In an email to the Orlando Sentinel, De Groft said he was “going to war to get my good name back, my professional standing and personal and professional exoneration.”

De Groft was fired by the museum’s board in June 2022, shortly after the FBI raided the “Heroes & Monsters” exhibition and seized art purportedly by acclaimed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat as part of a fraud investigation. The museum’s lawsuit, filed in August against De Groft and the owners of the artwork, claims they colluded to use the exhibition to raise the value of the art and thereby increase personal profits by selling the art later.

Orlando Museum of Art, defendants negotiating lawsuit settlement

“I have kept my head down and suffered slings and arrows and humiliations when I did nothing wrong and all everyone else did was lie, misreport, make things up, get so much wrong,” De Groft wrote to the Sentinel.

In his countersuit, De Groft strikes at the center of the museum’s case: That he and the owners knew the artwork was fraudulent.

“OMA’s lawsuit against Defendant is based on the false premise that the 25 Basquiat paintings in the exhibition Heroes & Monsters (“Exhibition”) were fakes, Defendant actually knew they were fakes, but Defendant nonetheless represented to OMA that they were authentic because he wanted to sell them and receive a hefty sales commission from the owners,” his filing begins. “There is not a kernel of truth to this absurd allegation.”

Despite lawsuit’s claims, Orlando Museum of Art tight-lipped about how much damage it has suffered

De Groft goes on to accuse the museum of firing him illegally and orchestrating a campaign “to destroy him.”

A museum spokeswoman told the Sentinel, “At the advice of counsel, the Orlando Museum of Art is not offering any comment on this pending litigation.”

While the museum’s original suit says De Groft breached his fiduciary duty to the museum by failing to follow the proper procedures to authenticate the art, his countersuit points the finger at former board chair Cynthia Brumback, who left the organization last December.

De Groft says Brumback never told the board of trustees about an FBI subpoena received by the museum —  a claim that has been corroborated by several former trustees.

“As a result, the Board was completely in the dark about such an extraordinary, unprecedented and dangerous situation,” De Groft’s suit says. “The Board should have been immediately informed by Brumback. Brumback outrageously breached her fiduciary duty in masterminding this cover-up.”

The countersuit, filed Tuesday, also takes aim at Akerman, the law firm retained by the museum to investigate the affair and currently representing the institution in the lawsuit. De Groft says Akerman — as well as the FBI — advised him and Brumback there was no reason to cancel the “Heroes & Monsters” exhibition, thereby fortifying his belief the paintings were authentic.

The countersuit notes the original legal filing shows that Akerman was aware the firm had been engaged to investigate the exhibition without the knowledge of the full board.

“Akerman thus became a co-conspirator with Brumback in the coverup and flagrantly breached its fiduciary duty to OMA,” De Groft’s countersuit states.

The countersuit calls for Akerman to recuse itself from the lawsuit because Florida ethics laws prohibit lawyers from being both witnesses to the issue at hand as well as advocates for one party in the dispute.

“If Akerman does not immediately withdraw, Defendant will file a motion for their disqualification,” De Groft’s suit threatens.

Orlando Museum of Art said it filed its suit because the actions of De Groft and the owners harmed both its reputation and finances. De Groft’s countersuit says he has suffered the same fate because of the museum’s failings.

“OMA’s lawsuit is a transparent public relations stunt intended to save face and to wrongfully make Defendant a scapegoat for the FBI’s seizure of the 25 paintings,” the countersuit states.

While De Groft did not specify what sort of damages he sought beyond the legal category of “in excess of $50,000,” the countersuit indicates big money could be in play.

“Defendant’s conclusion that the 25 Basquiats are authentic will be proven at trial, thereby dealing a much-deserved, fatal blow to OMA’s lawsuit and exposing [the museum] to tens of millions of dollars for its outrageous treatment of [De Groft] and deliberately trashing his excellent reputation,” the suit says. “Acts have consequences, and intentionally malicious acts are punished harshly. An Orlando jury will teach OMA a lesson that it will never forget.”

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

At a law office in downtown Orlando, Worrell pointed to the reintroduction of the Orange-Osceola State Attorney’s Office’s adult civil citation program, which was initially discontinued by appointed state attorney Andrew Bain before he announced Monday it will resume this month. The program offers alternatives to arrest for non-violent offenders, such as counseling or community service.

She further cited her office’s conviction rates, with what she said was a 70% felony conviction rate and 99% for homicide cases in the second quarter. On Monday, Bain reported strikingly similar numbers: convictions in 71% of felony trials and all of five homicide cases for his first 100 days.

“Not surprisingly, most of what he reported were the exact same things I was doing under my administration,” Worrell told reporters. A spokesperson for Bain did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Worrell’s press conference comes less than a month before her legal team is scheduled to present oral arguments before the Florida Supreme Court in an attempt to be reinstated as state attorney. Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis said the Florida Senate is the proper venue for reinstatement, calling her suspension a “political question.”

The hearing is set for Dec. 6.

DeSantis appointed Bain, a former Orange County judge, after suspending Worrell on Aug. 9 for what he said was a dereliction of duty for not prosecuting certain crimes more aggressively. Cited in his suspension order were alleged policies to avoid pushing for mandatory minimum sentences along with prosecutors dropping cases involving illegal guns and drug trafficking.

Worrell on Monday said the governor to date has not offered “not one scintilla of evidence” supporting those claims, adding that cases involving minimum mandatory sentences were handled “with care and caution.” She also further questioned data reported by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office regarding her office’s handling of their drug trafficking cases. Sheriff Marcos Lopez said she refused to prosecute many cases, but Worrell insists cases had to be dropped because of mishandled investigations.

DeSantis, who critics say went after Worrell for exercising prosecutorial discretion, counts law enforcement leaders among his supporters in the lawsuit against him. Earlier this month, the Florida Sheriffs Association filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to uphold Worrell’s suspension, which came after a months-long feud between her and local leaders.

“Law enforcement’s biggest contention with me was that I didn’t rubber stamp their decisions and that I did hold them accountable when they broke the law,” Worrell said. “That is why they wanted me out of office and that is why you see them laud and praise the governor’s state attorney [Bain], because they are all carrying out the governor’s agenda.”

On Monday, Bain said he plans on running for election against Worrell to keep his position as state attorney. Records show Worrell and Republican Seth Hyman have filed as candidates.

Orlando’s Little Radical Theatre is staging the musical in a raucous, exuberant production that will hit the right buttons for “Rocky Horror” fans — and heaven knows, there are a lot of them. The production is full of energy and has the right subversive attitude. But as for the show itself, well, the times they are a-changin’.

When “The Rocky Horror Show” debuted in 1973 — two years before the film adaptation that would turn the musical into a cult favorite — it was celebrated (or derided, depending on your point of view) as a reflection of the growing sexual liberation of the times. Set up as a spoof of the sci-fi B-movies of Hollywood’s early years, the story follows Brad and Janet, a couple of “squares” who succumb to the oversexed world of a mad scientist from outer space Frank-N-Furter, who’s determined to create a perfect sexual being, the Rocky of the title.

But as the social climate changes, it feels odd now to hear the show toss around words like “transvestite” and “transsexual.” (Does anyone even say “transvestite” or “transsexual” anymore?) And in an era focused on sexual consent, scenes where Frank tricks Brad and Janet into sex are more off-putting than humorous, as originally intended.

The Little Radical production, directed by Travis Eaton, mitigates these problems somewhat by focusing on the show’s ultimate message of “Don’t dream it, be it” and shaking up the genders in casting.

Jennifer Rae Paxton, who uses she/they pronouns, is the lecherous Frank and gives the scientist a troublemaking sneer while gleefully romping through the production numbers. Rocky, the object of Frank’s affection, is a nonbinary creation, portrayed with glee by Marlo Coffin.

Brad and Janet stick to traditional gender roles, with Ryan Bassett playing up Brad’s nerdish qualities and Kristie Geng relishing Janet’s newly discovered sexual freedom. Yet even her stripping down to pasties can’t possibly feel as shocking in this sexualized age as it did decades ago.

In his staging, Eaton has smartly found a middle ground between a typical play in which the audience sits quietly and the now de rigueur interactive movie screenings, in which audience members dress up, yell out lines between the filmed actors’ words and throw things at the screen.

I walked into the theater during a preshow game as an audience volunteer was agreeing to be flogged. Goodie bags are available filled with props to be used during the show. And, yes, the audience is encouraged to rise and dance the iconic “Time Warp.”

But the most interesting idea is the insertion of a master of ceremonies, who sometimes leads the audience in the standard interjections — how many times do we hear “Castles don’t have phones!” — but also adds his own witty one-liners, some with on-point Florida-specific references to Gov. Ron DeSantis or Walt Disney World.

Kenny Robinson plays this role with a devilish twinkle akin to the narrators in Broadway’s “Shucked.” About 90% of his comments land solidly, with the other 10% drowned out by the other onstage action. And there is plenty of onstage action: choreographer Shawn Lowe has fun with his big ensemble.

Ensemble members even take to the aisles in the Shakespeare Center’s Mandell Theatre, but oddly face the stage instead of the audience; how much more fun it would be to see their faces while they are among us.

One final note: Musical director Nishaa Johnson’s band sounds great and adds immeasurably to the energy, with a special shoutout going to saxophonist Jesse Dean. The sweet sound of his sax? Now that’s sexy.

‘The Rocky Horror Show’

• Length: 2:30, including preshow games and an intermission
• Where: Lowndes Shakespeare Center, 812 E. Rollins St. in Orlando
• When: Through Nov. 19
• Cost: $30 ($25 students and seniors)
• Info: littleradicaltheatricsinc.com

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

• 

  Finalists for the 26th Don Quijote Awards, presented by The Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and Prospera, gather for a group photo after being announced at the Winter Park Library on Thursday, November 14, 2023. The Don Quijote Awards is a signature event in Central Florida that recognizes businesses and individuals committed to excellence and the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Dr. Marica Vazquez, Superintendent Orange County Schools; Melissa Marantes, Executive Director of Orlando Center for Justice and Dr. Isis Artze-Vega, Valencia College Provost, gather for a photo after being announced as Don Quijote Awards finalists in the Excellence category at the Winter Park Library on Thursday, November 14, 2023. The Don Quijote Awards is a signature event in Central Florida that recognizes businesses and individuals committed to excellence and the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel).

• 

  Dr. Cyndia Muniz, UCF Director of HSI Culture and Partnerships; Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet, Executive Director of Hope CommUnity Center and Diahann Smith, Director of Marketing at Florida Dairy Farmers, celebrate together after being named Don Quijote Awards finalists for the Professional of the Year at the Winter Park Library on Thursday, November 14, 2023. The Don Quijote Awards presented by The Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and Prospera is the signature event in Central Florida that recognizes businesses and individuals committed to excellence and the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Finalists for the 26th Don Quijote Awards, presented by The Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and Prospera, gather for a group photo after being announced at the Winter Park Library on Thursday, November 14, 2023. The Don Quijote Awards is a signature event in Central Florida that recognizes businesses and individuals committed to excellence and the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Dr. Marica Vazquez, Superintendent Orange County Schools, and Dr. Isis Artze-Vega, Valencia College Provost, congratulate each other after being announced as Don Quijote Awards finalists in the Excellence category at the Winter Park Library on Thursday, November 14, 2023. The Don Quijote Awards presented by The Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and Prospera is the signature event in Central Florida that recognizes businesses and individuals committed to excellence and the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community. (Rich Pope/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica speaks during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica, left, speaks as Genean McKinnon, right, listens during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  A display is pictured at right as dignitaries gather during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Former U.S. Rep. John Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica, right, mingles during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica and Genean McKinnon (top) speak during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica speaks during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica speaks during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica speaks during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

• 

  Former US Rep. John Mica, right, mingles during an event at the Winter Park Library on Tuesday, November 14, 2023. Mica is presenting his congressional papers, along with those of former Sen. Paula Hawkins, to the library. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)

The traveling attraction is the dream-turned-reality of a Knoxville-based couple who saw room to improve with other family events they visited.

“My wife and I have three children. We’ve been to children’s events around the country. We went to one event and thought that it could have been so much better; that it didn’t capture the magic of being a child,” said Patrick Mines, who co-founded the event with his wife, Lauren. “We started brainstorming and ended up landing on unicorns.”

The immersive experience puts children and families into an enchanted forest with animatronic unicorns before leading out into areas with arts and crafts, unicorn stables, a ball pit, a bounce house village and more.

In the last year, Unicorn World has traveled to 18 cities across the United States, and the reception has been greater than Mines had ever expected.

“There are so many people out there, children and adults alike, who love unicorns,” he said. “The response has been bigger than we thought. We stumbled upon this whole mythical, magical unicorn desire that was out there.”

While the event is targeted toward children ages 2-10 and their families, the event organizers have found broader appeal among some adults and seniors as well.

“I think this gives people a big break from their daily lives to come out and be a kid again,” Mines said. “It’s been cool to see people’s enthusiasm for it.”

Whether it’s indulging in arts and crafts, playing in the ball pit or meeting fairies and exploring myriad photo ops, the attraction aims to help visitors leave reality behind and find themselves inside another land.

“We want to make it an immersive experience where you are transported to another place and feel like you’re in a different realm,” Mines said. “We’re creating a story where people can leave the regular world and get lost in a fun world for a little bit.”

If you go

Unicorn World is open from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 18 and 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at 9860 Universal Blvd. in Orlando. Timed-entry tickets are available online for $39 per adult and children ages 2-17 (before taxes and fees). Children younger than 2 years old enter for free. Unlimited passes are available as an add-on, granting unlimited access to bounce houses and unicorn rides. For more information, visit theunicornworld.com.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.

This wasn’t just any book: It marked the first time all of Shakespeare’s works were published together — no mean feat back in those days when many of his plays existed only in his drafts or the bits and pieces handed out to actors.

In fact, without this remarkable book, there would have been no published script for “Macbeth,” “Twelfth Night,” “Julius Caesar,” “The Tempest,” “Antony and Cleopatra” or “As You Like It,” just to name a few. Nearly half of Shakespeare’s output would have been lost.

And without his complete body of work to awe and inspire, Shakespeare likely would never have reached the cultural heights he has.

On Friday, Nov. 17, PBS’s “Great Performances” celebrates the 400th anniversary of the book in “Making Shakespeare: The First Folio.”

“The First Folio” is the name of this book of 36 plays. Well, actually, it’s not. The proper title is “Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies.” But it’s commonly called the First Folio by modern scholars; folio is a publishing term that indicates the way the book was printed, resulting in large-size pages.

Early in the program, narrated by Broadway superstar Audra McDonald, a participant describes the First Folio as “the most important secular book in the history of the Western world.”

Hyperbole? Well, the speaker is renowned Shakespeare scholar Jonathan Bate, so clearly, he has a bias toward its cultural significance. But that doesn’t mean he isn’t speaking accurately.

The First Folio is certainly the most expensive book going. In 2020, a copy auctioned by Christie’s sold for $10 million — the highest price ever paid for a work of literature at auction.

It’s estimated about 750 copies of the First Folio were printed. Today, 235 are known to still exist. PBS looks at a famously stolen copy, a recently discovered copy — in a public library in a small French town, no less — and a very royal copy.

In that latter segment, King Charles III examines a First Folio owned by his predecessor of some 15 generations, King Charles I, which is still in royal hands at Windsor Castle. That first Charles came to an unhappy end: His forces were defeated in the English Civil War, and he was executed in 1649 as the monarchy was abolished.

But, some comfort, we are told that even while imprisoned before his execution, Charles I was allowed to keep his copy of the First Folio. The copy contains his notes, in which he has written character names in the margins, perhaps to highlight his favorites — or maybe to keep the various comedy couples straight: “Is this the one with Beatrice and Benedick or the one with Helena and Bertram?”

There is something satisfying in learning that it was Shakespeare’s friends, two actors, who were the driving force in organizing whatever source material they could round up, collecting the plays and getting them published for posterity; after all, Shakespeare has been creating work for actors ever since.

(Side note: As a “Macbeth” fan, I also enjoyed learning that Shakespeare’s rough drafts are known as “foul papers” while the later, cleaned-up versions are called “fair copies.” “Fair is foul, and foul is fair…”)

In their effort to pay tribute to their deceased friend and preserve his legacy, John Heminges and Henry Condell also had to deal with some legalese that still exists in the modern arts world: Obtaining the rights to the works. The rights to many of Shakespeare’s plays were owned by those who had first printed them individually in various other formats, and the pair had to do some wheeling and dealing.

Lest you think the program has its eye solely on ancient history, it should be noted that the amusing stories of the First Folio are interspersed (sometimes smoothly, sometimes more clunkily) with the inspiring way Shakespeare impacts the world today, especially through the efforts of the Public Theater of New York City.

There’s “The Comedy of Errors” as a bilingual musical, Kenny Leon’s version of “Hamlet” for Shakespeare in the Park, a student production of “Romeo & Juliet” with children learning English as a second language. It’s all heartening to lovers of classical theater.

A favorite quote from the program comes from Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Public, as he ponders why Shakespeare endures. When the playwright creates his tales, whether comic or tragic, Eustis says, “he sees the worth of every human being.”

How to watch

• On TV: 9-11 p.m. Nov. 17, on WUCF-TV, Channel 24
• Online streaming: At pbs.org/show/great-performances

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more arts news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/arts, and go to orlandosentinel.com/theater for theater news and reviews.

And though McAvoy, now an advanced sommelier and owner of Orlando’s Swirlery Wine Bar in SoDo, has a far more sophisticated palate these days, the Beaujolais Day tradition — this year on Nov. 16 — has stuck. This will be Swirlery’s eighth annual Beaujolais soiree, a deep dive into styles of this popular, easy-drinking wine.

“I think it’s a perfect wine for Florida because it’s lower alcohol, a really nice, crisp red, and should be served chilled,” she notes. “And it pairs beautifully with some of the lighter food choices we often make because of the climate we live in. It’s an ideal wine to showcase.”

The Nouveau, she notes, is best known. Its colorful labels show up this time of year, bright and often flowery. “It’s associated with the end of harvest in Burgundy,” she explains, “but also happens to time well in America with the Thanksgiving holiday.”

The Nouveau employs a process called carbonic maceration, which “for me makes it sort of a guilty pleasure,” McAvoy jokes. “It’s made to be enjoyed really immediately. Using this technique, it’s fermented very fast at super cool temperatures, and so, just a fresh fun wine to enjoy quickly.”

Madeira: The Portuguese wine of American presidents

There are other Beaujolais varieties, however, that are deep-dive worthy. These are McAvoy’s favorites: the Crus. With these comes something of a geography lesson.

Beaujolais is a region in France that sits south of Burgundy. Within, there are 10 “crus” from north to south. These include St-Amour, Juliénas, Chénas, Moulin-à-Vent, Fleurie, Chiroubles, Morgon, Régnié, Brouilly and Côte de Brouilly.

“It’s often like stepping back in time,” McAvoy says of the regions’ small, old-vine family operations. “These wineries have been passed down through generations. And when you meet these winemakers, you can’t help but fall in love with the wine. You want to share it every year and celebrate, but then enjoy it all year long.”

Orlando’s natural wine scene is growing — organically

There is a variance in flavors from cru to cru, she notes, “lots of depth and minerality due in part to the soils,” and on Beaujolais Day at Swirlery, her annual selection will roam the region. Guests can sip and savor a few light bites or get as geeky as they like: Beaujolais and its gamay grapes are rife with drama.

“Hundreds of years ago, the Duke of Burgundy — they called him Phillip the Bold — wanted to make pinot noir famous in Burgundy, and so he banned the planting of gamay grapes in the northern part of the region.”

It was a long road to redemption for this now-beloved Beaujolais from the south, “and why it is such a special, unique part of Burgundy and its history.”

Swirlery’s tasting party ($30 at the door) starts at 6 p.m. and will take guests through all 10 crus, with bottles available for sale. There will be Nouveau, too, of course, “And maybe a little gamay from Oregon or elsewhere in the States, too.”

Parties here are casual, come as you are and wholly unpretentious, with lots of wine lovers eager to share what they know, exchange thoughts on the pours and just have fun. Dinner-party and gifting season is upon us, too, and so really, going to a wine shop is about the most unselfish thing you can do this time of year, really.

I’m reaching, I know.

But if you needed another excuse to get to know Beau, now you’ve got one. And you can share what you’ve learned with your hosts this season when you bring them a bottle.

Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @amydroo or on the OSFoodie Instagram account @orlando.foodie. Email: amthompson@orlandosentinel.com. For more fun, join the Let’s Eat, Orlando Facebook group or follow @fun.things.orlando on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

During the past four games, the fifth-year senior has improved with each start, and his performance has escalated as his knee grows stronger.

In those four starts, Plumlee has completed 55 of 107 passes (51%) for 986 yards with 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 168 yards on 34 carries (4.94 average) with 3 touchdowns and a

In leading UCF to its 45-3 win over then-No. 15 Oklahoma State last weekend, he set season-highs in passing yards (299) and rushing attempts (14) and his passer rating (255.6) was the second-highest of his career.

“You can see he’s getting healthier and it changes the dynamics — not just our offense but our whole team,” said coach Gus Malzahn.

Plumlee’s touch on deep passes (20-plus yards) also has improved.

He completed 6 of 7 for 250 yards and a touchdown against the Cowboys.

“He threw the best deep balls that he’s had since we’ve been here in practice and it carried over in the game,” said Malzahn.

UCF tailback RJ Harvey takes his game to next level

Said offensive coordinator Darin Hinshaw, a former quarterback: “When you’re throwing as a quarterback, you throw with your lower body more than you do with your upper body. You don’t just throw with one arm. You throw with your hips, shoulders and legs.

“Your knees are torqued constantly, so you can see the progression as he continues to heal and get better and better and better.”

Plumlee and the Knights’ next challenge is this Saturday at Texas Tech (5-5, 4-3 Big 12), with the Red Raiders coming off a 16-13 win against then-No. 19 Kansas.

Who plays center this week?

Injuries continue to force the coaching staff to make weekly adjustments to the offensive line.

Bula Schmidt missed the game against the Cowboys with an apparent foot injury, shifting fifth-year senior Lokahi Pauole from guard to center. He’d only taken seven career snaps there.

“That’s the fourth center we’ve had this year,” said Malzahn. “I don’t know if we’ve ever gotten to the third center with the first group, so this is a unique year.”

Added Hinshaw: “He did a good job at center with his IDs and the calls and everything because that goes into playing center. You’ve got to be the quarterback of the offensive line.”

UCF blasted into space with out-of-this-world victory over No. 15 Oklahoma State! | Commentary

Malzahn said redshirt freshman center Caden Kitler, who missed the last five games with an undisclosed injury, is nearly 100% and should be in the mix for the spot this week.

The coaching staff also isn’t against keeping Pauole at center.

“Every week, we’re looking for the best five [offensive linemen] that we can put out there,” said Hinshaw. “And we concluded that Lokahi at center would be our best opportunity to do that.”

Pictures: UCF Knights beat No. 15 Oklahoma State University 45-3.

Can safety Demari Henderson become a full-time starter? 

Henderson had a standout game in UCF’s victory against Oklahoma State as he recovered a forced fumble and intercepted two passes by the Cowboys.

This was his third fumble recovery of the season and the first career interception for the sophomore.

A Sanford Seminole High standout, Henderson was named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

“He’s coming into his own,” said defensive coordinator Addison Williams. “Back in fall camp he was working himself into a starter and then injured himself, but he’s come back and hit the ground running.”

Henderson has appeared in seven games, starting the last four at safety for the Knights and registering 14 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 passes defended and a forced fumble.

Pro Football Focus has him as the highest-graded defensive back on the team (79.2) and graded seventh (76.6) among safeties in the Big 12.

“The thing about Demari is that every game is still kind of new to him because he’s still young and hasn’t played much ball until this season,” said Williams. “But as the season goes and as his career goes, he has a chance to be a really good player.”

Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.

The design, as previously announced, is snowmobile-inspired.

“This is the lead car. It’s a snowmobile. You’re in Antarctica. And it’s all in the details upfront. The ski with a spring has nothing to do with the ride; it’s just a detail,” Rob McNicholas, vice president of operations at SeaWorld Orlando, said Tuesday during the annual gathering of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

Penguin Trek’s car is an icy blue with tan, aqua and black accents. The rail for the ride will be white.

There will be a 42-inch height requirement for the ride, scheduled to open in the spring. The trains, which will seat 18 passengers apiece, will come with over-the-head lap restraints.

“The good thing is it’s very comfortable. You feel free up top, so you can kind of compare it to [fellow SeaWorld coaster] Mako in that regards,” McNicholas said.

“This is a grown-up coaster a kid can ride,” he said.

First look: Disney Jollywood Nights debuts at Hollywood Studios

Penguin Trek will be an indoor-outdoor coaster that repurposes the former Empire of the Penguin attraction at SeaWorld. It will top out at 43 mph and have a finale that includes actual penguins.

The car was on display at the booth for designer Bolliger & Mabillard, which was also responsible for the look of Pipeline, the surfboard-inspired coaster that debuted at SeaWorld Orlando earlier this year.

Other ride vehicles on display at IAAPA Expo include one that looks like a gravy boat for Good Gravy, a coaster opening at Holiday World in Indiana next year, and a Hot Wheels car for the Twin Mill Racer at Arizona’s upcoming Mattel Adventure Park.

Email me at dbevil@orlandosentinel.com. Threads account: @dbevil. X account: @themeparks. You can subscribe to the Theme Park Rangers newsletter at orlandosentinel.com/newsletters.