Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 73-6vs Bethune-Cookman | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | 18 | Season-high 30 yds |
| Total | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | 18 |
#18
Caden Piening
Freshman tight end for UCF. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′5″ · 245 lb · Cincinnati, OH · Anderson
Returning to UCF for 2026
The numbers
30
receiving yards · 2026
2 catches · 15 per catch
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 rec, 30 yds, vs Bethune-Cookman
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 tight end for UCF. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to UCF in 2025.
Caden Piening
One game to point at: 30 rec yds, 2 receptions against Bethune-Cookman — Week 1, 2026.
30 REC YDS · 2 REC · 0 REC TD
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2025
- Signed with UCF3-star out of Anderson
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
UCF
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026UCF1-1HC: Scott Frost · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this profile ranks vs the TE cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: yards / catch (86th percentile). Concern: rec yards (0th percentile).
Box-score rates (5)
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 2.0 REC/g, 30.0 YDS/g, 15.0 YPR, 0.0 TD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Scott Frost
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | UCF | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | -- |
| Career | 2 | 30 | 15.0 | 0 | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 73–6
2 rec · 30 yds
Dominant 67-point win at home against Bethune-Cookman.
With T. Swint — 48 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · A. Barnett — 158 yds · 1 TD · 1 INT · QBR 46.9 · 9 rush yds (5 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
UCF
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Tight end · UCF
Returning around him
- 25% of 2024 offensive production back (Heavy turnover)
- 1 UCF player drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: -3 net (32 in / 35 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
UCF · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #66 · 2026 recruiting class #66
The tight end room · UCF
- Dylan Wade523 receiving yards · 2025
- #83Dylan Burk55 receiving yards · 2025
- #88Grayson Brousseau45 receiving yards · 2025
- #84Thomas Wadsworth27 receiving yards · 2025
- #18Caden Piening1 game · 2026
2 more on the roster · UCF team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology