Knights wrap up spring in ‘super spot’ ahead of season
A quick scan of UCF’s spring football game Saturday saw the Knights showcase plenty of positives while wrapping up their second spring camp under coach Gus Malzahn.
The offense accounted for 52 points and 774 yards as quarterbacks Mikey Keene and John Rhys Plumlee combined to toss seven touchdown passes as the Gold team romped to a 38-14 victory.
“From this time last year, we’re in a completely different spot,” said Malzahn. “I told the guys we’re in a super spot going into the summer.”
When Malzahn took the UCF job last February, he had a quick turnaround in which to hire a coaching staff and host a spring camp. Much of those first 15 practices were dedicated to fundamentals rather than implementing offensive and defensive schemes.
The roster is much more experienced and comfortable in its skin under Malzahn a year later.
The biggest question out of camp remains the quarterback competition between Keene, who stepped in for an injured Dillon Gabriel to start the final 10 games as a true freshman, and Plumlee, a transfer from Ole Miss.
“We’re not in a position right now to name a starter tomorrow or anything,” said Malzahn. “We’re in a super spot going into next season. Competition brings out the best in everyone, and a lot of times you look to see how their teammates respond.
“Both of them are highly respected because of their character and the talent they have.”
Unofficially, Keene was 21 of 28 for 282 yards with three touchdowns, including a 70-yard score to redshirt senior receiver Jaylon Robinson in the second quarter, and an interception.
Plumlee finished 11 of 15 for 189 yards
with touchdown throws of 3,
57 yards.
“When you have guys that can make plays, it makes it easy on you,” said Plumlee.
Added Keene: “There were a lot of explosive plays today, which we wanted to get from this spring game. There are some things to clean up, but that will happen in any game format.”
Kobe Hudson, who transferred from Auburn in the offseason, led all receivers with five catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns, including a 57-yard strike from Plumlee in the fourth quarter.
Robinson had three catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and Amari Johnson added four catches for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
“It helps my confidence a lot since I’m seen as one of the leaders in the room,” Johnson said of his performance. “It
allows me to show the other guys that if I
15, 44 and can do it, you guys can do it as well.”
Johnny Richardson finished with a team-high 108 yards rushing.
The Knights’ focus this spring has been on establishing a dominant pass rush. The defense excelled on that front Saturday, combining for 12 sacks, although none of the quarterbacks was allowed to be tackled.
Redshirt senior defensive end Landon Woodson led the team with three sacks.
“One of my goals this spring was to rush the passer more and use my technique more because I’m a long, big and fast body,” said Woodson. “If I have good technique on top of my abilities, I’m pretty much unstoppable.”
Once again UCF took advantage of the spring game to make waves by debuting unique uniforms that featured large QR codes on the back of players’ jerseys. The announcement of the uniforms generated plenty of buzz on social media and most of the players enjoyed wearing them, albeit after some initial trepidation.
“It was honestly confusing to me with the QR code because it was like, ‘How are they going to scan it while we’re running?’ ” said Johnson. “I had to think about it like were we not running all the time? So it was a good idea.”
“I was confused at first,” said Woodson. “I knew what a QR code was, but I was like: How are they going to do it for us? But then I scanned it and it went to the UCF Knights page, which was cool.”
Malzahn said the idea for the code came from the program’s chief of staff, SJ Tuohy.
“He said, ‘How about a bar code?’ ” said Malzahn. “I said, ‘Are you talking about that deal you do when you scan your menu at the restaurant? He said, “Yeah,’ and the more we thought about it, we’re a school that will embrace the NIL.”