The days of ball-control offense to run clock and keep the defense off the field are over. Scott Frost's #UCFast offense may have quick scores, but they will likely have more three-and-outs as well.
That means more time on the field for the defense, but that's okay with senior linebacker Errol Clarke.
"We didn't come to college to sit on the bench and watch the offense slowly go down the field," Clarke said. "We came here to play also, just like the offensive guys. We want to go out there and make plays. The defense can score touchdowns just like offense."
While the end goal is always the same - winning - the faster pace is also a selling point for defensive players with more opportunities to make plays and pad individual stats.
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander recently spoke about the change in mindset.
"To be honest with you, we're going to be on the field a lot," Chinander said. "That's life. We all signed up for it. But these guys should want to know, whatever the offense does, if they score in 30 seconds, they turn it over in 30 seconds, we're happy to be on the field. If I was a defensive player, I came to college football to play defense. I didn't come to sit on the bench and watch the offense run 20 plays at slow tempo. I want to be on the field. We want to get these guys to the point where the quarterback throws a pick? We're fired up and we're ready to go on the field because we want to play defense."
Clarke appears to be a player benefiting from the changes, recently singled out by Chinander for having a particularly good spring. After a season in 2014 in which he started four games and registered 30 tackles, he took a step back in 2015 with limited action. He's been playing on the first team this spring alongside Shaquem Griffin (outside), Chequan Burkett (inside) and Mark Rucker (inside).
"It's not only just me, it's the whole team (doing well this spring)," Clarke said. "The brotherhood has tightened up with everybody pushing each other. And with everybody pushing each other, it makes other guys better and we get the best out of guys. I'd say that's all the work of working with (strength coaches) Coach Strop and Coach Duval in the weight room during the offseason. I'd say that's the effect of all that."
Generally speaking, defense usually has the upper hand in practices and that's largely been the case this spring. The offense did win the first scrimmage a couple weeks ago, but the defense fired back with the second one this past Monday.
"The first scrimmage, the defense didn't come out ready to go," Clarke said. "The second scrimmage, I think we had a little blood in our mouth from our last scrimmage when the offense punched us in the mouth. We came out there and that's what happened. The offense made some big plays also, but the defense played harder that day."
Frost has stressed that he wants to make football "fun again" for the players. The atmosphere is noticeably looser which is immediately evident by the constant stream of hip-hop, rap and occasional rock music blaring from the loudspeakers during practice. Clarke says the relaxed vibe is translating to the field with better play.
"It allows that specific player to be the player he wants to be," Clarke said. "Be his personality, but within the team rules and the team standards. We still have standards to uphold. I think it allows the player to catch his vibe, his momentum, go out there, catch his flow and allow him to play fast."
Another change on the horizon will be the introduction of new jerseys.
"All the players are excited about the new jerseys," Clarke said. "We're pretty sure they're gonna look good. I saw my AD (Danny White) yesterday and he was pretty swaggy. I saw him dressed up pretty nice. I said hey, if the AD dresses nice I'm sure we're gonna look good also."
Clarke, who will graduate at the end of the semester, can't believe he's closing in on his final season.
"With me being a redshirt senior and seeing this new staff come in and how things have changed, seeing how the environment of the program is now, I wish I had another year with these coaches. The program has changed big time. There's a lot of excitement in this program with everything moving fast."
