UCF head coach Gus Malzahn talks to the media following his team's second full scrimmage of camp. The Knights open the season against Boise State on Thursday, Sept. 2.
Opening statement:
"First of all, had a 100-plus play scrimmage. That was by design. I think the ones had 40 plays. The twos had 43. The threes had a little over 20. We went live kickoff, kickoff return. There was some good on both sides today. We had 2-for-2 field goals. That was really important. We were 100 percent on PATs. I think we're getting better in our kicking game each practice. Like I told the group, I think we're getting better each practice. We're two weeks and one day away. It's real football right out here. Overall, we didn't have any major injuries which was something you're always concerned about this close to the season.
"R.J. Harvey, we lost him for the season. That was a big blow. At the same time, we've got to have other people so it's an opportunity to step up. We gave all the running backs an opportunity to carry the football and show what they can do. Overall, good day. I think it was a productive day. We're finishing up fall camp. I believe we've got two more practices. Start school. Our routine starts. Overall, I feel good about where we're at."
What differences did you note from the last scrimmage to this scrimmage?
"We played football today. We threw it a little bit more today than we did last. Just tried to let our guys play. We had different situations. I think we started at the 25 yard line and had a backed-up series from the minus-1. Then we went to the 50 yard line and then went plus-25. We got all the situations which is always good for a coaching staff. It's always good for your players to identify how you're thinking in certain situations with that. It was good."
With R.J. Harvey out, what are you seeing from the rest of the running backs?
"Isaiah Bowser is a veteran guy doing some good things. The other guys I think are all desperate to compete. Johnny (Richardson) is doing some good things. Trying to make him an every down back. He's really getting better each day. Mark-Antony is coming on and doing some good things. (Trillion) Coles did a good job today. Then our young freshman, (Anthony) Williams, got some carries too. Each day with our depth chart is kind of fluid, who is ready and all that. We do have guys that can do it, it's just them feeling more comfortable in what we're doing."
After two scrimmages, what are the biggest questions left unanswered?
"Running back depth and order is one thing. After this scrimmage our staff will get together and we'll start putting the pieces of the puzzle together. We're not ready to say okay, these are the guys we're going with against Boise, but we are getting close. Special teams is a big piece to that too. Last week with punt, punt return. Today was kickoff, kickoff return. We've got a helmet-only practice tomorrow and a shells-only practice after that, then we start school. After the next few days, we'll have everything setup with how we go about personnel wise for Boise."
You mentioned the field goal unit had a good day. How are the kickers coming along?
"We're rotating all of them. They're all getting a chance to show what they can do. We've got open competition. We're going day by day. Who won today? We're in the process of that competition. We've yet to determine who will be the first guy out there against Boise."
UCF graduated several receivers. Some experience coming back, newcomers in the mix too. What are you seeing from that group?
"We have a few of those guys that did play last year in certain roles. You can see them growing. We just about have the guys in positions that we think... we've been kind of going back and forth, mixing and matching, to see who is the strongest at what positions. We just about have that set. We do have some junior college guys, some young guys that are still developing. We need them to come on. Each day we're putting them in different situations. We're getting closer to our wide receiver rotation. We'll need to solve that in the next three or four days."
Last week you mentioned the defense had the edge in the first scrimmage. Who had the edge today?
"I think it was a little of both. I think there was some good things on both sides of the football. The good thing about today is there were some long drives. There were some long, extended drives. It gives you a chance from a coach's standpoint to see how they react in that sixth, seventh, eighth play of a drive. Offensively and defensively. That was probably one of the best things that happened today from a coaching standpoint."
What do you still need to learn about this team?
"I think it's probably more big picture. We're identifying our leaders who are starting to emerge. We chose team captains yesterday. We'll announce those tonight. Probably the overall chemistry of our team. Coming together with a new staff. We've got a lot of transfers. We've got some freshmen. We've got some older guys that have been successful. It's probably just the chemistry and everything coming together which is the big thing."
Going back all your years coaching staff, when you have scrimmages in the preseason, can you tell how good a team is going to be? Does that have a parallel to how the team performs during the season?
"When you're in fall camp, really honestly, it's day to day. You don't let yourself get to a point, how good can we be? It's just getting better a little bit each day. With the scrimmage and 100 plays, there's a lot of good, bad and in-between. You're looking for leadership. You're looking for how we're going to react to adversity. You're looking to how we're going to react to success. That's what the main thing for these scrimmages are. We've got enough practices where we'll start doing scheme against Boise. We've been going slowly install in offense and defense. Offense knows what the defense is going to do, defense knows the offense... It's a little bit like that. From a big-picture standpoint, it's just about your team, the heart of your team. How are you going to react to certain situations. Is that winner going to come out? Are the leaders going to emerge and will people follow in a positive direction? That's the key in the day to day of fall camp."
You mentioned team captains. How do you determine choosing captains? Do players vote?
"It's players. Our players decide. They vote on who they want to be their captains. We just go by the voting process."
How do you see the quarterback battle behind Dillon Gabriel?
"Day by day, Coach Kinne is rotating those guys with the twos, the threes. They've been getting equal reps. When we get done with that last practice two days from now, we'll figure out two and three. We're not ready to say that yet."
How has Big Kat Bryant assimilated into the mix?
"He's a veteran guy with leadership abilities. He's come in and has tried to befriend his teammates. Really connect with them. He's a veteran guy. He has high expectations. He's been fortunate enough to play in some huge games. Played well. He's kind of a natural leader on that end."
You've talked about Mikey Keene, a true freshman quarterback who got here in January. What kind of camp has he been having?
"He's had a good camp. It's real important to him. You do see him improving. He's out there fighting. He's fighting to compete. That's what you look for from a coaching standpoint. Who wants it the worst? He's battling. Quadry is battling. The rest of them are battling too."
What is your philosophy on how you treat the last two weeks before the season starts?
"Each situation is different. This is a new team and a new staff. We'll start narrowing things down. We'll start worrying about Boise State. It's been more about getting us ready. Now we're to a point that we'll start being specific about the things we'll do to play against them. And probably bigger than that, being our first year, not just the first game, but we're defining who we are offensively and defensively. We always want to play to our strengths. We have enough information after two scrimmages as coaches that we can go back and say okay, we're good at this. This is a strength. Or we're not great at this. Let's wait on this. Let's build around our strengths. We'll be doing that in all three phases after this scrimmage."
What's the chemistry like among the coaches?
"We've got a real healthy coaching staff. I'm blessed to be the head coach of this bunch. They're great people. They're all together pulling the same direction. It just feels good."
Last edited:
