UCF edge rusher Kaven Call entered the transfer portal earlier this week after a falling out with his now-former program. He penned a scathing letter to head coach Gus Malzahn that alleged shady treatment by his staff.
This unfortunate saga appears to be a byproduct of the NIL era and a changing landscape of college football.
Call, a former three-star recruit, committed to play for the Knights in the Class of 2023 over 13 other offers from schools like Auburn, West Virginia, Penn State and Georgia. The Orlando-native decided to stay home but his time with the program lasted only 20 games.
He announced on Tuesday night that he will enter the transfer portal.
I would like to say thank you to the UCF staff and those who have helped me along the way. I would also like to thank the UCF fans for always supporting since Day 1. With that being said, I will be officially entering the transfer portal.
— Kaven Call
In doing so, Call shared what he wrote to his head coach. It broke down all of the things that led him to leave. If true, the sequence of events outlined by the disgruntled player does not reflect well on UCF football.
Call’s decision to publish his letter on a public social media platform stems from fear. He does not want to leave any room for interpretation with his decision to leave the team. Especially after an alleged threat to slander his name.
I am sending this letter to set the record straight and do not want your Chief of Staff, Coach Ross Newton, misleading other schools about me.
– Kaven Call
From there, Call goes on to explain how excited he was to commit to the Citronauts in 2021. The local high schooler took every opportunity to promote his future program. He even helped to recruit other players in the region. His love for Central Florida runs ran deep and he gave his all.
Let it be known, I loved the university and my teammates. As a member of the team, I attended every meeting and gave 100% in all practices, drills and camps. Yes, this is a team expectation but know that I enjoyed and respected the process.
— Kaven Call
Everything changed on Sept. 17, 2024. Call claims that Chief of Staff Ross Newton told him he would be kicked off of the team and expected to clean out his locker if he wanted to use his one-time redshirt.
Every college athlete is allowed one free-use redshirt season at any point during his or her career. They essentially have five years to play four if they choose to do so.
In the past, a team would typically decide when a player is going to redshirt. In the era of NIL, players are choosing to redshirt themselves to get back an additional year of eligibility and potentially make more money.
Call initially tried to utilize his redshirt year and stay at UCF.
[Defensive ends coach Kenny Ingram] and I discussed redshirting at the end of last season. When I met with Coach Ingram this year about redshirting, I was told he would inform you and “start the process.”
Being kicked off the team was never mentioned or discussed, and Coach Ingram said he understood. I simply requested a red shirt year to continue to build and be a contributing factor for the team.
— Kaven Call
However, Newton supposedly told him to kick rocks.
Ross Newton stated that if I redshirted, there would be a “stigma” attacked to my name. My team would see me as a quitter and I “bailed out” on the team. He stated if another school called about me, he was going to “tell them the truth” …. I was a good foot ball (sic) player, good work ethic, respectful to coaches, leader among my peers but “I bailed on my team during the season.”
— Kaven Call
At that point, Call had no choice but to leave. Not because he wanted to. Because it was demanded of him.
I didn’t want to clean out my locker, but I was told to do so, and I did. I didn’t want to leave the team, but I was told to so, and I did.
— Kaven Call
That conversation with Newton effectively ended his time with the Knights. Kaven Call is now in the transfer portal. He published his letter to control the narrative so UCF cannot speak poorly about his exit.