UCF offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Darin Hinshaw provides an update following the Knights' second week of preseason camp.
Recap:
Asked about Saturday's second scrimmage, Hinshaw said they were "atrocious" during the spring in moving the ball when they were backed up field position wise but they were successful in doing so - with all three groups - in this recent scrimmage.
As far as QB, John Rhys Plumlee continues to do a "very good job" and ran for a touchdown. Timmy McClain and Dylan Rizk are battling for the backup spot. Timmy is ahead based on his experience. Dylan made some freshman mistakes in the scrimmage.
"I'm pleased where we're going," Hinshaw said. "We've got to continue to take steps though, continue to get better as we go through this week."
What did he like - or not like - about the scrimmage?
"We were much more physical than we were the first scrimmage," Hinshaw said.
From the offensive line to the running backs running through tackles, he was pleased to see that. The wide receivers did a lot better in blocking for the run game as well.
What role does he see for RB Jordan McDonald?
"Jordan McDonald is a big powerful running back," Hinshaw said. "He runs angry and he's powerful. He's big and he can run behind his pads. He made a third-and-one run that I want to see him jump cut and make sure he gets the first down. We didn't help him with the o-line, but then you saw him the rest of the scrimmage really pounding the ball and breaking tackles, which is what we wanted to see from our running back.
"So again, really pleased where Jordan is. He's got to continue to get better, continue to grow up, but I'm pleased where Jordan is right now."
WR Corey Gammage is going "through a learning curve in learning the offense." He made plays in the scrimmage after overcoming a minor injury situation last week.
In speaking about the tight end competition, they're shuffling different players between roles between Alec Holler and Zach Marsh-Wojan. Randy Pittman "continues to make plays." He's really pleased with him.
Isaiah Bowser was an excellent short yardage back. Which RB can fulfill that role?
"RJ Harvey is a complete back and he's shown that and he showed it in scrimmage," Hinshaw said. "He broke tackles. There was a third down and two situation and he jump cut and went for eight (yards). You're seeing that in RJ.
"Johnny (Richardson) is not necessarily our guy that we're going to hand the ball to on third and short and all those things, but Johnny's electric. I'm just telling you. He did stuff with a football in his hand that is a freak show. Again, his ball security has got to continue to improve, but he had a 3rd and 22. We handed him the ball and he went for 24. He is continually showing up in everything that we do and we've got to get the ball in his hands.
"Then you got Jordan McDonald who's got to be that short yardage back for us. He's got to. He can definitely move piles. He's big, he's powerful, he's strong.
"Then you got Demarkcus Bowman who is showing up. He's holding on to the ball and we really strained him in the second scrimmage of going every single play in a drive and showing that he can do everything the right way. So I'm really pleased."
And then you got Mark-Antony (Richards). He showed up probably more than all the other running backs and you can see him after that injury and what he's overcome in the spring and the summer where he really performed very, very well. He's a short yardage back and he's a big back and he ran over safety in the scrimmage and we're going to continue to elevate him."
Gus Malzahn said recently that Jarrad Baker has stepped up at wide receiver. He had previously moved to defensive back but is now back in his original spot.
"I like his leadership to step up because he can be a guy. He really can. Jarrad, now we're seeing him fine tune the position versus learning the position. With him, it's going to be about being physical and every time he touches it, make sure that he catches it because he gets open. He's got great hips. He's got great speed. He knows what to do, but the bottom line is he's got to continue to make plays, which he did in the spring and he's doing it this fall camp."
How would he describe John Rhys Plumlee's personality?
"When he leads, he leads with passion. He has fun with the guys, but he also understands that this is a hard sport. This is a physical warrior mentality sport and he brings a little life to it. Let's go, let's go. Energy. You can't ask for a better leader as far as all that goes... He brings leadership. He's fun to be around, he's fun to coach."
Is the center competition becoming more clear?
"You're seeing a lot of strides with Drake," Hinshaw said. "Drake Metcalf is doing a great job. Bula (Schmidt) is doing a good job. His snaps have gotten more consistent this practice. We got to continue to be great. (Caden) Kitler is a younger guy that's coming on. We got three guys at that position. We're going to continue to compete and they all got to get ready to play."
Did he see the team play "tougher?"
"Yeah, the toughness was way better than it was last scrimmage to this scrimmage. That was the whole mentality all week is that we're gonna create toughness but physical as well as mental. Mental toughness. We got better. Are we there yet? We got to continue to grow this whole week and we did better out there in our team drill."
What is the state of the offense right now?
"We're still installing some plays, so there's still a learning curve with a lot of guys. We're getting to that point where the installs are going to stop. We got better at plays in the second scrimmage that we weren't executing in the first scrimmage. So I like where the offense is. We got to continue to have discipline, attitude, toughness and effort in everything that we do."
Hinshaw also complimented freshman wide receiver Tyree Patterson, but indicated he's still young and learning.
"A couple of situations, we had Tyree who was really coming on a wide receiver where he's blocking his guy and he lets him go. We'd have a touchdown, but that guy knocks him out at the 14 yard line. If (Patterson) stays with them, we score and we're off the field. Those are the situations we got to continue to strain without the ball."
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