UCF Football: Finding the Pass Rush - Part I

While reviewing the 2020 UCF season, one of the areas to pay particular attention to would be the pass rush. Here are some preliminary thoughts about the Knights’ 2021 efforts to get to the quarterback based on last season.

Brian Smith | Jul 11, 2021

UCF Football: Finding the Pass Rush - Part I /

If you want to win big college football games, generating a pass rush without blitzing will be a great way to come out on top of the scoreboard. Pass rushers, edge rushers, speed rushers, whatever one wants to call them, those defensive players that rush the quarterback are very important to today’s college football, and likely will continue to be important.

During the 2020 season, UCF registered 26 sacks in 10 games for a 2.6 average. In 2019, the Knights recorded 33 total sacks in 13 games, for a 2.54 per game sack average. Both are solid, but there’s more to sacks than just the numbers.

How Does UCF Generate Its Pass Rush?

When the Knights are forced to blitz that means there are fewer players in pass coverage. It’s simple math. College football teams that rush four and “get home” to the quarterback are usually the best pass rushing teams, as well as best defenses. That would largely be due to the defensive personnel having balanced responsibilities. UCF may not have enough depth to make that happen, however.

First Thoughts: Reviewing the 2020 UCF Football Season - Been watching the Temple game. Liked how aggressive the front seven played, but it did not seem like there's enough depth to adequately rotate pass rushers. Probably why UCF is really recruiting DE hard.@UCF_FanNation
— Brian Smith (@fbscout_florida) July 11, 2021

When dropping seven defenders into coverage, that leaves fewer passing lanes for a signal caller. UCF certainly took some chances with aggressive defensive play calls last season. Some worked, while some failed. Bottom line, despite multiple defensive backs that went to the NFL after the 2020 season, UCF ranked dead last in college football at No. 127 in most plays giving up at least 10 yards. Many of those plays were passes that simply should not have been completed because the quarterback sat pack in the pocket with plenty of time to throw the football.

That’s where the pass rush comes into play, and it’s also why UCF sometimes brought an extra player, if not two players, to rush the passer during the 2020 season. It’s a catch-22.

Good Quarterbacks Will Make a Blitzing Defense Pay

Here’s a comparison to consider. UCF managed to bring different blitz packages and survive during the 2020 Temple game, as the Knights won 38-13. What the Knights did not do, however, was stay consistent with rushing the passer. Facing a third string quarterback helped UCF’s defense, as the knights held Temple quarterback Re’al Mitchell to 10 of 23 passing for 107 yards and two interceptions. Sounds good, but there’s more to the story.

That was a first-time starting quarterback and he was the next available player due to COVID-19 hurting the Owls’ depth chart. UCF certainly had moments of reaching Mitchell without blitzing, but it was not consistent. There were also blitzes that he did not properly diagnose before the snap of the football that created havoc. That’s not going to be the same result against experienced signal callers.

Take the 2020 Cincinnati game as another example, but this time it’s talented and mobile quarterback Desmond Ridder taking the snaps instead of an inexperienced quarterback. He had a huge day against UCF, going 21 of 32 for 338 yards and two touchdown passes. He’s a pure athlete, and not one that will be easily brought down.

He’s not a consistently accurate passer, however, but the Knights did not maximize their opportunities to disrupt Ridder’s passes whether blitzing or not blitzing, and it likely cost UCF the game. Ridder had a career day, and a large part of the reason that happened was UCF’s inability to consistently rush four defensive players and get after the quarterback.

Can UCF improve on this area? Better yet, UCF absolutely must improve on this area. There are certainly talented defensive players on the UCF roster with the ability to make the quarterback throw the football before he's ready. That's going to be a main topic as the discussion continues into tomorrow morning.

Tomorrow will be Part II of Finding the Pass Rush, and it will discuss important UCF players that need to make a big impact for the Knights to be a successful 2021 defense.

You will find me on Twitter @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation