Former UCF sophomore defensive end Kaven Call poses with Kenny Ingram (left), defensive end and rush coach, Travis Williams (middle), former defensive coordinator and Kenny Martin (right), defensive tackle coach, during media day on Feb. 2, 2022.
Courtesy of Kaven Call via X, formerly known as Twitter
In an open letter to UCF head coach Gus Malzahn on X, formerly known as Twitter, former UCF sophomore defensive end Kaven Call expressed his frustrations regarding his departure from the program.
“I was honored to be a "hometown hero" and committed to bringing everything I had to the team," Call said in the letter.
Call, who had verbally committed to UCF in December 2021, shared his connection with the program, sharing his joy in becoming part of what Malzahn described as "The future of college football."
“When I verbally committed to UCF on Christmas 2021, I felt an enormous amount of pride and excitement,” Call said in the letter.
Call said from the moment of his commitment up until Christmas 2022, he was fully locked in to the program, even going as far as preparing himself academically to graduate early. He said in the better that he was so into the program that he even helped recruit other local “hometown heroes" to continue to add to the "growing vision."
According to his letter, on Sept. 17, 2024, Call was blindsided by UCF Chief of Staff Ross Newton, who allegedly told him that if he chose to redshirt, he would be removed from the team.
"I was completely blindsided when told by Chief of Staff, Ross Newton, that if I redshirted, I would be kicked off the team and expected to clean out my locker,” Call said in the letter.
He said in the letter that he had spoken with UCF defensive end and rush coach, Kenny Ingram, about the idea of redshirting in the previous season, with no warning of such a drastic consequence following their conversation. Call said in the letter that Ingram said he would inform Malzahn and start the redshirting process.
"Being kicked off the team was never mentioned or discussed, and Coach Ingram said he understood," Call said. "I simply requested a red shirt year to continue to build and be a contributing factor for the team.”
Call said in the letter that Newton told him that redshirting would attach a negative stigma to his name, warning that if other schools asked about him, he was going to tell them the truth.
“I was a good football player, good work ethic, respectful to coaches, leader among my peers but "I bailed on my team" during the season," Call said in the letter.
Wanting to set the record straight, as he put in his letter, Call said that he was forced to clean up and leave.
“I didn’t want to clean out my locker, but I was told to do so, and I did," Call said. "I didn’t want to leave the team, but I was told to do so, and I did."
As of now, neither Malzahn nor Newton have publicly responded to the letter. However, Call's story adds to the recent apparent issues behind the scenes, considering all the UCF players who decided to redshirt this season, such as senior offensive tackle Wes Dorsey, senior safety William Wells and junior kicker Colton Boomer.
“Let it be known, I loved the university and my teammates," Call said. "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.”
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