into the end zone with 23 seconds left to defeat Eastern Carolina 20–16 for UCF.
“Scoring that touchdown was huge for me,” he said in the post-game interview, “you know I was blessed to have my mom and family in the stands for that first touchdown, but I love this place.”
According to Richards, “the first touchdown felt like weight off my shoulders. That childhood dream finally came true. I let tears run and thanked my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for guiding me in that moment.”
Adversity
With the highs come the lows, which have regrettably caused the red-shirt senior to endure some injury-riddled seasons and moments when he had to dig deep to figure out who he was.
He says when discussing difficulty and tenacity, “just perseverance, you know. I was going through a leg injury like that, which was life-changing and difficult. But just staying on a positive course is what got me through it.”
He added that “the rehab was very tough but it made the comeback even sweeter” after a leg surgery kept him out of action for more than a year.
Transfer Portal
Being far from home and not in an environment where he could see himself succeeding in the long run presented some difficulties when he initially signed with the Auburn Tigers in 2019.
Richards entered his name to the NCAA transfer portal on December 16, 2020. He declared on February 23, 2021, that he would rejoin his former head coach Gus Malzahn at UCF in Orlando. His success has been aided by his move closer to home and joining his former head coach Gus Malzahn.
UCF Moves to the big 12
In UCF’s inaugural season in the Big 12, a Power Five conference in college football, he aspires to make a splash. As UCF transitions to the Big 12, they get ready for some challenging competition in the first year against Oklahoma, Baylor, and Cincinnati.
When asked about UCF entering the Big 12, Richards said, “playing the first conference game will be a surreal for us all. We are officially recognized as a Power Five school and treated accordingly.”
The fans have been waiting for this moment ever since the Fiesta Bowl winning team, according to Richards when asked about the significance. UCF was placed on the map at that time.
On August 31, UCF plays Kent State in the season opener.
Preston Hays 