What Went Wrong? Answers Needed After UCF's Loss to Louisville
There are different ways to look at the 20-14 loss to the Louisville Cardinals that the UCF Knights went through on Friday night.
Here are three areas, amongst several that could be discussed for sure, that need to be addressed first and foremost. Let’s start with penalties. The Knights had 11 for 111 yards.
UCF did come out and score on two of its first three drives, allowing itself to support a 14-7 lead with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter. Then, the misfires began.
Seeing plays like running back Johnny Richardson’s screen pass get called back after he made it down to the two or three yard line, that’s tough. That’s really tough. Just cannot have a play like that called back.
There was the long touchdown pass to Javon Baker that was also called back. That’s over 100 yards of passing offense erased from those two plays alone. To beat a quality team like Louisville, having a long pass that ended inside the five and another that scored cannot take place.
There were nine additional penalties, some allowing Louisville first downs and changing momentum. UCF players must look at themselves in the face and accept that. It’s part of a college football season to overcome it. Next, it’s time to address the passing game.
UCF’s passing attack is by far the most complex topic and it’s not even close. Injuries to key offensive skill talent caused some chemistry issues (for the second season in a row against Louisville, ironically).
The Knights had very few answers when wide receiver Ryan O’Keefe left the lineup, or tight end Kemore Gamble left the lineup either. Plus, wide receiver Amari Johnson is out and Kobe Hudson was not available to play. Missing receivers aside, a couple of quick timing points that UCF is missing.
It’s obvious that quarterback John Rhys Plumlee has a definitive connection with Baker. That film is now out there and teams are going to consistently shade coverage towards the receiver that now has 10 receptions, 168 yards and a touchdown.
If O’Keefe is out for any significant length of time, and there’s no news of his injury at the time of this article being published, UCF needs at least one more receiver to step up and begin to have the kind of timing with Plumlee that Baker does. It must happen quickly, too. Teams are not going to just allow Baker to beat them. Also, an extension of the passing woes would be the blitz pickup issues.
Part of that might be on Plumlee, and part on the offensive line. It’s about line calls that were or were not made when the Cardinals used a blitz, and also simply blocking better. Lastly, the rush defense needs adjusting
Beyond some of the incredible runs that Malik Cunningham is probably going to make against every team he faces, the traditional running defense is more of a concern.
Louisville running backs did not beat UCF. They did, however, provide key first downs and its opening touchdown by running through some big holes.
It was odd. UCF would bottle up Louisville’s running back on one play, and then a few plays later there would be an obvious running lane. It’s as simple as pointing to missed run fits. That’s not going to get it done.
Yes, the Knights were keying on the dynamic Cunningham and that fact likely aided a few of the holes to open up for the running backs. That does not mean an occasional big running lane is acceptable during an inside or outside zone play.
Teams like Georgia Tech, SMU, East Carolina and Cincinnati, among others, will challenge the Knights’ run defense until the running lanes are more consistently diminished.
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