Knights’ No. 1 pick: Wimbush

Notre Dame transfer to start at quarterback for season opener

Brandon Wimbush came to UCF looking for a fresh start. All the former Notre Dame quarterback wanted was a chance to earn the Knights’ starting job.

He made the most of his opportunities, and eight months after enrolling at UCF, Wimbush was named the starter for the Knights’ season opener against

Florida A&M.

Wimbush beat redshirt freshman Quadry

Jones and true freshman

Dillon Gabriel in a highly competitive, three-man quarterback competition to replace injured veteran McKenzie Milton.

With Milton expected to miss all of this upcoming season while recovering from a devastating knee injury and 2018 UCF backup quarterback Darriel Mack Jr. recovering from a broken ankle, Wimbush earned the right to lead UCF’s offense in the opener.

“Brandon Wimbush will be our starting quarterback and Dillon Gabriel will get an opportunity to play in the first game as well,” UCF coach Josh Heupel announced in a message posted on the Knights’ football account Thursday. “We’ve been pleased that all three quarterbacks have played at a high level during fall camp.”

Wimbush was the most experienced player among the three quarterback candidates, having started 16 games for the Fighting Irish from 2017-2018, leading the program to a 13-3 record before being replaced in the starting lineup by Ian Book three games into last season.

“I thought any school that would allow me to come in and compete for a starting position and give me the opportunity to do so would be a good place for me to go and play my last year of college football,” Wimbush said in March during spring camp. “There were other opportunities and I had family down here this way, so I thought it was a good spot for me to end up.”

All three quarterback candidates improved during the offseason, according to Heupel and UCF offensive coordinator/ quarterbacks coach Jeff Lebby, with each player embracing the nuances of running the Knights’ up-tempo offensive system.

“You can’t buy experience; you’ve got to live it,” Lebby said. “That’s the biggest thing. He’s got it. That’s a big part of it, but it’s not something that at the end of the day is going to make the decision.”

The second-year coordinator said Wimbush worked to improve his mechanics, learn the Knights’ offense and bond with his teammates.

“He’s really just totally different. Fundamentally, he’s a lot better. He’s been able to get himself in better body position, creating more consistent throws, and he’s night and day from the spring game to today,” Lebby said.

Heupel was pleased to see Wimbush pushing to get better every day.

“I thought he got better in his decisionmaking as camp went on,” Heupel said of Wimbush after the team’s practice Tuesday. “I thought he got better in his fundamentals in the pocket and more comfortable with some of the things we were asking him to do with his feet.”

Wimbush said he primarily has been focused on his footwork during his time with the Knights.

“Just quickening up my feet and being more confident in what we’re doing. I think that all comes into play when we want to run this offense as efficiently as we can,” Wimbush said.

Lebby said the quarterbacks have banded together throughout the preseason camp competition, helping each other learn the offense and pushing each other to be the best.

“They’ve been selfless. They really have, so I’m proud of them. We have a hell of a group, we really do. The guys have done a great job, and they’ll continue that,” Lebby said.

While most of the focus has been on the Knights’ starter, UCF coaches also need to identify a backup.

Gabriel could fill the role, or UCF could play him only in a few games to preserve his redshirt.

“The way we view that is, whoever is in the game needs to operate at a high level. We’ve got high standards of how we’re going to play offensively, and I don’t care who’s in there and who’s taking the snap. We’re going to have a guy that’s going to get it done,” Lebby said.

Gabriel is slated to see some action after arriving on campus in January as an early enrollee. The former high school star from Hawaii, who chose UCF over USC and other schools, has impressed coaches with his athleticism and demeanor throughout the competition.

“He was really consistent and had a couple days where he maybe didn’t play his best, but I thought he handled it well and came back and rebounded the next day,” Heupel said of Gabriel earlier this week. “I like what he’s been doing.”

Wimbush