On the first depth chart for the UCF football team, only one position had a single player listed under the title. That was, of course, a new position: UTL, Otis Anderson.

This past spring, the sophomore athlete began working with the wide receivers and transitioned to this versatile role of Utility.

At first, it wasn’t easy and Anderson felt discouraged. Hesitant of the move, Anderson turned towards his best friend: his mom.

“She gave me a lot of words of encouragement,” said Anderson, “It was kind of discouraging at one moment when I started playing more of a receiver, but she told to push through and it may be better for me.”

Thanks to his mom, Denise, Otis was able to look at his new role in a different light.

“I looked at it differently and ever since then it’s been picking up for me,” said Anderson.

Changing from running back to more of a wide receiver was tough for Otis, but not as tough as the transition from high school to college for him and his mom.

“That’s my best friend. Me growing up, me coming to college, and leaving the nest, she’s kind of bored now. We talk daily and we talk every night,” said Anderson who rushed for nearly 500 yards and four touchdowns as a true freshman for the Knights.

This strong bond between mother and son stems from his youth when Anderson’s father served overseas.

“Even when my dad had to go out to sea when he was in the military, it’s always been me and her. Growing up, I’m her only child so I’ve always been under her wing,” said Anderson.

In high school, Anderson was apart of the FHSAA Class 2A State championship University Christian (Jacksonville) football team. Due to the fact that UCF lost no games last season, Anderson hasn’t actually lost a football game since September 16th, 2016 when University Christian lost 49-28 to Coffee high school out of Douglas, Georgia.

That feeling of not losing a football game in nearly two years is something Anderson was not expecting when he walked on campus as an early enrollee in January 2017.

“That’s a great feeling, that’s something that you wouldn’t expect to feel transitioning from high school to college. What we (UCF) did last year was great and I look forward to keep doing it,” said Anderson.

Now a sophomore, and listed as “utility”, Anderson embraces his new dual role and believes what he’s learned as a wide receiver will also help him as a running back on the football field.

“This year I’ve been working more with the receivers in the offseason so I really picked up a lot of different skill sets, different ways to run routes and different understandings to the game in coverages. I believe that will also help me at running back,” said Anderson.

UCF kicks off its 2018 season on the road against UConn this Thursday evening and Anderson says he’s “excited” to face another team.

“All we talk about is game day,” said Anderson. “Being able to go against another team, instead of your teammates, and being able to kick off the season with the group of guys that I have, is just exciting to be able to do.”

Of course, his mom will be watching and cheering on her best friend, too.