https://theathletic.com/1046503/2019/07/02/ucf-football-2019-schedule-roster-depth-chart/
It had been a long time since UCF dealt with a loss, and the Knights have had to think about this one for months.
UCF won 25 consecutive games before a 40-32 defeat to LSU in the Fiesta Bowl. For some, the loss was confirmation that the Knights shouldn’t have been in the College Football Playoff discussion. For others, a close final score against an SEC team while playing without star quarterback McKenzie Milton was a sign of talent and depth.
Whatever the case, UCF enters 2019 with the same expectations. Josh Heupel took over the program from Scott Frost after an undefeated season, and he matched his predecessor in the regular season. Now the Knights will try again, this time without Milton, who will miss the season while recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered against USF in November.
Plenty of reasons for optimism remain, and Heupel is encouraged, starting with the Knights’ response to that Fiesta Bowl loss.
“Coming back from the bowl game, maybe that’s just year one to year two, I’ve felt a great attention to detail, a great sense of urgency, a togetherness, a trust factor, a communication factor that has grown from where we finished the season compared to where we were a year ago,” Heupel said. “Still not where we need to be, but I like how we came back.”
Entering the 2019 season, a lot of skill-position talent returns on offense, but the defensive front seven must be rebuilt. There are options at quarterback, but no starter yet. UCF’s active streak of 26 consecutive games with at least 30 points is the longest ever.
With a stronger nonconference schedule and an American Athletic Conference that could be deeper, a third consecutive conference championship and New Year’s Six berth should be even harder.
It had been a long time since UCF dealt with a loss, and the Knights have had to think about this one for months.
UCF won 25 consecutive games before a 40-32 defeat to LSU in the Fiesta Bowl. For some, the loss was confirmation that the Knights shouldn’t have been in the College Football Playoff discussion. For others, a close final score against an SEC team while playing without star quarterback McKenzie Milton was a sign of talent and depth.
Whatever the case, UCF enters 2019 with the same expectations. Josh Heupel took over the program from Scott Frost after an undefeated season, and he matched his predecessor in the regular season. Now the Knights will try again, this time without Milton, who will miss the season while recovering from a devastating knee injury suffered against USF in November.
Plenty of reasons for optimism remain, and Heupel is encouraged, starting with the Knights’ response to that Fiesta Bowl loss.
“Coming back from the bowl game, maybe that’s just year one to year two, I’ve felt a great attention to detail, a great sense of urgency, a togetherness, a trust factor, a communication factor that has grown from where we finished the season compared to where we were a year ago,” Heupel said. “Still not where we need to be, but I like how we came back.”
Entering the 2019 season, a lot of skill-position talent returns on offense, but the defensive front seven must be rebuilt. There are options at quarterback, but no starter yet. UCF’s active streak of 26 consecutive games with at least 30 points is the longest ever.
With a stronger nonconference schedule and an American Athletic Conference that could be deeper, a third consecutive conference championship and New Year’s Six berth should be even harder.
