UCF Rushing Attack Adapting, Mark Antony-Richards' Role Expanding

UCF running back Mark Antony-Richards performed well when provided with carries this season.

Brian Smith | Nov 17, 2021

ORLANDO - With running back Isaiah Bowser on the mend, it’s good that UCF already acclimated Mark Antony-Richards to the offense, as he’s another big-bodied downhill running back much like Bowser.

Whether or not Bowser will play much, if at all, versus Connecticut was not disclosed to the media or UCF fans prior to Saturday’s contest. Therefore, it’s a good idea to take a closer look at what UCF and Antony-Richards did well this season and what he could also produce throughout the rest of 2021 and beyond.

A Statistical Perspective

For the season, UCF averaged 181.1 yards rushing per game, and scored 20 rushing touchdowns. As for Antony-Richards, he increased his role as the 2021 season moved along.

Antony-Richards played in nine games this season. Although he’s carried just 24 times, four of those rushes went for scores. Any running back that finds his carries result in a touchdown 1/6 times he touches it, that’s a running back that’s likely to see his role increased. For what he accomplished thus far, Antony-Richards’ full 2021 rushing and receiving statistics:

24 carries, 205 yards, 8.5 average, four touchdowns; seven receptions, 73 yards, 10.4 average. While Antony-Richards produced big yardage totals, he also did the dirty work in heavy traffic.

Between the Tackles

Within UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn’s offense, he always featured power running. That began with inside zone and similar running plays; nothing changed since Coach Malzahn arrived in Orlando he helped to transform UCF’s rushing attack into more downhill running.

With Connecticut’s awful rush defense awaiting Antony-Richards and the UCF rushing attack, there’s no reason that the final result should not be similar to what transpired when the Knights played Memphis (215 yards) or Temple (199 yards).

UCF acquired much of their rushing yardage between the tackles in those two games. At the conclusion of the Connecticut game, UCF should have rushed for 200 or more yards against the Huskies as well, with well over a 100 of those yards coming from power runs between the tackles. Much of those yards could be from Antony-Richards.

Mark Antony-Richards provided big plays for the Knights this season, like his critical touchdown versus East Carolina that was a between the tackles run / UCF Athletics

Those Memphis and Temple defenses provided better talent than the Huskies’ depth chart will, and UCF must take advantage. With Antony-Richards in the backfield more often, hypothetically speaking, being deemed the power runner makes sense versus a Connecticut defense that literally allowed 191.4 yards rushing per game this season.

Further, the Huskies allowed 21 rushing touchdowns so far in 2021. That Connecticut rush defense has been run over, quite frankly.

If Bowser needs more time to heal, it’s already been established that Antony-Richards will tote the football quite well. When mixing him with the cat-like quickness of running back Johnny Richardson, that’s an additional really good one-two punch for the Knights to help offset Bowser's departure from the lineup.

Mixing and Matching the Running Back Position

Richardson, of course, played the most snaps of any running back not named Bowser this season. He’s also done a really good job of making big plays when his number was called to be inserted into the lineup.

In 2021, Richardson carried 79 times for 452 yards and two touchdowns. He’s also accumulated 17 receptions for 153 yards receiving. The combined talents of Richardson and Antony-Richards should produce well against the Huskies.

What’s Next?

Once the 2021 season has concluded, Bowser will head off to the NFL and make money for some lucky NFL team that drafts him. Antony-Richards will be inserted into more situations and be a larger part of the offense. Until that time, he’s still earned the right to be considered an important factor for the Knights, and that will continue against Connecticut.

By the conclusion of Saturday’s game, look for Antony-Richards’ role to have increased barring some miraculous recovery from Bowser regarding his ankle injury.

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