Focus continues on developing O-line
The departure of veteran UCF linemen Jordan Johnson and Jake Brown leaves the Knights working to plug experience and leadership holes on the Knights’ offensive line.
Knights coach Josh Heupel and his staff worked to build depth on the line when they arrived in 2018, with the program signing 13 prospects in the past three recruiting cycles.
A dozen players have seen time on the line at one time or another, led by Cole Schneider, a two-time AllAmerican Athletic Conference honoree. He’s joined by several players who have earned multiple starts, including Parker Boudreaux (13 career starts), Samuel Jackson (9) and Edwards Collins (3).
UCF has produced at least one first-team AllAAC offensive lineman since 2017.
LEFT TACKLE
Tony Gray Edward Collins
LEFT GUARD
Cole Schneider Lamarius Benson
CENTER
Matt Lee
Eric Seidelman/Kyle Black
Jordan Johnson
RIGHT GUARD
Parker
Boudreaux
Lokahi Pauole
RIGHT TACKLE
Samuel
Jackson
Edward Collins
Buzz: Matt Lee seems the most likely to replace Jordan Johnson at the center position. Lee backed up Johnson but saw limited action, stepping in when Cole Schneider went down with midseason injuries. He appeared in four games for the Knights in 2019. “We’ll find out,” offensive line coach Glen Elarbee said at the start of spring football camp when asked about Lee’s chances of earning the starting job. “[It’s] between him, Eric [Seidelman] and Kyle [Black]. … Edward Collins stepped in for tackle Samuel Jackson, who went down with a midseason injury.
Collins started games for the Knights against Temple, Houston and Tulsa. … Tony Gray appeared in six games with the Knights after joining the team as a transfer from Ole Miss. He could wind up splitting time with Collins at left tackle this season. … Paul Rubelt is one of three prospects UCF signed as part of its 2020 recruiting class. The 6-foot-10, 300-pounder from Germany is a project, according to Heupel, who sees a high ceiling for the tallest player on the roster. … UCF also added Marcus Tatum, a graduate transfer from Tennessee who played in 29 games for the Volunteers. “He adds some experience,” Elarbee said of Tatum. “[He’s] a really, really mature guy and he’ll help us at tackle where he can bring a lot to it.” even more decisions being made and I think it’ll just it’ll come back to relationships.”
Golesh said the staff has targeted the right types of prospects and some really good players, but he also understands fans’ intense interest in the program’s recruiting efforts.
“There’s so much interest in it because there’s nothing,” he said. “There’s no live TV in the sports world going on. So there’s so much more attention on recruiting.
“But I don’t know that it’s super important to winning the recruiting day now on Twitter as it is to win the recruiting battle in December and February when it matters.”