2013-14 Preview (American Athletic Conference) UCF Knights
The UCF Knights are moving to a new conference and I think they are really going to thrive in the American Athletic Conference. With experienced coach George O’Leary’s defense first approach they were kind of like the anti-Conference USA team and the success speaks for itself – twice in the last three seasons they have won 10 or more games and they have won their last two bowl games.
UCF Knights
Coach: George O’Leary
2012 Record: 10-4
Odds of winning BCS Championship: +2000 (Field)
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In the new AAC they should be ready to compete right away and will be battle tested after facing Penn State and South Carolina in the nonconference part of their schedule. They start AAC play on the road with a gimme (Memphis) and then a toughie (Louisville). If they win both they could grab the first AAC title away from the favourite Cardinals.
Don’t let my intro fool you into thinking the Knights can’t score points. While the rest of C-USA was flinging it around UCF was punishing teams on the ground averaging 180ypg. They ranked second in the conference in scoring last year at 35ppg but use their defense to help set up an offense that is better than you think and filled with athletes the way you think a team from the state of Florida should be.
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UCF has a good chunk of that offense returning too led by junior QB Blake Bortles. Bortles finished the season with 174 straight attempts without a pick and is protected by three returning offensive linemen. Leading receiver J.J. Worton also returns but really the Knights do it by committee in the passing game…and don’t forget about Jeff Godfrey – the former starting QB is at receiver full time and is dynamic with the ball in his hands. He also gives them some trickability when they need it. [soliloquy id=”82219″]
On defense the Knights had three players with 100 or more tackles last season and two of them return in MLB Terrance Plummer and SS Clayton Geathers. They had the top defense in C-USA last season and will be looking to reload on the line with 300 pounder Demetris Anderson. He can be one of those special move the pile kind of guys, an important feature in a league that is now more balanced than what they are used to. I am confident this unit will perform.
2013-14 Record Projection: 10-2
The Knights ease into the season with Akron and FIU but I think they will make a statement to the rest of the league, and nation, when they beat Penn State in Happy Valley. I see just one conference loss (@Louisville) which means they could be ready to strike if the Cardinals fall somewhere along the way.
This is a good team that is very solid at QB and has a very experienced coach. The defense is a little greener that I would like but they have proven time and again to be able to cobble together a solid group that surprises people.
One guy I forgot to mention above is RB Storm Johnson. The former Miami Hurricane has the rock all to himself this season and could easily lead the conference in rushing. This program has a nice run of developing next level backfield talent and he is the next in line following guys like Kevin Smith and Latavious Murray last season.
2013 Knights Schedule
AUG 29 – Akron
SEP 7 – @FIU
SEP 14 – @Penn State
SEP 28 – South Carolina
OCT 5 – @Memphis
OCT 18 – @Louisville
OCT 26 – Connecticut
NOV 9 – Houston
NOV 16 – @Temple
NOV 21 – Rutgers
NOV 29 – South Florida
DEC 7 – @SMU
