UCF Football: Can Knights make serious playoff run in 2020?
By Zach Bigalke
Defense looks to regain ballhawking swagger this season
UCF’s performance on defense in 2019 exhibited some elements of real growth, while in other ways the Knights regressed back to the mean. The defense gave up a respectable 23 points per game, only three-tenths of a point higher than where they finished in 2018 — in other words, UCF gave up only four more points across the same number of games.
That makes their three losses all the more surprising, especially when factoring in that the Knights also gave up 67 fewer yards per game to opponents than they did in their Fiesta Bowl run and 61 fewer yards per game than their perfect Peach Bowl run. UCF also racked up four more sacks and 10 more tackles for loss than they did during the 2018 title run.
But they also struggled to generate as many turnovers as they had in past seasons. UCF went from 32 turnovers generated in 2017 to 28 takeaways in 2018 and then fell again all the way to only 21 combined interceptions and fumbles in 2019. Reversing that trend will be critical to determining how far the Knights can climb in the national picture.
Focusing on the Knights secondary
Recovering more fumbles is key to reversing those takeaway trends — the Knights won only eight loose balls after recovering 26 fumbles over the previous two seasons. But a stacked secondary with seniors at every starting spot can also do its part in getting the defense to surpass the team’s 2017 levels of dominance on that side of the ball.
Richie Grant features on all the preseason defensive award watch lists, after a redshirt junior season where the safety racked up 78 total tackles, an interception, a forced fumble, eight pass breakups, and four tackles for loss. At the other safety position, Antwan Collier is also back after leading the team with four interceptions in 2019.
The cornerbacks are just as talented, with Brandon Moore coming back to anchor one side of the field after losing 2019 to a knee injury and Tay Gowan returning after nabbing a pair of picks last season. At nickel back, Aaron Robinson continues to hold down the fort after his transfer from Alabama. This experienced group could be even better than the 2017 group that snatched 20 interceptions.