Recapping UCF's Winning War on I-4 Drive
What looked like a situation where the UCF Knights were about to give away a 28-0 lead and actually lose to the USF Bulls changed with one drive.
Here’s how it happened, taking a look at some of the subtle points that led to tight end Alec Holler hauling in quarterback Mikey Keene’s 14-yard touchdown pass. The Drive began with 2:49 remaining on the fourth quarter clock.
1st and 10, UCF 18: Keene stepped back in the pocket, did not like what he saw, rolled to his right and fired a pass incomplete along the sideline to Holler. The important note, Keene was being chased from a backside blitz. If he had not left the pocket when he did, that could have easily been a strip-sack and a fumble recovery for the Bulls.
2nd and 10, UCF 18: Keene dropped back again, but this time wasted no time in checking down to reliable running back Isaiah Bowser. He’s not been known as a primary receiver out of the backfield. That stated, Bowser quickly went back into bulldozer mode after catching the football away from his body like he should have, and turned and tucked away the football before giving a brutal stiff arm to the face of a Bulls defender. Bowser plowed ahead for an 12-yard gain, which allowed the Knights to move the first down markers.
If Bowser had not executed that stiff arm as well as he did, it might have been third down and five. That’s a tough way to start a must-score drive. Bowser was clutch, and so was Keene for an excellent pass.
1st and 10, UCF 30: This third play of the drive, the 41-yard diving catch by wide receiver Javon Baker, had several critical points. It started with poor protection for Keene, honestly. The UCF edge defender jumped the snap count and immediately forced Keene forward in the pocket. The signal caller was not ready to let a pass go, so he moved towards his left and that actually allowed a USF defensive tackle to also give chase.
Despite Keene running without any help as he was completely outside the tackle box, he somehow threw across his body with enough zip to lead the pass over a Bulls defender and into the diving hands of Baker. That’s just the beginning.
Baker’s effort, as he came from the right side of the formation and eventually ran across the field, was phenomenal. Many wide receivers would have given up on that play. Baker dove and caught the pass clean. Seeing how the USF defenders immediately moved back because they knew Baker made the grab was all that was needed for anyone watching the game.
That play with the pass to Baker began at the 2:34 mark, and when UCF snapped the football again there was 2:16 remaining.
1st and 10, USF 29: It was an inside zone run for Bowser that was created by a double team on the defensive tackle from center Matt Lee and right guard Lokahi Pauole. That combination block provided the room needed for the big running back to spin off a tackle and gain four yards.
USF actually defended the play pretty well. Bowser and the offensive linemen were challenged and they more than held their own. Solid gain and it was on to the next play, which was snapped with 1:39 left in the game.
2nd and 6, USF 25: There’s another inside run…Oh, it’s Keene on the keeper! This play represented why it was mentioned in the War on I-4 quarterback article from earlier today about how Keene’s runs were clutch. Gaining yards for the team was great, but especially during the final drive of the game.
Keene’s 9-yard scamper around the left end fooled everyone from USF. He never actually took contact from a Bulls defensive player before going into a baseball slide to protect himself after gaining a first down at the 16-yard line. Here’s the key to the play.
The fake. Keene’s actions were the same as when he would hand it off to Bowser and watch him barrel through the middle of the defense. USF’s defensive end came crashing down, only to be shocked when he noticed that Keene had run right past him.
1st and 10, USF 16: A handoff to Bowser with 1:10 remaining netted just four yards. It could have been better for the Knights. The backside Bulls defensive end came parallel down the line and tackled Bowser for a mere 2-yard gain.
Left guard Sam Jackson moved his man well off the line and a crease was opening up, but alas, credit to USF defender Jhalyn Shuler for an excellent play. The Bulls called timeout and there was only 1:06 left.
2nd down 8: USF 14: If the former play by Shuler was good, the second down play by safety Mekhi LaPointe was tremendous. O’Keefe took a jet-motion flip pass from about a yard away from Keene’s hands and sped towards the right sideline. LaPointe maneuvered through traffic and met O’Keefe at the point he was about to turn it up and head towards the end zone. He made a one-on-one tackle on O'Keefe. Heck of a play.
Ironically, LaPointe did keep O’Keefe inbounds. The clock kept running. While the Knight were in a third down and long situation, being at the 14 meant it’s only a 31-yard attempt for freshman sensation kicker Colton Boomer. He was never needed for any form of a kick, however.
Enter Holler and a tremendous play call, along with the all-around executions needed for a great result, that a UCF football fan could have seen.
3rd down and 8, USF 14: Instead of running the football and settling for the Boomer field goal attempt, UCF’s offensive coaching staff went for the touchdown with a fake screen to O’Keefe supplemented by a wheel route to Holler for the incredible one-handed grab. After the catch, there was just 20 seconds remaining in the contest.
Orlando, this is for you!!!!!!! #ChargeOn #GlorytoGOD pic.twitter.com/cfM0eB03ZH
— Alec Holler (@AlecHoller) November 27, 2022
Notice how O’Keefe came towards Keene and the defensive backs jumped on the apparent screen pass. Meanwhile, Holler kept on chugging around the left end. USF’s Will Jones II bit hard on the fake-screen action and he was toast. Holler was wide open.
The execution also stemmed from the offensive line giving Keene a good look at his intended target and the ability to step into his pass without concern. The rest, of course, was all about Holler’s concentration to catch the football and drag his toe. The result was one of the best catches in UCF football history.
Almost as good as the catch, when the replay officials agreed that Holler had made the catch and the onfield official announced it was a touchdown. The enormous amount of UCF fans inside Raymond James Stadium erupted like it was a home game.
UCF finished the modern era of the War on I-4 with an 8-6 lead in the series. That final win happened with an incredible drive that UCF fans should not forget.
Horns down!
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