Rookie RB Greg McCrae takes over

UCF running back Greg McCrae’s electric performance shined brightest during the Knights’ highly anticipated spring game.

McCrae, from Miramar, scored two touchdowns to lead all players during the contest that saw the Knights put up a total of 28 points.

“He’s been making plays all spring, but we’ve seen him last year, him doing his thing the past two years and he’s a shifty guy and when he gets downhill he’s going to run behind his pads,” UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton said of McCrae. “He’s a special player and we’re blessed to have him.”

The Knights were already loaded with talent in the backfield with more the well-known Adrian Killins Jr., Otis Anderson and Taj McGown, but McCrae’s performances all spring could help this group make the case it is one of the most talented tailback units in school history.

McCrae, a sophomore, transferred to UCF from Navy and said the reps he got last season helped prepare him to battle for a place in the depth chart.

“Last year, I learned coming in as a walk-on freshman that you have to take advantage of every rep you get,” McCrae said. “It could be one rep, it could be 10 reps, it could be 1,000 reps, but when you get those reps you do everything you can for each rep that you get because the reps are limited. You have players like Adrian Killins, Taj McGown, all the running backs we stick together like glue and they push us and we all push each other.”

Tristan Payton also made some noise on offense Saturday with a 43-yard touchdown reception from Milton to solidify his return to offense after spending some time playing defensive back last year.

New head coach Josh Heupel also utilized Payton’s throwing abilities on a trick play that ultimately resulted in an incomplete pass.

“He’s played on both sides of the field and done an absolutely tremendous job on special teams. He’s played [in] all three phases of the game, competed at a really high level on the outside his growth fundamentally and technique in some of the things that Coach [Darrell] Wyatt is asking him to do out there,” Heupel said. “I think today maybe was his best day of the spring ball, which is important to me because when the lights come on, you want to see who is going to operate at a high level.”