Knights’ O-line eager to succeed
Tyler Hudanick is well aware of the reputation the offensive line was saddled with when he first arrived at UCF three seasons ago.
Injuries and inconsistent play from the group helped the Knights become one of the worst teams in the country at protecting the quarterback.
That all changed last season as the offense line became one of the cornerstones during UCF’s undefeated season.
“In years past, people looked at us as the weaker group of the bunch and we’re tired of being called that,” Hudanick said following the team’s practice on Wednesday. “I’m tired of hearing and I’ve heard it since my freshman year.”
Nobody is calling out the offensive line right now. Not after the group allowed just 13 sacks in 2017, tied for fifth-best in the nation. The Knights also led the nation in scoring.
“Last year was big for us,” Hudanick said. “... I think it was halfway through the season [before] we gave up one or two sacks and that was big because we knew even in the locker room that we felt like we had a lot of pressure on our shoulders.”
Hudanick is among a group of returning offensive-line starters, joining center Jordan Johnson and tackle Wyatt Miller.
While Hudanick and company look to continue to build on the foundation established last season, they’ll do so with an entirely new coaching staff. Scott Frost took his entire staff with him to Nebraska, leaving the players to start over again with new coaches.
“It’s weird. It’s my third staff and I feel like every other year it’s going to be a new one,” Hudanick joked, referencing his time under George O’Leary, Frost and now Josh Heupel.
Heupel was hired to replace Frost in early December, bringing with him a new staff including offensive line coach Glen Elarbee.
The transition has its own set of challenges, including developing familiarity between returning players and a whole new coaching staff.
“It’s all about trusting your new coaches,” Hudanick said. “Coming off a season in which we went undefeated, it almost feels perfect, so it’s the thing that you’re doing something different than what you did that was perfect.
“We’re just going to have to trust the process and let them know that we trust them and they put trust in us to go out there and perform on Saturdays.”
Elarbee is pleased with the players’ close bond.
“It’s got to be one of the most tight-knit offensive line’s I’ve ever been around,” Elarbee said of the group.
“Those guys do a great job with their culture and taking accountability with each other and you asked him to fix something and they try to go fix it.”