UCF will hold its annual spring football game Saturday at 2 p.m. at Bright House Networks Stadium.
The game will be a first look for most fans at the Knights’ current starters as the team looks to build upon a second place finish within Conference-USA and a strong showing at the Beef O’Brady Bowl in December.
This will be the first year for UCF within their new conference, the American Athletic Conference, which took the place of the Big East. UCF will join Louisville, Rutgers, Temple, Houston, Memphis, SMU, Cincinnati, UConn and South Florida in their new conference.
The offense will be led by second year starter Blake Bortles, who passed for 3,059 yards, 25 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year under center. Bortles is going to be operating with a familiar stable of talented wide receivers as only wideout Quincy McDuffie will be leaving the team, returning team leaders Rannell Hall and J.J. Worton.
The powerful rushing attack that attributed to much of the UCF offensive success last year will have to step it up as a unit this year, being that both Latavius Murray and Brynn Harvey will no longer be with the team. The duo combined for over 1,350 of UCF’s total rushing yards in 2012.
As things appear right now, Storm Johnson will carry the load in place of the loss. Johnson showed flashes of greatness last year with a 4.5 yard per carry average and five scores.
UCF’s defense was undoubtedly the strongest aspect of their game headed into the offseason, finishing first in Conference USA with their scoring and pass defense, ranking in theTop-5 for rushing defense and second overall.
Strong safety Clayton Geathers and linebacker Terrance Plummer both managed to record over a hundred tackles last season, returning an aggressive aura to the defense’s core. Thomas Niles and E.J. Dunston will anchor the defensive line this season after combining for nine sacks, attempting replacing the disruptive pass rush of Troy Davis.
Kickoff will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, and the gate will open at 1:00 p.m. Students will be admitted for free, and tickets for adults will cost only $5.
