◆ UCF and Navy
expect to be tested today during their AAC showdown, their first-ever meeting.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo was frustrated following his team’s loss to Memphis last week.
A cavalcade of uncharacteristic turnovers and miscues cost the Midshipmen a chance to beat the Tigers, but a new week brought hope his team would bounce back.
Then he started watching film of this week’s opponent: UCF.
“You go from a loss to Memphis and you’re feeling down and then you throw in this tape and you’re like, ‘Crap,’ ” Niumatalolo said.
No. 20 UCF (5-0, 3-0 American Athletic Conference) travels to Annapolis today for their firstever meeting with Navy (5-1, 3-1). The Knights feature the top scoring offense in the country (50.6 points per game) and are the league’s top offensive team, averaging more than 547 yards per game.
“They’re scary,” Niumatalolo said. “We’re not going anywhere, but we’re going to have to play our best to even have a chance against these guys. That’s what I tell our kids. I’m very honest
with our players. I tell them if we have five turnovers like we did last week and rough the punter, they’re going to beat us 80-0.”
UCF, meanwhile, expects to be pushed by the Midshipmen.
“I think our guys are excited for this challenge,” UCF coach Scott Frost said on the program’s first meeting with Navy.
The Midshipmen lead the country in time of possession, eating up 36 minutes on offense per game thanks to a tripleoption attack that’s averaging more than 400 yards per game on the ground.
“These guys are really well coached; they know what they’re doing,” Frost said. “If they find a hole in your defense, they’re going to keep exploiting it.
“It’s a big week for our defense to prepare but we have some work put in already for it and we’re going to build on that as the week goes on.”
On the flip side, UCF features the second-best rushing defense in the conference. The Knights are allowing just over 110 yards per game on the ground and haven’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in any of its five wins.
That will be put to the test today by Navy quarterback Zach Abey, who leads the AAC in rushing (1,016 yards, 12 touchdowns) and is the only quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision with at least 1,000 yards on the ground so far this season.
“They are a disciplined team,” UCF fifthyear linebacker Chequan Burkett said. “They’re very good at what they do. We have to come in and be as disciplined as them and be on top of the ball and be dialed into our keys.”
Niumatalolo knows the best way to slow down UCF is by keeping its high-powered offense off the field.
“It’s no secret, people know who we are,” said Niumatalolo, who is in his 10th season in charge of the Midshipmen. “We’re going to try and chew the clock up. I’m not the smartest guy but I know if you’re not on the field, you can’t score.
“… That’s easier said than done with this defense.”
Time of possession is a concern for Frost and the Knights.
“They’re going to try and hold the ball and keep it away from us. That’s what they do to everyone. Try and run the time off the clock offensively,” he said. “We’re going to have to get a feel to where we are offensively and get a score. Obviously if we’re ahead, I’m not excited about going fast and give them the ball right back so they can do it all over again. But if we’re behind, we need to get moving and try and get some points on the board.
“It’s going to be a chess match depending on how the game unfolds.”