UCF defense enjoys feasting on takeaways
“It’s something that we practice every day. It’s our motto on our entire team about being on attack and the ball being the most important piece of it.”
Willie Martinez, assistant coach
UCF is an explosive team with talented offensive playmakers who are fun to watch, but the Knights also take pride in their opportunistic defense.
Take the Knights’ 49-21 win at Georgia Tech Saturday when UCF registered five turnovers. The defense forced four fumbles — recovering three of them — and intercepted two Jeff Sims passes.
UCF converted both interceptions into touchdowns.
“It was just a testament to the coaches,” said senior safety Richie Grant, who finished the Georgia Tech game with nine tackles and a fumble recovery, the third of his career. “We’re been practicing punching the ball out, being in the right passing lane to be able to get some of those turnovers. We were rewarded, … so we’re grateful for that.”
UCF has accounted for 86 takeaways since 2016 while turning over the football 46 times for a +40-turnover margin during that stretch.
Saturday’s performance was the fourth time since 2016 UCF has had five takeaways in a game. The Knights have managed the feat during two consecutive games, closing last season with five takeaways during a win over Marshall in the Gasparilla Bowl.
UCF is 22-1when it forces at last two turnovers during a game.
The offense has capitalized on these opportunities, scoring 337 points off turnovers in the 40 games dating back to the 2016 season.
UCF redshirt senior linebacker Eric Mitchell credits the coaching staff for emphasizing takeaways.
“A shout-out to Coach [Randy] Shannon and the rest of the defensive staff,” said Mitchell, who finished with six tackles against Georgia Tech. “It’s about communicating heavily in practice. Strip the ball, catch a pick, run to the sideline or fall on the ball. We’ve been working on that so much in practice and throughout camp, that it’s become a thing that we do now.
“It ’s something we’re used to now.”
The focus on turnovers has already carried over to several newcomers, including true freshman defensive lineman Josh Celiscar, who had an interception, forced
that fumble and fumble recovery against the Yellow Jackets.
“It’s something that we practice every day,” said assistant coach Willie Martinez, who is in this third season at UCF. “It’s our motto on our entire team about being on attack and the ball being the most important piece of it.
“From our standpoint, we want to create turnovers. We do it every day and not only do we do a circuit of it every day, but we take it to each drill whether its 7-on-7 or team versus team, it’s always been second or third guy coming in and trying to punch the ball out.”
The defense gets another chance this week on the road against an East Carolina team that has improved how it handles the football under coach Mike Houston. After finishing at or near the bottom of the AAC in turnovers, the Pirates only gave up the football 17 times in 2019.
Martinez said a
strong showing against Georgia Tech inspires players to keep pushing for turnovers against Eat Carolina.
“It’s being practiced every day and it’s an expectation standard that we try to put on each other,” Martinez said. “It’s good to see those results and obviously it gives a bunch of confidence to a team that they’re coming through with what they’re practicing.”
Athletics center opens
UCF quietly unveiled the latest piece of the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletics Village Monday, opening the Roth Athletics Center Monday.
The two - story, 37,288-square-foot building is in between the Wayne Densch Sports Center and Nicholson Fieldhouse. It will serve as the main offices for the Knights’ athletic department. It also features 10 meeting rooms and a team lounge for the football team along with space for men’s golf, women’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, women’s rowing, men’s soccer and women’s soccer.
Donors funded the $12 million building construction costs.
UCF is planning to hold a private open house once it is safe to host such an event.