UCF Football: 3 takeaways from home blowout over UConn
By Zach Bigalke
3. Both Gabriel and Mack are threats with the football
Dillon Gabriel got the start once again for UCF, and he was spectacular when he was on the football field. Throwing for 281 yards and three touchdowns while attempting just 16 passes, Gabriel put in a huge performance on a short day of work before exiting the game in the third quarter.
In came Darriel Mack Jr., last year’s hero who stepped in when McKenzie Milton suffered a horrifying leg injury late in the season. He was also stellar when he was on the field, dangerous with both his arm and his legs. The backup completed seven of his eight attempts for 74 yards and a touchdown, and he added 20 yards on a pair of carries.
Brandon Wimbush, the Notre Dame transfer who was relegated to the bench in favor of Gabriel after the opener, also got his chance to take some snaps as Heupel went deep on his bench to get playing time for everybody. Wimbush threw just one time times for a loss of one yard, ensuring that he remains third on the depth chart.
Next. When Cinderella dreams die on the gridiron. dark
Gabriel is still locked in as the starter for UCF. But as they have seen in recent years, a single play can change the course of a player’s season. Heupel and his staff can rest soundly in the comfort of having three different guys who can ably guide a high-powered offense as they near the back half of their season.