(Photo by Adrian J. Hernandez / New Day Review)
(Victor Tan also contributed to this story.)
ORLANDO. Fla, – With the arrival of head coach Scott Frost at the University of Central Florida last season, there was, perhaps, an expectation UCF’s offense would be the new face of the program, given Frost’s offensive-coordinator background with the Oregon Ducks. That, however, wasn’t the case in Frost’s first year, as it was UCF’s defense that carried the Knights to the 2016 AutoNation Cure Bowl after the Knights went 0-12 the year before.
The tables have turned in Frost’s second go-around. It’s the offense that has led the 2017 team to a No. 18 College Football Playoff ranking so far, as the Knights rank first in the nation with 48.5 points per game. More importantly, perhaps, is the Knights’ eighth-ranked turnover margin. And although a UCF turnover is somewhat of an anomaly in 2017, as the Knights have turned the ball over just eight times so far this season, those ensuing drives after a fumble or interception excite UCF’s defense.
“It excites us ‘cause [the offense has] done such a good job taking care of the ball this year,” linebacker Pat Jasinski said after practice on Nov. 6. “So, when they do give it up, it’s exciting. We just want to get it back for ‘em. With those momentum swings, if we can stop ‘em, it’s huge.”
In seven games prior to a Week 10 win over the SMU Mustangs, the Knights turned the ball over five times. Against SMU, UCF had a season-high three turnovers. Jordan Akins had a third-quarter fumble on the seven-yard line, and quarterback McKenzie Milton threw two interceptions, including a pick-six midway through the second. Milton’s first interception placed SMU at UCF’s 43-yard line early in the game, but the Knights defense forced a three-and-out on the ensuing possession.
“We take it as a challenge,” Jasinski said. “No matter where, what we have to defend—whether they’re on the 20 or the 50 or whatever. And we just try to bring that momentum back for our offense to get rolling again.”
UCF’s stalwart defense against SMU’s then-ninth-ranked scoring offense wasn’t the first time the defense has been called upon in one-possession games against some of the nation’s best offenses. In UCF’s second-closest victory of the year, a 31-21 win over the Navy Midshipmen and their then-No. 1-ranked rushing offense, Milton threw an interception early in the fourth quarter with his team leading just 24-21. The Knights responded by forcing a fumble on Navy’s next possession, holding Navy to a three-and-out on the next and intercepting the ball on Navy’s final possession of the game.
And though defending a short field or returning to the game on shorter rest aren’t ideal circumstances for the Knights, UCF’s defense embraces those challenges because those situations have rarely happened all season. On the turnover front, UCF is plus-10 in turnover differential with three fumbles and five interceptions.
“Once [an interception] happened to McKenzie, we told him—he was running off, and a couple of us went to him and said, ‘Hey man, we got your back. Don’t worry about it. Move on to the next series. We have your back. We’re right behind you. Don’t worry about it. You’ve had our back all season. We got your back,’” defensive linemen Joey Connors said after practice on Nov. 6.
By the numbers, the swap in roles between the offense and defense from Frost’s first year to his second is noticeable. In 2016, UCF’s defense ranked 41st in scoring defense (24.6 points per game) and 39th in total yards allowed (370.3 yards per game), and the offense was 66th in scoring (28.8 points per game) and 113th in total yards (350.8 yards per game).
While the defense has so far seen a minor improvement, ranking 28th in points allowed (20.3 points per game) and 39th in total yards allowed (365.9 yards per game), it’s the offense that has seen the most significant improvement. UCF’s nation-leading attack is fifth in total yards (540.4 yards per game) and boasts the 27th-best and 11th-best rushing (214.88 rushing yards per game) and passing (325.5 passing yards per game) attacks, respectively.
That shift in the status quo is noticed by the players.
“Honestly, the offense and defense talk a lot. And just knowing that they came to us, like, ‘C’mon, guys. You guys got this. And you already know we got y’all back,’” wide receiver Tre’Quan Smith said after practice on Nov. 6. “Like, honestly, we just talking about it. Me and [Jamiyus Pittman] and Shaquem [Griffin’s] talking about it, and we was like—it’s basically like we traded places from last year.
“Basically, last year, the defense was holding us down while we was trying to, you know, make sure we did our job. Now, y’all guys was holding it down. Now, it’s time for us to hold y’all down this game. Basically, they supported us. You know, we support each other through thick and thin.”
The Knights are recording record numbers this year, as they’re on pace to break their single-season record for most points. In 2007, UCF posted 502 points for the season. With three games remaining, UCF is expected to score 533.5 points, given the Knights maintain this scoring rate.
UCF has so far had scoring outputs of 73—a single-game school record—63, 61 and 51 points. But in rare occasions like the wins over Navy and SMU, Chinander and his defense were prepared for some of the team’s biggest moments.
“We had the discussion on the bench after a turnover happened, and then we went out on the field and got a stop. The discussion was, ‘It’s our turn to carry the load, boys,’” defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said after practice on Nov. 7. “It had been a couple games where the offense scores 70 points, and we hadn’t played our best game. It’s our turn to carry the load. If we can carry the load versus the No. 10 offense in the country, that’s gonna be a huge stepping stone for us.”
With six victories of 27 points or more and the offense only recording eight turnovers the entire season, the defense hasn’t had much cause for concern through eight games. Should UCF’s defense encounter more close-game situations, again, though, it has already proven it can handle them.
UCF is set to host the UConn Huskies in its second-to-last home game of 2017 on Saturday at noon. The Huskies are 3-6 overall this season with a 2-3 conference record.
For more on the Knights, as they prepare for the UConn Huskies, follow Ryan Weiss on Twitter at @NDR_RyanWeiss.
