Quarterback race remains a mystery
As UCF wrapped up its preseason camp during the weekend, the Knights shifted their focus to preparing for the season opener against Florida A&M next week at Spectrum Stadium.
Part of that preparation includes finalizing a depth chart following weeks of competition.
One of the most talked-about position battles is at quarterback, where a three-man competition between Brandon Wimbush, Quadry Jones and Dillon Gabriel continues.
“No answer today,” UCF coach Josh Heupel said following practice Tuesday. “I do like how all the guys that have been out there practicing and competing have played. We’re still not where we need to be and we have a short amount of time to get there, but I think they’ll be ready to play when they get the opportunity.”
With nine days and counting until kickoff against the Rattlers, Heupel said he believes the staff is closer to making a final decision on the matter. The secondyear coach said the three competitors have improved throughout camp.
When asked about Wimbush,
Heupel said, “I thought he got better in his decisionmaking as camp went on. 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.”
When asked about Gabriel, Heupel said: “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. I like what he’s been doing.”
Of Jones, Heupel said: “He continues to really grow and I think his consistency and the way he’s approached every day in the meeting room, it’s shown a lot of maturity just in him. And it speaks to when he gets an opportunity, he can take advantage of it.”
While the season-opening depth-chart decisions will be made later this week, Heupel warns it doesn’t necessarily mean those decisions are final.
“You know from a year ago, earlier in the year, some guys flourished under the lights and some struggled,” Heupel said. “Other guys earned more opportunities. It’s constant throughout the season.
“I told the team today that where you are today has no bearing on where you’re going to finish the season. You control that with the way that you work and the way that you prepare.”
Defensive coordinator Randy Shannon had a similar message to his players, one he passes on to them all the time.
“I tell them every day that you have an opportunity to play and an opportunity to compete, so you just never know,” Shannon said. “[Linebacker] Nate Evans didn’t start the first two games, but he ended up being all-conference first team. Guys have to build on what they have and what they have in front of them and just play.”
Johnson receives sendoff: Senior offensive lineman Jordan Johnson wrapped up his final preseason camp with the Knights on Saturday, and in honor of that accomplishment teammates Ed Collins and Chidoziri Maghiro hoisted the 6-foot-2, 320-pound leader on their shoulders and carried him off the practice field.
“It was a lot of fun and I appreciate the guys that would do that for me and have enough respect for me to put me on their shoulders — literally,” Johnson said of the moment, which was caught on video.
It was something Johnson hopes some of his younger teammates adopt in the future.
“We’re trying to keep the winning culture around here, so we’re going to start our own traditions,” he said. “We’re not necessarily following the old traditions; we’re going to make some new traditions. I do plan on asking them to do it again after the bowl game.”