Grading The Cats: Quarterback, Secondary Continue Falling Short in Loss to UCF

Cincinnati isn't fixing the issues that have plagued them all season.

CINCINNATI — The UC football team dropped its seventh-straight contest familiarly on Saturday and the Pro Football Focus grades reflect a missed opportunity against UCF.

We start on offense, where Cincinnati had five players graded 77 or better (John Williams: 84.9, Braden Smith: 81.2, Ryan Montgomery: 80.7, Gavin Gerhardt & Corey Kiner: 77).

The offensive line and running backs were very solid on Saturday, outside of Deondre Buford, whose horrific season continued with a 45.4 grade. Buford is the lowest-graded player on the team to play at least 200 snaps and has not shown any improvement from his rough tenure at Kentucky.

The offensive line play makes it more frustrating that Emory Jones (67.4 grade, 10th on offense) continues to take important development reps from younger backups. He was the same inconsistent, low-ceiling player we've seen since an outlier performance against Eastern Kentucky.

He has not graded above 68 overall since that win. Jones's receivers didn't help him much, besides Smith. The whole group continued to lack in coverage separation with three of the lowest grades other than Buford's (Aaron Turner: 55.2, Dee Wiggins: 54.8, Xzavier Henderson: 53.7). Freshman wide receiver Barry Jackson (66.8 grade) had one of his four appearances this season wasted on two total snaps.

Moving to defense, only 19 players took the field as Justin Harris got benched for Kalen Carroll (57.8 grade, 67.1 coverage grade). Carroll had his struggles but he at least earned another opportunity given how poorly Harris has played this season.

Jack Dingle (73.1) played his best game as a starter for UC, especially in coverage (two catches allowed for nine yards on four targets). Deshawn Pace (71.5) Taj Ward (70.5), D.J. Taylor (69), and Jalen Hunt (68.2) rounded out the defenders that graded 65 or better.

Unsurprisingly, three members of the secondary rounded out the lowest grades on that side of the ball as it typically has this season. Antwan Peek Jr. (35.6) had his worst game since starting to see the field in recent weeks.

UCF picked on him for 56 yards in coverage on three completed targets. Jordan Young (42.6) continues to be an abject liability for this program, committing one of four defensive penalties while allowing three catches on four targets for 78 yards.

Bryon Threats (45.8) didn't get to turn his rough game around after getting tossed from the game across 10 snaps played. It's the same issue every week on defense, although the pass rush lacked teeth this past weekend (season-low five pressures).

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