UCF and SMU Passing Attacks Possess Playmakers

In 2022, SMU and UCF will once again possess talented aerial attacks.

Two of the best passing offenses in the American Athletic Conference will battle once again this upcoming Oct. 1.

The two teams have produced several good quarterbacks and offensive skill position players during the past several years. The following is a closer look at the passing attacks of the UCF Knights and the SMU Mustangs.

UCF Passing Attack

This past season, the Knights’ passing offense was led by true freshman Mikey Keene, who grew and developed once UCF lost starting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Gabriel has since found a new home with the Oklahoma Sooners while Keene recorded 1,471 yards with 15 touchdowns and six interceptions last season.

UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn will likely hold a continuous quarterback competition between Keene and another quarterback, Ole Miss Transfer Portal addition John Rhys Plumlee.

Keene is a player that understands how to control the pace of the game while also making key plays. He also has improved as an overall passer but still needs to work on arm strength and mobility against the pass rush. As the starter for UCF, he went 7-3 last season.

Plumlee provides a run threat because of his athletic ability and can make downfield throws when needed. Plumlee was able to display his passing talents during UCF’s spring game in April. Getting more familiar with the playbook will help him become more comfortable under center going into the season.

Spring game: Keene went 21-of-28 for 282 yards and three scores, and Plumlee completed 11 of 15 passes for 189 yard and four touchdowns.

Dynamic Receivers

UCF lost two premier receivers in Brandon Johnson and Jaylon Robinson. Johnson led the team in receiving touchdowns with 11 total and signed with the Denver Broncos following the NFL Draft. Robinson transferred to Ole Miss.

Johnson was the bigger and more powerful receiver, while Johnson was the twitchy and speedy receiver capable of beating a defense over the top or taking a short pass and creating big plays.

UCF still has a dynamic group of athletes at receiver with a variety of talents that can make an impact with their bag of skills.

Do not allow his 5’10” 175-pound frame fool you. Ryan O'Keefe's is a workhorse and one of the more exciting players college football has to offer at the wide receiver position. O’Keefe is an all-around player that was very valuable in the short and intermediate offensive scheme.

UCF’s coaching staff utilized his talents in the screen game simply to get the ball in his hands and let him make plays. Last season, he recorded 84 receptions, 812 yards, seven touchdowns, as well as 16 rushes for 274 yards and one touchdown. O’Keefe has plenty of company with talented receivers flanked on either side of him.

Jaylon Griffin is a good complement to O’Keefe with his 6’3”, 185-pound body being a good fit for the boundary position that Johnson manned last season. He began to break this spring and has been singled out by UCF’s coaches as a player to watch this next season.

The electric Kobe Hudson transferred to UCF in January after spending the last two seasons at Auburn. At 6’1”, 200 pounds, Hudson was the leading receiver at Auburn in 2021 with 44 catches for 580 yards and four touchdowns.

He could end up playing any of the three wide receiver positions for the Knights, as there are several versatile players the UCF coaching staff would like to get on the gridiron.

Another recent transfer comes by way of the University of Alabama. Javon Baker is much like Hudson in that he could play any of the three wide receiver positions. He was one of the nation’s most sought after wide receiver recruits in the class of 2020, also like Hudson. The 6’1”, 200 pound receiver caught nine passes for 116 yards and a score during his two seasons in Tuscaloosa. There’s a slot receiver to watch, too.

Amari Johnson is an exciting athlete that will likely be used more this season, especially in the slot. Johnson impressed during the spring game by juking guys and turning screen throws into big yardage plays. Johnson recorded 23 passes for 149 yards and one score in 2021. As a runner, Johnson carried the football seven times for 27 yards and a touchdown.

Note: Look for Dionte Marks and Jordan Johnson are two more players to watch that are returning to the Knights. There are also three freshmen with Tyler Griffin, Quan Lee and Xavier Townsend all being capable of playing this next season.

X-Factor: Kemore Gamble. The transfer tight end from Florida is a weapon much like a receiver. Gamble accounted for 31 catches, 414 yards, and four touchdowns for the Gators last fall. Look for him to be used as an H-back, tight end, and a flex tight end by the Knights.

SMU’s Passing Offense

Moving the ball through the air wasn’t a problem for the Mustangs either. That’s evident after finishing first in scoring offense (38.4) and total passing yards (3,654) in the American Athletic Conference.

SMU’s Head Coach Rhett Lashlee understands how to distribute the ball into his playmakers hands. He’s been at Auburn under Malzahn and was the offensive coordinator for Miami last season. Lashlee is walking into an enviable situation.

The Mustangs utilized a variety of receiving threats to make the game easier for now senior quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

The Knights took a brutal loss to SMU last season, giving up 17 points in just the second quarter and couldn’t recover, as SMU prevailed 55-28 at the Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mordecai’s numbers from that game alone were impressive, racking up 377 yards passing and three touchdowns, with one interception.

Mordecai has the tools and wide receivers to lead the AAC this season at his position. In 2021, he torched the conference with 3,628 passing yards, and a school-record 39 touchdowns to go against 12 interceptions. Mordecai finished 12th in the country in passing yards last season.

Mordecai resembles a traditional pro-style quarterback with great fundamentals to maneuver in the pocket. He does have deceptive footwork ability to escape the pocket while maintaining a good balance for accurate throws.

A Playmaker and Size Defines SMU WR Corps

The Mustangs lost two explosive receivers to the NFL in the speedster Danny Gray (San Francisco 49ers) and Reggie Roberson Jr. (Tennessee Titans) but brought in some valuable pieces to help with production. That does not mean speed and playmaking ability are void in Dallas.

With Rashee Rice returning, SMU’s wide receiver room should still be a threat to make big plays at a moment’s notice. Rice was an important component to SMU’s explosive passing offense.

In his junior season, he started all 12 games, leading the team with 64 catches and nine touchdowns (3rd in the AAC), while his 670 yards were second (10th in the AAC). The receiver started the season with touchdown receptions in five consecutive games.

A player that’s emerging for SMU would be Dylan Goffney, a rising sophomore that caught 14 passes for 131 yards last season. He’s a big-bodied receiver at 6’2” and 215 pounds. Along with Rice at 6’3” and 210 pounds, that’s two of the big receivers for defenses to battle against. Goffney is a possible backup to Rice while also possibly starting at another receiver position this fall.

Also a candidate to be a starter and/or prime contributor is coming over to the Mustangs after starting his career as a Tar Heel. Beau Corrales corralled 80 receptions for 1,176 yards and 12 touchdowns during his North Carolina career. He is yet another big receiver at 6’3” and 210 pounds.

If you think there’s another big receiver for SMU, you guessed correctly. After arriving from Arizona State, Jordan Kerley is a 6’3”, 204-pound receiver that earned playing time in all 13 games for SMU last season. He recorded 12 catches for 194 yards and four touchdowns. Now onto the shifty player to watch.

At 5’9” and 195 pounds, SMU’s Roderick Daniels is the player a linebacker does not like to be lined up against during a one-on-one situation. He caught four passes for 37 yards against UCF last fall, and also accumulated 17 receptions, 209 yards and a score for the season.

There is more quickness and speed headed to SMU, too. Mississippi State transfer Teddy Knox is heading back to Texas after signing with Mississippi State in 2021. The Woodlands (Texas) High School product could end up in the slot for the Mustangs, as he’s listed at 5’11” and 170 pounds.

SMU tight end: Nolan Matthews-Harris only caught eight passes last season while playing behind starter Grant Calcaterra. Now he’s the likely starter for the Mustangs. While he’s not likely to match Calcaterra’s 38 catches for 465 yards and four touchdowns, he should be a factor considering he’ll see single coverage with all the receiver talent around him.

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