How Well UCF Plays vs FAU Holds Perception Value
There are certain barometers that one must use to assess where a college football program currently stands. Rushing defense, passing offense, use whatever statistic one wants.
For the UCF Knights, that overall standard starts and ends with the game against Florida Atlantic. This is a team that’s probably not all that close to as talented as UCF. There’s certainly talent on the Owls’ roster (see below). That’s also true, but not as much as the Knights.
Also, one should consider UCF's experience, and that's why offensive guard Samuel Jackson was selected as the article's lead photograph with him being a sixth-year senior. An experienced team should turnaround and absolutely play better than what it did during the game against Louisville.
The talent difference, or UCF's overall experience, are not exactly items that anyone with any true knowledge of the two programs would argue. With that in mind, here’s why more than just “W” must be earned by UCF this weekend above all else.
Perception.
Fans, alumni, media, recruits, etc. could quickly sour on UCF if the Knights do not pass the eye test. UCF must look the part and get the “W” and not do so by winning ugly. Will the Knights do that to go out and truly earn that “W?”
Getting a win can still be a problem if the Knights play sloppy, much like the Louisville game. 11 penalties, passes being dropped, missed blocking assignments, missed containment assignments against the most revered running quarterback in the country, and the list goes on and on.
Related: UCF Offense Has Unique Challenge with FAU
UCF needs to earn respect from those same fans, alumni, media, and recruits after the second half collapse against Louisville. Sure, a win is a win. Understood. This is still a FAU team that lost on the road to Mid-American Conference foe Ohio by the score of 41-38.
In case anyone was wondering, the mascot for Ohio would be the Bobcats. Many people probably do not even know that. Well, the Bobcats just knocked off the Owls a couple of weeks ago, and UCF needs to do so as well, and in convincing fashion.
After investigating FAU, here is one area the Knights must exploit, one that will be a challenge, and the final point is all about what UCF does and truly has nothing to do with FAU. If the Knights do well in all three of these areas, they should secure a double-digit victory.
FAU’s passing defense is at best subpar. The Owls allow 254.7 yards passing per game. Keep in mind, the three teams that FAU played to date – Charlotte, Ohio and Southeastern Louisiana – are not world beaters.
Regardless of injury situations or anything else with UCF wide receivers in the lineup, the Knights must be able to consistently pass the football, and look sharp doing it.
This includes making adjustments on the fly, i.e. blitz pickups are better, no drops, and much better chemistry between quarterback John Rhys Plumlee and any player that runs a route all come to mind. The next point is about a challenge.
This last FAU game point is the opposite of the first point because it’s something the Owls do well. FAU can absolutely run the football. The Owls average 5.2 yards per carry, and the offensive rushing attack averages 232.7 yards rushing per game overall.
After UCF played solid to really good run defense for roughly 80% of the snaps against Louisville, it would also get gouged for big runs that helped lead to Louisville going for 226 yards and two touchdowns.
Poor run fits, mediocre tackling, and players just flat out having missed assignments cannot happen against FAU like it did versus Louisville. It’s honestly a good opportunity for UCF to evaluate its own run defense. Much more will be known about the ability to slow down the run based on the game against the Owls.
Additionally, there’s one category that just has to be fixed and this has nothing to do with FAU. It’s also an area of the game of football that UCF is long overdue to play better.
Special teams. Too many mental errors to start the season that include penalties and missed assignments. More specifically, field goal kicking can no longer be an albatross. The Knights need to either make a change at kicker or Daniel Obarski needs to place the football through the uprights.
Overall, it is important for UCF play much better special teams prior to playing the likes of Georgia Tech, SMU, East Carolina, or Cincinnati among other teams on the schedule. If not, poor special teams play will likely cost the Knights a game from the remaining schedule.
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