The UCF Knights were looking forward to welcoming back Justin Holman to get out of a devastating hole. Holman’s return though has not brought good luck.
As UCF suffered through losses both embarrassing and understandable early in the season, the thought was Justin Holman’s return would bring some normalcy back to the team.
He was the team’s leader on offense, ready to take control of the team and be its best player on offense considering all the players it had lost (and then would lose in Matthew Stanback). Holman showed plenty of promise with the experienced receivers from last year, this was his team to run. And there was no one else.
That was proven when Bo Schneider and Tyler Harris struggled mightily in three starts for the Knights. The losses kept piling up and the offense could not move the ball, despite flashes of potential albeit brief.
Holman’s return two weeks ago against Connecticut was welcomed. He gave the team plenty of hope that he could turn things around. Optimism actually existed again.
Two more losses have squelched much of that optimism, especially considering how much the offense has struggled. Holman has had to force things and his turnover numbers are up. UCF continues to lose. Holman’s presence has not improved UCF’s offense much if at all.
Since Holman’s return — the 40-13 loss to Connecticut and the 30-16 loss at Temple — he has completed just 37 of his 86 passes (43.0 percent) for 322 yards matching one touchdown against five interceptions. That includes a puzzling and difficult 10-for-31 passing for just 67 yards and two picks.
Holman has not had help from his rushing game, UCF is last in the FBS in Rushing S&P+ according to Football Outsiders. He and the other quarterbacks have not had help from the receivers either, particularly after the injury to Jordan Akins. And the offensive line has struggled too, giving up 15 sacks in seven games.
It all comes together.
It has become abundantly clear, Holman was not going to be a panacea. Certainly, the hope was that his return and presence would return UCF to some form of respectability. His first drive against Connecticut led UCF to the goal line, where the team would settle for a field goal. Since then, there have been few drives to inspire confidence.
The Knights’ lone touchdown against the Owls came on an interception return for a touchdown. UCF is still looking for offensive rhythm.
There seemed to be none Saturday for UCF. Nothing worked and the Knights will have to go back to the drawing board completely.
Holman is included in that bunch.
Maybe Holman is still recovering from the injury, called into action before he was ready by the dire straights the team was in. The team frankly has not performed worse than it did without him. Although Saturday might be an exception.
As good as he can be and as good as he has played at times for UCF, he cannot do things by himself. The offense is still floundering even with him in there.
