UCF quarterback
Quarterback developing into a vocal leader for Knights
McKenzie Milton’s leadership will be even more important as the Knights adjust to a new coaching staff.
year, UCF players remembered seeing a new, more determined McKenzie Milton at one point during spring practice.
The quarterback was tired of his offense getting kicked around by the defense in firstteam clashes and wanted to see some change from his fellow ofcludes fensive personnel. They bought in, and so, too, did the defense. Everyone loved the new Milton. He finally showed he was a leader and was willing to do what it took to lead his team in 2017.
That role will be even more important this offseason with a new coaching staff. Players have seen Milton’s growth during spring practice, which conLast with Saturday’s spring game at Spectrum Stadium at 6 p.m.
“He’s been more vocal. When I first got here, he wasn’t that vocal, but now he’s stepping up, telling us to bring it every day,” sophomore receiver Marlon Williams said. “It’s the same McKenzie, [though]. He’s been making great plays during practice. Same thing I saw coming in as a freshman last year in the summer.”
New coach Josh Heupel had his own expectations of the quarterback, who was No. 2 in the country in passing efficiency last year among Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks, just behind Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield at 179.3. Milton threw for
4,037 yards and 37 touchdowns last season and had only nine of his 395 attempts intercepted.
Heupel knew what he’d like to see out of Milton, but seeing it first-hand has given him a new appreciation for his junior quarterback.
“He’s competitive. … He’s extremely smart. He understands spacing out on the field, understands defensive body positioning, recognizes coverages in a pretty good way, as well,” Heupel said. “[He’s] continuing to get better fundamentally and that’s putting his eyes in the right spot. It’s also him getting his body in the right spot so he can continue to be more consistent and more accurate from within the pocket.”
What may have impressed Heupel most has been Milton’s ability to scramble and use his legs to make positive things happen out of negative situations. Milton was UCF’s second-leading rusher behind Adrian Killins last year with 613 yards and eight touchdowns, with much of that coming on designed runs.
“Everybody can see that once a play breaks down, whether that’s protection or something’s not there down the field, he has the ability to extend and make plays with his feet,” Heupel said. “We see that during practice and see it on game tape from last year.
“We’re trying to continue to push him to be better inside the pocket, make more plays from within the pocket when they’re there and when it’s not, get out and go make a play.”
As much as the coaching staff challenges Milton to improve, they know the quarterback is as hard if not harder on himself.
“He pushes himself. He expects a lot from himself. He expects perfection,” Heupel said. “Those are all signs of a great player.”
While molding Milton, Heupel and his staff have also worked to develop the Knights’ limited stable of backup quarterbacks.
Last year’s No. 2 guy, Noah Vedral, followed Scott Frost back to his home state of Nebraska, which leaves UCF with only a redshirt freshman in Darriel Mack Jr. of Norfolk, Va., and redshirt sophomore Hayden Kingston of Viera High in Melbourne. Kingston was a Wake Forest transfer last year and was teammates with another UCF transfer Trey Nixon, a receiver from Ole Miss, in 2016.
UCF did not sign a quarterback during the 2018 recruiting cycle.
“They’ve all made a lot of strides and we’ve still got a long ways to go for those guys to be ready to play at a championship level,” Heupel said. “But the thing that they’re willing to do is work and continue to improve.”