Knights see offensive-line versatility as key to success
Versatility might be the most valuable asset during the 2020 college football season.
As teams juggle their rosters in search of enough depth at key positions to offset limited conditioning time caused by coronavirus restrictions, the ability to play multiple positions is now more crucial than ever.
UCF offensive lineman Sam Jackson is a prime example, with the 6-foot-6, 335-pounder having played tackle and guard for the Knights last season.
“I also play center, in case you didn’t know,” Jackson said with a sheepish smile.
Jackson is one of a handful of players who have started a game for the Knights on the offensive line. He joins redshirt senior Parker Boudreaux, redshirt junior Cole Schneider, redshirt sophomore Ed Collins and graduate transfer Marcus Tatum as a core group of players who have played significant minutes on the line.
“I do think we’ve developed a lot of depth and flexibility to have a lot of moving parts in our front five guys,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said.
Heupel and his coaching staff have focused on developing depth at the position. A deep, versatile group of offensive linemen was helpful during a normal, physically taxing season. Now it’s essential.
“Multiple guys playing at different positions,” Heupel said. “Sam Jackson is a guy, a year ago, who played some guard and played some tackle. I think that’s critical this year because [you have] less time in your lead-up as far as preparation in June and July and being in your weight room and conditioning part of it.
“Maybe having to play more guys and have maybe more rotation than we would have in the past.”
Much of the focus in preseason camp centered around getting players back to game-day fitness. The four-plus months away from the weight room and the strength
and conditioning staff while players were quarantined at home clearly had an impact.
“I think coaches were right, we weren’t in the same shape when we got back initially that we would have been,” Jackson said. “I would say right now, the O-line is feeling good right now. Our mindset right now is to go out there and play as hard as you can for as long as you can and things will work out.”
But Jackson knows that it’s going to be nearly impossible for a handful of linemen to play every snap while running UCF’s hightempo offense.
“It’s going to be hard to have five guys go 80 plays, 90 plays, so you’re going to have to have a rotation,” Jackson said. “You’re going to have to have eyes at a different spot. It’s going to happen this year. There’s going to be a rotation, I’m sure of it and is absolutely going to be important.”
Georgia Tech used nine different players on its defensive front against Florida State Saturday, with the Yellow Jackets holding the Seminoles to109 rushing yards while accounting for three sacks, including two by redshirt sophomore defensive end Curtis Ryans.
The Knights, meanwhile, allowed 24 sacks in 2019, with 15 of
those surrendered during losses to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and Tulsa.
Kickoff for the UCF at Georgia Tech game is at 3:30 p.m. Saturday and the game will air nationally on ABC.
The Knights will force the Yellow Jackets to deal with a variety of linemen.
Tatum, who joined the UCF program after spending four seasons at Tennessee, has adapted quickly.
“He’s done a really good job coming in,” Jackson said of Tatum. “He fits right in with our group and all of our personalities. He’s working his tail off. He’s a grad transfer, so he’s teaching me things that I didn’t even know at tackle and we’re making each other better.”
UCF features other players who have seen some time up front, including Lamarius Benson, Kyle Black, Josh McMullen, Matt Lee and Lokahi Pauole. They’re joined by freshmen Paul Rubelt and Mike Lofton.
“There’s definitely some guys who think they might not play right now but they better be ready,” Jackson said.