MANHATTAN, Kansas — A sluggish begin on the street despatched UCF to its first lack of the season because the Knights dropped their Massive 12 opener at Kansas State, 34-20, on Saturday.
This marked the fourth straight defeat towards a convention opponent and the fifth consecutive loss away from residence for this system.
The Knights will return to their residence turf for his or her Massive 12 residence opener towards Kansas this Saturday at Acrisure Bounce Home Stadium. Within the meantime, let’s check out 5 key takeaways from UCF’s setback towards the Wildcats.
Loads of battle within the Knights
Even after falling behind 24-7 initially of the third quarter, UCF refused to again down, decided to chip away at what seemed to be an unassailable lead.
This tenacity was greatest embodied by quarterback Tayven Jackson. Regardless of leaving the sport within the first half because of an AC sprain in his left shoulder, he returned to the sector in a bid to encourage a comeback.
“I don’t suppose this group will ever surrender,” mentioned coach Scott Frost. “We might lose three or 4 straight [games] and this group received’t surrender. We’re beginning to develop a bond. You’ve received to undergo some success and a few laborious issues to actually come collectively as a gaggle.”
Frost was notably happy with his group’s perspective following the loss.
“I really like the perspective within the locker room after the sport,” Frost added. “I don’t suppose they really feel like they gave Kansas State fairly their greatest shot and all of us have to work to guarantee that once we get on the sector, we play our greatest. That’s the one manner you may win on this league.”
The quarterback room is worse for put on
With each Jackson and Jacurri Brown having suffered AC sprains within the first half of Saturday’s loss, the general well being of the quarterback room might be a trigger for concern transferring ahead.
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Each gamers noticed motion within the second half, however Jackson admitted that taking part in damage is simply a part of the place.
“That’s who we’re as a group,” he mentioned. “That’s what coach Frost teaches us and that’s what our tradition is, simply being powerful. So that is pure. There’s just one technique to play quarterback, and that’s to be powerful and that’s what we attempt to do.”
Frost admitted he anticipated to play Cam Fancher popping out of the half, however each Brown and Jackson have been capable of go. Fancher hasn’t performed since he was injured within the second quarter of the group’s opener towards Jacksonville State on Aug. 28.
Knights have to discover a floor identification
It’s been hit-or-miss for the Knights because it pertains to their speeding assault.
On Saturday, Myles Montgomery completed with a career-high 119 yards and a wholesome 11.9 yards per carry common whereas Jaden Nixon had 66 yards on 5 carries for a 13.2 yards per carry common.
Each gamers hit on huge runs: Montgomery had a 45-yarder and Nixon’s 54-yard landing reduce the KSU result in 31-17, however discovering consistency, particularly early on, has been notably difficult.
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“We’re younger, experience-wise, so [K-State] did job of switching up their fronts and never doing the identical factor greater than as soon as,” mentioned Montgomery. “It was laborious to get a key on them.”
“Going into the sport, we anticipated them to make use of tempo and attempt to go quick and run the quarterback, which is what occurred,” Frost mentioned. “Due to that, we needed to try to management the ball and time of possession and as a substitute it went utterly towards our plan to start with. We left our protection on the market too lengthy.”
Receivers misplaced a step
After spending the previous 9 months working towards within the warmth and humidity of Central Florida, Frost anticipated his gamers to be ready to deal with the challenges of an extended recreation. However on Saturday, he felt his receivers struggled to maintain up within the second half.
“The one factor that disillusioned me is, we apply outdoors within the warmth day-after-day and the protection has an excuse as a result of they performed quite a bit within the first half, however our receivers received too drained too quick,” Frost lamented. “After they’re recent, they will run they usually scare you. After they’re not recent, we didn’t look adequate. We should be a bit of harder and be capable to push by that a bit of higher.”
Duane Thomas Jr. led the group with 4 catches for 55 yards, nevertheless it was DJ Black’s 82-yard landing late within the second quarter that introduced some pleasure again within the recreation for the Knights.
Protection fails to cease the run
Kansas State entered Saturday’s recreation final within the Massive 12 in speeding offense, however the Wildcats ran for a season-high 266 yards towards the Knights.
Operating again Dylan Edwards had a career-high 166 yards, highlighted by a 75-yard landing run late within the third quarter. Quarterback Avery Johnson added a season-high 75 yards.
It was probably the most yards allowed by a UCF group for the reason that 2023 Gasparilla Bowl when Georgia Tech rushed for 284 yards.
“You simply can’t give him [Edwards] that many alternatives,” mentioned Frost. “At instances, we simply squashed him once we triggered on issues and performed our protection the precise manner. There wasn’t a lot there, however if you give a child like him or Avery sufficient possibilities, their pace goes to make some performs.”
Please discover me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Electronic mail: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Join the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly publication for a roundup of all our UCF protection.
