The Knights 2015 season is here (6 p.m. vs. FIU on CBS Sports Network, if you forgot) and there will be a lot of new faces in key positions this season. Here are my four questions for the Knights’ season.
1st Down – Who will be quarterback Justin Holman‘s go-to wide receiver?
UCF must replace virtually every key Wide Receiver player from 2014. The departure list includes NFL early entry Breshad Perriman, last year’s 1,000-yard receiver who was a 1st round selection in the NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens.
The most experienced returnee is Jordan Akins, a former minor league baseball player who caught only 12 passes a year ago. Akins should be a great target for Holman, in particular in the red zone.
Redshirt freshman Tre’Quan Smith in my opinion is the most talented of the group as people close to the program told me Smith would have played last season as a true freshman if the Knights were not so deep and experienced. Smith was Holman’s favorite target during the spring and I predict to continue in fall.
Nick Patti, who switched from quarterback to wide reciever, is going to start the season as the slot wide out. Can Patti be as productive as another former quarterback-turned-wide receiver Jeff Godfrey was in 2013? It will be interesting to follow.
2nd Down – How will Brent Key do as Offensive Coordinator?
A name you will be hearing more and more as the season goes on is Brent Key. Key begins his 11th season at UCF where he mostly has been the offensive line coach. This will be his first season as offensive coordinator.
There is a lot of speculation on Key being George O’Leary’s successor at UCF whenever O’Leary decides to step down as the head coach. USA Today’s Dan Wolken wrote about it this week:
“If O’Leary were to become the athletics director, both people with knowledge of the situation said his plan would be to promote offensive coordinator Brent Key to head football coach”, Wolken wrote in his article.
O’Leary on his weekly radio show addressed the story:
“I don’t know what’s going on with those articles.” O’Leary said. “I don’t worry about stuff. I have a contract through 2020. I said on Media Day when I’m not efficient, that’s what I’ll do. It’s amazing. It’s the same group of writers from what I’ve told. They’ve never been here. I wouldn’t give any credence to that stuff. I don’t think it’s worth anything. When people mention sources, that drives me nuts. I have a lot more to do than worry about stuff like that.”
The speculation will be ongoing in 2015. The big question in the immediate future is how the offense will do under Key.
How the Knights offense performs will either help or hurt Key’s future as a possible UCF head coach candidate in the eyes of Knights fans whenever O’Leary decides to retire.
Either way, Key has to step up into a new role and maintain UCF’s success.
3rd Down – Can the Knights run the football?
A lot of Key and UCF’s success on offense will depend on how Key’s offensive line performs.
In 2014, UCF struggled to run the football, averaging 3.2 yards per carry for the season. The good news is UCF has tons of experience back at running back and offensive line which the Knights hope leads to improvement.
Running back William Stanback missed several games due to nagging injuries, but the junior still was named all-conference for the second consecutive year after rushing for 697 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Behind Stanback is Dontravius Wilson and freshman Taj McGowan. The Knights like to use two backs during the games and with durability questions around Stanback it will be interesting to see if Wilson or McGowan can perform when their number is called.
All but one of the key linemen return including center Joey Grant who is back at full strength after offseason shoulder surgery.
The Knights like to be 50/50 run pass ratio and a healthy Stanback for the full season and improvements from line will need to occur to accomplish that goal.
4th Down – How good will UCF’s defense be in 2015?
In 2014, UCF finished fifth nationally in total defense (298.5 yards allowed per game) and ninth in scoring defense (19.2 points allowed per game). But there are big shoes to fill with seven departing starters.
The Knights must replace two of three linebacker starters and will have an entirely new secondary after graduating three seniors and seeing cornerback Jacoby Glenn, the 2014 AAC Defensive Player of the Year, shockingly declare early for the NFL Draft.
At cornerback, UCF does have several players who have been waiting in the wings, notably juniors Shaquill Griffin and D.J. Killings, who start the year as starters in the depth chart.
A name to keep in mind is redshirt freshman Kyle Gibson, who was a 4-star recruit in the 2014 recruiting class. He eventually will be a starter and next great playmaker from secondary.
At safety, Drico Johnson appeared in every game in 2014 as a reserve. In 2015, Johnson will be leader of safeties as he been the starter on the depth chart from the start of spring.
At linebacker, Chequan Burkett will be in my opinion the leading tackler on the team. Burkett will have to replace Terrance Plummer who was the leader of the defense in 2014. Burkett saw significant action in 2014, culminating with a career-high 12 tackles in the St. Petersburg Bowl against NC State.
The strength of the defense will be the defensive line, led by senior end Thomas Niles, who finished with a team-leading 7.5 sacks and 13.0 tackles for a loss in 2014. Sophomore Jamiyus Pittman will anchor the middle. This unit must be great to help the young secondary early in the season.
How UCF answers these questions will go a long way in seeing if the Knights can 3-peat as American Conference champions and continue the success the program has had the last four seasons.
For more listen to me talk about the Knights football season with Jeff Sharon on Corner 3 Podcast.
