ORLANDO, Florida - University of Central Florida head football coach Josh Heupel knows form experience: put yourself in a position to succeed, and you will.

• Colubiale was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA
• Extra eligibility came after injury-plagued 2015
• UCF plays Memphis at 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday on ABC

“Whenever your opportunity comes, you will then be in a position to play at a championship level, which will keep you on the field,” he said.

Heupel also sees it firsthand on his Knights squad in the form of tight end Michael Colubiale. Colubiale has proven to be a versatile option for UCF this season, opening up the field for quarterback McKenzie Milton and an already-loaded offense.

“If I can help the team in anyway possible, that’s going to be great for me and the team," Colubiale said. "But I think this offense hasn’t seen its best game yet.”"

“I think he has a great feel of spacing in the field," Milton added. "He knows how to get open. You can play him in tight, you can play him out wide in the slot. So that’s a huge weapon to have at tight end, and you know he’s going to keep making plays all year.”

In five games, Colubiale has 11 receptions for 167 yards and a touchdown. But those numbers would have been thought to be impossible after last season, as the redshirt senior had concluded his career. That's when the NCAA informed him he'd be given a sixth year of eligibility as a result of an injury sustained in 2015, making him a rare sixth-year candidate as he pursued his graduate degree.

“He came back here because he wanted to be a part of that locker room and be around his brothers," Heupel said. "It speaks to who he is, it speaks to the culture that’s inside of our locker room.”

And his philosophies resonate throughout the locker room, in fact. 

“If you wanna play perfect, you’ve got to practice perfect," Colubiale said. "So make sure everyone comes out each day fully prepared after meetings, and at practice, and make sure everyone’s doing their assignments.”

“I’m glad Mike was able to come for a sixth year," wideout Gabriel Davis said. "Mike’s a great guy to be around. Personality, he’s just a realy fun go to be around. Also, he loves the work, he loves the grind, he loves to be out here. And that’s what I love about him the most. “

So now, six years into his playing career, with perfect and imperfect seasons in his pocket, he's anxious to finish out this days in Orlando in style.

“It’s incredible to still be part of it," Colubiale said. :I thought last year was it for me, but now I’m just embracing it even more."