UCF, offensive line get second chance at Tulsa 2 weeks later

UCF assistant head coach Brent Key’s high definition television was paused Tuesday morning while he took a break from careful studying of a digital recording, frozen on a running play from the Knights’ game two weeks ago.

It isn’t unusual for coaches to study recordings of games.

However, it is unusual for the recordings to be just two weeks old. The clip featured a scene from UCF’s game at Tulsa, the same team it will face in the Conference USA championship game on Saturday. Toface a teamtwice in one season is rare in college football. To do it twice in a two-week span is even more unique.

The Knights (9-3, 7-1 CUSA) will have plenty to correct after studying the Tulsa film, most especially on the offensive side of the ball. UCF struggled up front against the Golden Hurricane, totaling zero net yards rushing in the first half of a 23-21loss.

After an impressive performance against UAB, UCF coach George O’Leary is shifting the focus to figuring out how to maintain the momentum against Tulsa. He said the relatively recent loss to the Golden Hurricane should help players retain more of the lessons that should be learned from it.

“Playing themagain, we’re able to look at this film and find out where they attacked us and where our weakest parts were and change it up and beef it up a little bit,” UCF center Jordan Rae said. “And try to find where their weakest part of the gamewas so [we] can attack that.”

In the weekafter the Tulsa loss, O’Leary’s diagnosis was simple and oft-repeated. The Knights quarterback Blake Bortles, middle, signals at the line in a game against the Memphis Tigers. Golden Hurricane “played practice to try to remedy any faster than we blocked challenges offensive starters them,” he said. O’Leary may have had getting ready equated it Tuesday to an abilfor a quick, hard charge from ity to duck a punch. He has the opposing defense. lined up his starting units But speed and energy ultiagainst each other more in mately comefromcomfort in the schemes, players said. They said it should be easier to execute those schemes the second time around. Tulsa offered a different look up front than the team had seen while preparing for the game, players said. TheGolden Hurricane (9-3, 7-1) were bigger on the line, and their aggressive blitzing approach caused a number of one-onone match-ups.

“You can’t play fast if you don’t know your assignments, and I’m not saying we didn’t, but there were some plays we were a little more skeptical than others,” Knights junior lineman Jordan McCray said. “We have to make sure we are sharp in our assignments and have properfootworkaswell. Alot of times we were in the right position. … It’s really fundamentalsweneedtoworkon.”

TheKnightsshowedsome different looks against UAB, employing heavy packages with multiple H-backs and tight ends and mixing in more of the Wild Knight package, but Key said UCF won’t fall into any temptation to overhaul the offensive schemes after one poor performance.

The offense may not need an overhaul, but a number of offensive lineman said they certainly did need a second crack at Tulsa.

“When it comes down to it, they kind of embarrassed the offense,” Rae said. “So it’s definitely good to be able to play themagainandseewhat kind of team we have, see if wereallywantitandseeifwe made those improvements. We couldn’t ask for anything else.

“Two best teams in the conference, we have the same record and we get another shot at them. So let’s go.”