4-star RB Stacy Gage commits to UCF: 'I am truly going home'

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas four-star running back Stacy Gage has had an offer from UCF on the table for nearly two years, dating back to an unofficial visit in June 2021.

Since then, more than 40 other programs have offered him — 55 in total. But the opportunity to stay home and represent his home state was too good to pass up. On Saturday, Gage picked UCF over Florida, Penn State, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona and others.

“UCF had already been recruiting me, but I wasn’t really considering them until this spring,” he told On3. “They made their move this spring with me to be honest. In March, running backs coach Kam Martin took over as the coach at my position and things changed. The first night he got the job, he called me and said, ‘Stacy, can I get you?’ I said let’s do it, and he told me then that he was going to get me. I had visited UCF many times in the past over the years, but I never really considered them. It just got different when Coach Martin got there.”

Gage took his official visit to Orlando last weekend, and that trip sealed the deal. He had been on campus numerous times, including for the spring game in April, but he knew last week that he was home.

“My interest was high in UCF, but I had no idea I was going to make my decision on the official visit,” he added. “I went into the official visit last weekend thinking I would enjoy myself, get to hang out with the coaches and stuff like that, but on the last day of the visit, I knew I was ready.”

Stacy Gage’s connection with the coaching staff was unlike anywhere else

Over the course of the past few years, especially as one of the nation’s most well-known recruits, Gage got the chance to connect with a lot of coaches. But his relationship with Martin was just different from any other coach he’d interacted with.

“From the beginning, he was in my ear about having me committed by the end of the visit,” he said. “I heard him, I opened myself up and he laid it all out during the visit. During the visit, I started feeling it and I knew I was in after my position meeting with coach Martin. He showed me his plan. Once I saw the fit, how I would be used and the role I would have in the offense, it gave me that feeling.

… I can really relate to him, my interest in UCF changed pretty quickly and I started to look at UCF in a really different way this spring. I think coach Martin can get the most out of me, I trust in him and he played a big role in my commitment.”

Gage is eager to play for his home-state schools and excited about the Knights joining the Big 12 as well. While there were options across the country available to him, being at home just felt right.

“I am from Florida, and I am actually from central Florida, so I am truly going home,” he said. “My sister went to UCF, she loved it there and now I get to play for the home state school, too. I am excited to be part of a home-state program on the rise. I will put it on for the state of Florida and UCF.”