1. Rob Calabrese vs. Jeffrey Godfrey
Coach O’Leary has already said both quarterbacks will play with Calabrese as the starter against South Dakota. The real thing to watch here is how Calabrese will play as the starter and if he can prove he is the quarterback to lead this team. All the pressure is on him to perform as he has been the rumored front runner for the starting job. Jeffrey Godfrey has closed the gap as of late for the starting job and it will be interesting to see how he plays in spot situations and if he does play well if O’Leary will leave him out on the field longer.
2. Jonathan Davis as the starting running back
Davis won the job over Brenden Kelly in the absence of Brynn Harvey. It will be key to watch how Davis handles a pretty full load, seeing as he had just 64 carries last season. He had one of the best fall camps of any player and should carry the ball anywhere between 20-25 times during Saturday’s game.
3. Who will shine on the defensive line?
Torell Troup is gone, so the Knights have had to look elsewhere to replace the now Buffalo Bills defensive tackle. Wes Tunuufi Sauvao and Victor Gray saw the most time starting on the line in fall camps, but don’t forget that true freshman E.J. Dunston and JUCO transfer Barry Snider also made some solid plays in camp so they should see time as well. The true thing to watch is who will emerge as the go-to player on the line. Gray has impressed me during Fall, but Snider did as well. Let’s see who steps up.
4. Will Josh Robinson become more like Smokin’ Joe Burnett in the return game
He’s got to get to the return game, first. A.J. Guyton and Quincy McDuffie were the two that saw the bulk of the action last season, but Robinson has always been compared to Burnett, who was the best returner in UCF history. O’Leary hasn’t made it clear who will be the main guy returning kicks, but I can guarantee Guyton and McDuffie will be in the mix. Robinson may see time though because both those two will be heavily relied on on the offensive side of the ball.
5. Can Quincy McDuffie be a true No. 2 receiver?
It’s amazing to think that McDuffie had just eight receptions last season and had that big of an impact on the team. This year, O’Leary will rely on him in the passing game and it will be interesting to see how he handles being a downfield threat. His speed will be key on offense and he will be a good compliment opposite Kamar Aiken.
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