In a season when offensive touchdowns have been hard to come by, UCF needs every assist they can get from defense and special teams. Last Saturday at Temple, an improved defensive performance and a touchdown scored by cornerback Shaquill Griffin off a pick-six put the Knights in position for a potential upset.
UCF led the Owls 16-14 going into the fourth quarter, thanks to Griffin's touchdown and three Matt Wright field goals, but Temple pulled away with two late touchdowns.
Still, there were positives to take away. The interception was UCF's first of the season.
"When I caught the ball, I'm like you gotta go, you gotta go," Griffin said. "You can't get caught from behind. I saw green and Chequan Burkett in the front waving his hands like, 'Follow me!' As soon as I saw that, he made the block and it was all green. I was trying to get to the end zone as fast as I could."
It was Griffin's second career interception. He had one last year against SMU which looked to also go for a pick-six, but the touchdown was called back due to a penalty.
"I know after the touchdown, the coach called from downstairs and said, 'Now that you've got the pick, they come in bunches,'" Griffin said.
UCF had a different look at secondary at Temple. Griffin was back at corner after a couple weeks playing safety. D.J. Killings returned to action at corner after being sidelined in the opener against FIU. T.J. Mutcherson, a transfer from Iowa State, started at safety alongside Drico Johnson.
"I feel like this is the look they've been looking for the whole year," Griffin said. "We've been switching around and making changes to find the best four and I think we finally found it. Now we have to gel together and keep pushing."
A healthy D.J. Killings should really improve the unit going forward, Griffin said.
"It feels like it's been us two working together since freshman year. To have him is a great feeling. We've been through everything since day one. It's good to have him back on the other side... We're really good friends. I knew him before I actually came (to UCF). He was the only one giving me phone calls saying, 'I can't wait until you get here.' He came in the spring and I came that summer. We became real close."
Mutcherson provided a big spark on both defense and special teams, accounting for a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and seven tackles.
"He's picking up the leadership role now that he's starting," Griffin said of Mutcherson. "Before the game he was saying he's been waiting for his turn. 'I haven't been starting since I was at Iowa State and now I have a chance. I'm gonna show them I deserve to play,' and I felt he did that game."
The challenge picks up tenfold against Houston. The No. 21 Cougars rank first in the American in total offense (554.7 ypg) and are averaging 45.7 points scored per game.
"They're a good team," Griffin said. "After (the Temple) game, they're expecting a lot more from the defense because I felt like made a big change from the way we've been playing. We started fast and we've got to keep playing faster. We're going to try to do that for the whole season, no matter what team we play."
