Knights boast a bigger, bolder offensive line
There’s a bold new tattoo of a rose and swan on Aaron Evan’s left forearm that he has been sporting during UCF football spring practices.
It symbolizes new beginnings, which coincidentally Evans and the Knights’ offensive line are working toward achieving in time for the 2017 college football season.
“… UCFast is starting to translate now,” Evans said. “Last year, we said it a lot, but it wasn’t really shown. Now, we’re seeing it. We’re moving quickly. … Each play is setting up another play and it’s working out beautifully.”
On Monday, the Knights scrimmaged for about an hour and a half for the first time this spring with officials. UCF coach Scott Frost said it was a shorter scrimmage time than last year’s first round in large part because players picked up the concepts more quickly.
Wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith and safety Tre Neal pulled off some of the day’s biggest highlights, recording at least one touchdown and an interception.
But the key area most coaches and players needed to see growth in this spring is along the offensive line. UCF saw its run production drop sharply during American Athletic Conference play last season, a stretch that highlighted the team’s lack of depth and experience.
Overall, the Knights ranked No. 113 nationally in total offense — a slight improvement from last place in 2015.
And despite boasting an array of young, talented running backs, UCF finished No. 104 among 128 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in rushing offense.
“In general, we need our backs to have seams to run through, we need more protection and more time to get whoever is playing quarterback more comfortable in the pocket,” Frost said of what improvements he’s looking to see from the offensive line headed into next season.
“…I think more than anything it’s a mentality that needed to improve. Our guys needed to continue to play with a desire to excel with no fear of failure in coming off the ball and being aggressive. If we can get that mentality right, we’ll be a lot better.”
One component that’s expected to improve the line is the addition of 6-foot-2, 310-pound center Jordan Johnson. Last year, he played the entire season at right guard as senior Jason Rae held down the exchange and calls duties with freshman quarterback McKenzie Milton.
Johnson is about five inches taller than Rae and has added more than 30 pounds of lean muscle mass.
“Last year, defense got the best of us,” Johnson said when asked to compare last fall’s practices to this spring. “Everybody knew our defense was pulling us last year, but this year . . . we’re pushing them around more often than not.”
Frost said the added height and size Johnson brings at center helps them in the trenches when facing odd-front defenses that can sport 6-foot-4, 300-pound nose guards.
Overall, the entire offensive line has emphasized adding lean muscle mass during the offseason, with Evans said to have packed on the most pounds. He’ll anchor the left tackle position for the third consecutive season.
Depth could still be an issue headed into the fall, however. Offensive linemen Tyler Hudanick and Aaron Dowdell are recovering from injuries. Hudanick tore his ACL during the game against Temple in October and Dowdell, who was expected to play this spring, is nursing a foot injury. No timetable has been set for his return.
But offensive line coach Greg Austin said players are making the best of a short offensive line roster until the freshman recruits arrive this summer.
“We’re making do but it’s allowing us to get other guys reps at other positions,” Austin said. “The value in that is they can fill in and plug holes at any time. We have position flexibility and lineup switches and lineup changes that allows us to get the best guys on the field at any given time.”