UCF Football: Can Knights make serious playoff run in 2020?
By Zach Bigalke
UCF shows no signs of slowing down on offense in 2020
Part of what made it so shocking to watch UCF lose three games in 2019 was the fact that they actually performed better on offense than they had during their repeat run to the AAC title and the New Year’s Six bid in 2018. The Knights averaged just about as many points while gaining nearly 20 more yards per game.
A big part of this success was a return to 2017 passing levels after a 2018 slump. Even before McKenzie Milton was injured, the passing game tailed off from the prolific numbers as the Knights threw for nearly 60 fewer yards per game. Dillon Gabriel came in and lit up the passing attack, throwing for 29 touchdowns and more than 3,600 yards.
He loses deep threat Gabriel Davis this season, but Tre Nixon and Marlon Williams are both back at receiver. Gabriel will hope for better protection from an offensive line that gave up 1.85 sacks per game. The return of three starters, along with the addition of tackle Marcus Tatum in a transfer from Tennessee, should help bolster that protection.
Focusing on the UCF running backs
What separates UCF from most other Group of Five juggernauts is the fact that they were not only prolific through the air last year but also when they kept the ball on the ground. Four different running backs topped the 500-yard threshold on the stat sheet, as the Knights enjoyed a deeper backfield than most teams anywhere in the country.
Adrian Killins Jr. is gone from that quartet, but the other three running backs all return to Orlando for the 2020 run. Top of that list is versatile back Otis Anderson, who finished last season as the team leader with 726 rushing yards as well as the top receiving stats out of the backfield with 31 catches for 365 yards and three touchdowns. Anderson was also the primary punt returner, with 300 total return yards.
But the threats don’t stop there. Bentavious Thompson led the team with eight rushing touchdowns, and Greg McCrae punched in seven scores. If that trio of backs can combine to put UCF back among the top dozen in rushing among the remaining FBS teams playing this fall, the Knights have a real shot to bolster already ridiculous offensive numbers even further this year.