Three Questions For the UCF Offense (And Special Teams) During Spring Practice
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Spring practice has arrived in Orlando.
Last season, the Knights finished near the bottom of the Big 12 in scoring offense, passing yards per completion, and fewest penalty yards, the latter mostly thanks to offensive penalties like false starts and holdings.
In short, UCF has some work to do on the offensive front to prepare for the 2026 season, which leaves some questions going into spring practice. Below are two of them, as well as one about the special teams:
1. Can Alonza Barnett III stabilize the offense?
.@UCF_Football Alonza Barnett lll dons his practice jersey in the Knights’ first practice of spring football.
— Bryson Turner (@itsBrysonTurner) March 31, 2026
Barnett was spotted in the lead up to practice, but did not run plays with the offense or run drills with the rest of the quarterbacks. pic.twitter.com/hsQ4ZuQWie
This time last season, the Knights commenced a three-way quarterback battle that never quite ended, even as the season began. This time around, however, with the arrival of former James Madison signal caller Alonza Barnett III, the question of who is UCF’s projected 2026 starter looks clearer. However, the question still remains if he can mesh with this new offense and improve the Knights’ offensive production in 2026.
However, that question is going to end up getting answered a little later than expected, as Barnett did not participate in the Knights’ first spring practice beyond early warmups.
"We're going to take it slow with him, just kind of out of caution," Frost said. "He's just, you know, dealing with a couple little things, and we don't want to push it. He's been doing an unbelievable job in offseason workouts with the guys and getting himself ready, and he'll be back up ready to go at some point during spring, but we're gonna kind of ease him into it."
Barnett is no stranger to injury. His run to the College Football Playoff with James Madison in 2025 came on the heels of his recovery from an ACL tear he sustained in the final game of the 2024 season. However, Frost said that the quarterback is “picking everything up so fast” that missing early spring practice reps is not a concern to him.
2. How is the backfield going to work?
Frost has been no stranger to running backs by committee during his first stint at UCF. However, last season, the Knights mainly relied on Myles Montgomery with Jaden Nixon providing a change of pace. Both of them graduated and are now showcasing their talents to NFL scouts, so a new backfield is set to take hold in 2026.
The only running back who earned carries last season returning for 2026 is sophomore Agyeman Addae, who ran 12 times for 50 yards near the end of the season after the injury bug thoroughly devastated the Knights. However, not only is Addae going to have to compete with a now-recovered Taevion Swint, a four-star recruit, but he also has to contend with additions like Landen Chambers and Duke Watson, both from the transfer portal, and high school recruits Kaj Baker and Arthur Lewis IV.
Whether it is a return to a running back by committee or like last season with one workhorse back and one change-of-pace back, the Knights are coming into this decision after a season that saw their rushing attack finish 11th in the Big 12 in rushing offense.
3. Who is kicking the ball?
Senior Noe Ruelas left his mark during his one season in Orlando, getting named an All-Big 12 Third Teamer after tying for the third-highest single-season field goal percentage in program history.
However, this does mean that special team coordinator Pete Alamar is now going to need to find a new field-goal kicker for the Knights in 2026, and the options on the table are on the inexperienced side.
During the Knights’ first spring practice, two kickers were practicing placekicking: Texas transfer Will Stone and redshirt freshman Noah McGough. The two of them are a combined three for three on extra points their entire college careers, and neither of them has ever attempted a field goal during a game. Stone, a redshirt senior, was the Longhorns’ kickoff specialist.
While collegiate experience favors Stone, the fact that neither of them has attempted a field goal during a collegiate game before might very well leave the Knights’ kicking job open during spring practice. Even if it is not and the job is Stone’s to lose, since he was the transfer addition, he would still have to learn how to be a regular field-goal kicker in time for UCF’s season opener.
While special teams coordinator Pete Alamar worked with the punters, @UCF_Football kickers Noah McGough (31) and Will Stone (15) practice their accuracy by kicking a football at the base of the goal post. pic.twitter.com/Z53doMgAMh
— Bryson Turner (@itsBrysonTurner) March 31, 2026
Catch up on more UCF news below:
Three Questions For The UCF Defense During Spring Practice
Three UCF Knights Players Who Improved NFL Draft Stock at Pro Day
Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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