UCF quarterback and receiver form tight bond
Sometimes, all it takes is a look between Tre’Quan Smith and McKenzie Milton.
It’s a special bond that develops between a receiver and quarterback that goes beyond just being teammates. For Smith, the top receiver at the University of Central Florida, it’s a look he can give Milton on the field that lets him know it’s OK to throw the football his way.
“You want to be friends with everybody, but as a receiver, you especially want to be friends with the quarterback,” Smith said. “It helps if you’re more than friends off the field because sometimes you can give your guys that look and he knows what that look means.”
UCF coach Scott Frost has seen that connection, and as a former quarterback, he’s all too familiar with how important that can be when it comes to having success.
“I think chemistry with a quarterback and a receiver is mostly about a receiver trusting a quarterback to throw it to him and I think McKenzie trusts Tre’Quan,” said Frost, who led Nebraska to a national championship in 1997 as the Huskers’ starting quarterback. “I would too if I was a quarterback because when you throw it up his way, he’s great with the ball up in the air. He can go get it.”
That chemistry between Smith and Milton has paid off for UCF. The Knights lead the nation in scoring offense (47.5 points per game) and rank eighth in total offense (533 yards per game) this season.
Smith ranks fourth in the American Athletic Conference in receiving with an average of 84.3 yards per game. He put together a career-best performance against Cincinnati Saturday, hauling in five passes for 165 yards and three touchdowns. He also recorded a five-yard touchdown run, the first rushing score of his career.
His strong start earned him a spot on the Biletnikoff Award watch list this week, an award given annually to the best wide receiver in the country. His position coach, Troy Walters, knows what it takes to win the award. Walters captured it in 1999 as a receiver at Stanford.
“[It takes] big games, consistency. It’s not having four touchdowns one game and then not doing anything the next three games. It’s about every game being the best out there,” Walters said. “That’s what I challenge him [to do.] Every game, be the best receiver out there. If you do that you’ll give yourself a chance.”
Walters has seen chemistry between Smith and Milton as well.
“It’s been awesome and it really goes back to the summer time and fall camp. Those guys really set up a connection and I tell the receivers all the time, if a quarterback can’t trust you, he’s not going to throw it to you,” Walters said. “I think he trusts Tre’Quan. When the ball is in the air he’s going to go make a play.”
Milton said the bond has come naturally.
“I’ve always felt me and Tre’Quan have always connected well on the field,” Milton said.
The sophomore quarterback is second in the nation in passer rating (203.72) after throwing for 1,165 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Smith is honored his connection with Milton has earned him a spot on the Biletnikoff Award watch list.
“It just shows what I’m doing here at UCF and my team is helping me accomplish every step of getting this award,” Smith said. “I’m just thankful for my teammates, for my teammates helping me get there because I can’t get there by myself.”