What Needs to be Seen from the UCF Spring Game To Consider Spring Practice A Success?

There are multiple areas to take a close look at when the UCF Knights play their spring game this Saturday. It all starts with Chemistry, then it’s about specific aspects of the team’s position groups and players.

Brian Smith | Apr 12, 2022

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ORLANDO - For UCF fans, this spring game has obvious players to watch like Auburn transfer defensive tackle and nose guard Lee Hunter. He's a beast. What's necessary overall, however, is what's been fine tuned and improved.

Here are position groups and players to watch, with a podcast at the bottom further detailing players and positions.

*Chemistry: Do the players truly work for and with one another? This is especially true of the new players via the Transfer Portal and the freshmen that enrolled early. Do they go out of their way to make the extra block for Isaiah Bowser? Do they run a route hard even if the football is not likely coming their way? Does the offensive line show the ability to mesh together and be a cohesive unit despite two transfers coming into the program? On defense, same deal. How well do they blend their talents together? Especially in the secondary, this needs to be a common theme because there's talent, depth and experience.

Isaiah Bowser Running Back UCF — UCF's Offense Starts With Top-Notch RB Isaiah Bowser. How Will The Chemistry Of Players Around Him Be To Further Increase Bowser's Productivity, As Well As The Knights' Win-Loss Record? / UCF Athletics - Bright

*QB Play: Will it be John Rhys Plumlee or Mikey Keene? Keep in mind, Plumlee is the far superior runner. Therefore, logic dictates that Keene needs to be the far superior passer. Which signal caller throws the pigskin the best? Which one controls the offense via the pass and the run. The latter would be Plumlee's advantage, but will it? He needs to pass well for his running abilities to truly show themselves because that will lead to fewer defenders near the line of scrimmage. Additionally, what about playing both quarterbacks this fall?

UCF Quarterback Mikey Keene — Can Quarterback Mikey Keene Hold Off Ole Miss Transfer John Rhys Plumlee? Could There Be A Two-Quarterback System? / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

*Boundary Receiver: The redshirt junior, Jaylon Griffin, from Huntsville, Texas has the size at 6'3", 185-pounds. Can he use it along with his natural athleticism to break through and be the starter at the boundary wide receiver position? There's been some buzz about this young man. He only caught one pass for 14 yards last season, but he's allegedly really coming on. If he's able to at least rotate with Auburn transfer Kobe Hudson, that would be a good one-two punch for the Knights.

Kobe Hudson UCF Wide Receiver — Incoming Auburn Transfer WR Kobe Hudson Is Battling With Jaylon Griffin At The Boundary Wide Receiver Position :: Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Surprise Player: Every spring game, regardless of school, seemingly has that surprise player. Who's it going to be for the Knights? It could be an offensive lineman, a linebacker, or perhaps someone in the secondary. Maybe it's more than one player that plays well and surprises. That's what spring ball is all about! Finding out who's ready to play no matter the original expectations!

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