The UCF Knights are grappling with a significant off-field change after a key figure in their player development operations announced his departure on Sunday. The move marks the end of an era for a staffer who found more than just a job in Orlando.
Deshon Lawrence Jr. has left his job as Senior Director of Player Development, Pro Liaison, and Internal Operations at UCF Knights after three years. In a post on X, Lawrence thanked the community for shaping his life.
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“I showed up here with a heavy heart… grieving, searching, and honestly just trying to keep going after losing my mom. Through it all, this place became more than football—it became family, it became healing. I’ll never forget that. Never.”
“Once a knight, always a knight,” he added.
Lawrence’s emotional message resonated with the Knights’ fanbase, many of whom were unaware of the personal struggles he navigated upon his arrival.
“When I got the call from Coach Malzahn to come be a part of such a special place, it came during one of the hardest times in my life. I was less than a year removed from losing my mom, navigating the toughest year I’ve ever faced. I was lost and had little motivation to do much of anything but that call on December 2, 2022 turned out to be life-changing. For that, I will forever be thankful. Thank you, Coach, and thank you, Ms. Kristi,” he said in his post.
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As the primary liaison, Lawrence was central to the players’ lives, guiding them on everything from academics and housing to financial planning and NCAA compliance. He was also instrumental in the recruiting process, ensuring prospects were impressed during campus visits, and worked to make the transition to university life as smooth as possible for student-athletes.
Prior to joining the Knights, he honed his skills in player development and logistics during a nearly decade-long tenure with the Cam Newton Foundation. There, he managed operations for the ‘C1N 7v7’ organization, overseeing everything from travel for over 100 athletes to scouting across the Southeast. As an expert in social media marketing, he was instrumental in building the foundation’s online presence, adding more than 150k followers and 500 million impressions to the foundation’s account. He also organized 50+ community-based events that affected more than 10,000 underprivileged kids in Atlanta and Charlotte.
Lawrence graduated with a Master of Science in Sports Administration from Georgia State University. He was also a proud alumnus of the Western Michigan football team.
How is UCF looking this spring?
UCF began its 15-practice slate on March 31. As Scott Frost enters his second season with the program, the biggest question troubling it is the health of his quarterback. Alonza Barnett, the James Madison transfer, is still taking a limited role in spring practice.
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With Barnett sidelined, FIU transfer Keyone Jenkins is getting the much-needed reps along with Boise State transfer Kaleb Annett. Things are looking better on the defensive side, with both Duane Thomas Jr. and Lewis Carter impressing during the practice.
“I think it really showed how good a job the coaching staff did getting these guys ready to go out and just fight through spring,” Frost said in a post-practice press conference. “For all the new additions we had, there weren’t a lot of learning mistakes and errors, and we certainly had really good effort out there today.”
UCF is scheduled to play its annual spring game on April 25 at the Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando.
