Thoughts on the UCF Game

[JasonB]

- Early fourth down call was risky and cost us points, but it was an aggressive call that put us on the front foot the rest of the game. Have to give it to the coaches for turning around a team that really played scared the last two games.
- The offense is completely different at home and with UB back. Bentley had a couple of moments of not taking the short gain and losing several yards. But he just brings something nobody else can, and it loosens up the entire team.
- We really tore up a dominant UCF defense. That was really an impressive performance.
- Kudos to the OL. When Bryant got hurt in the second quarter, and on the next play JT got trucked, I thought the game might turn. But JT and Morris really stepped up and played well. Hickman had his best game in a while as well. Running for 200 against that front is just as impressive as doing what we did against TCU. Osborne I think is starting to really come around.
- With Rice and Gray both getting banged up, 10 and 13 really stepped up. Awesome signs for next year.
- We need Kerley healthy for next game to handle punt returns. That is a big deal.
- Mordeci ended up with great numbers but still struggles to come off of his second read. He stays on the same side of the field, then gets happy feet, then scrambles around and tries to find someone. He is at his very best when the other team blitzes and he has to make a quick decision based on a quick read. UCF did him a lot of favors by blitzing up the middle and leaving the middle of the field open for the TE and the crossing route. He just had to look into the blitz and find the open receiver. But there are other times where he just holds the ball too long. The difference was clear when Preston got in the game and really made quick decisions.
- That said, Mordeci did a much better job of throwing the ball away today and not taking a sack. That is going to be really important next week.
- That fourth down pass from Stone was beautiful. Our starting WR group catches that for a TD.
- Defensively, that was a fantastic show in the first half. If you take away that one horrible running play at the start of the second half, UCF had 27 carries for about 75 yards.
- Chatman is incredible. It is an absolute crime if he isn't first team all conference.
- Levelston is starting to play his way onto that team as well.
- Our defense played a lot better when Massey was back there playing center field and helping on some of the deep throws. With as good as our line and LB are against the run, I still have no idea why we aren't playing with 1 or 2 deep safeties on every single play.
- Corners really fought for balls a lot harder this week; that improvement was great to see after the last game.
- Clay was at fault on the long run. Really misread his angle.
- Speaking of misreading angles, I couldn't help but notice an improved defensive performance when Denbow sat out most of the game. I don't want to be too negative, but the Clay misread was the only one against the run that really stood out to me all game. We gave up the TD early when three defenders were in the area, and nobody thought it was a good idea to actually cover the one reciever that was there. And they hit us on an early deep pass when we didn't have a safety helping a corner. But the number of times our safeties were out of place seemed to drop today. I haven't watched the tape, but there seemed to be some significant differences in our coverage schemes. What they changed definitely worked for the better.
- Great job punting by Hall today. Nice to see his game improving as the season goes along.

[peruna81]

JasonB, you are a treasure of information and observation.

Defense was an asset rather than a speed bump today. DBs competed for balls, and even though there is still that "slow start" thing, the Offense performed better than we have seen all year. UB certainly helped...wonder if he is this team's "security blanket". Short version, the team played with resolve and poise and FINISHED.

Wouldn't want to watch films if I were the UCF D-Coordinator. That is going to be a bloodbath.

Translate this win into confidence going up to Ohio. We'll need it, and our best game to beat a solid but somewhat fading Cincy team.

[78pony]

Absolutely on the mark re: defense when Denbow is out.

[ponyboy]

We’re getting votes in the AP poll this week.