The UCF Knights feel like they have entered a truly comfortable place in college football.
They can reload rather than rebuild. UCF feels established. So particularly in two positions, it seems the Knights are preparing for a major transition without missing too much of a beat.
The receivers appear reloaded with talented players looking to step up with a veteran quarterback leading the way. The Knights’ season though might be decided on the defensive end.
They have a lot of experience returning in the front seven, but no one returning from last year’s squad in the secondary. And with the defensive line struggling in the opener, the question about the entire defense — and especially the inexperienced secondary — seems to grow louder and louder.
It is, as Carson Ingle said on the Sports Talk Florida Insiders Show last weekend, the big question facing UCF this season.
UCF has made a name for itself in the secondary. The Knights have had several great units come through. But this year’s team is going to have to re-establish itself and make a name for itself anew.
The listed starters on this week’s depth chart will see junior Shaquill Griffin (two starts last year with an interception) and D.J. Killings (eight games with eight tackles last year, five in the bowl game). At safety, the Knights are expected to start redshirt freshman Tre Neal and junior Drico Johnson, who has all of 24 tackles so far in his career.
There is not a lot of experience in this group. There certainly is a lot of talent.
The Knights have reached a stage in their program development where talent just replaces itself and there is a reload rather than a rebuild.
The strength of this defense is going to be its rush defense. The front seven is relatively experienced and should be able to get a solid push up front. As UCF learned early in its game against FIU, the key to the team’s defensive success (place this in the duh category, but it is still a point worth noting) is to get pressure on the quarterback and rally to tackles quickly.
The Knights will make plenty of mistakes with such a young, inexperienced secondary. They will play a lot of read-and-react sets because of that. It will mean tackling will become more and more important for UCF as the season moves forward.
That was something the Knights had some struggles with against the Panthers. The pressure was inconsistent and the tackling was a bit loose at times. FIU was able to move the ball some on UCF — particularly on its two scoring drives.
Overall the results of UCF’s first game were not great. The Knights gave up 260 passing yards. Inconsistency containing runs and making tackles led to the Panthers being able to move the ball down the field and take the win (along with a lethargic offense).
Things are still obviously a work in progress for UCF as a team.
The secondary will continue to have to answer questions from other teams throughout the season.
It is both a good and a bad thing Shaquill Griffin led the team in tackles with seven and one pass break up against FIU. Griffin was involved and making plays to support the pass and run game.
Drico Johnson had four tackles and a fumble recover. D.J. Killings added four tackles. Tre Neal had three tackles.
But that defense was still left exposed at seemingly every outlet. They did not step up when they were called on as a whole unit.
FIU was more physical on the front line and was able to get what it wanted in making the comeback to win the game. No matter what the Knights did they could not come up with the big play on either end to turn the tide and regain momentum.
This week against Stanford, the defense will have another tall order. The Cardinal feature an offense that favors power runs and loads up on big offensive linemen. The front seven will have their work cut out for them to keep this thing close.
The secondary will have to step up and help in the run game in much the same way they were force to against the Panthers last week. The front seven will have to do its part.
When UCF gets up against teams that can throw the ball a little more successfully, this unit will have to carry its weight and answer some big questions. Particularly without the experience.
And with the defensive line struggling and asking more questions, the whole defense faces some pretty serious dilemmas moving forward.
