Star QB Dillon Gabriel, new coach Gus Malzahn aim to get UCF back atop the AAC – Miami Herald

UCF’s place as the American Athletic Conference — and Group of Five — juggernaut fell last season.

The Knights ceded their spot to Cincinnati, who played Georgia to a narrow 24-21 defeat in a New Year’s Six Bowl game.

Head coach Josh Heupel left the program to lead Tennessee, which left the Knights tapping fired Auburn coach Gus Malzahn to take the reins.

It’s not the first time in recent seasons that UCF enters with a little uncertainty under a new coach. Scott Frost guided the Knights to a NY6 Bowl, which they later won, to cap an undefeated season behind a prolific offense before bolting for Nebraska.

Heupel amplified that offense into an even more high-octane, quick-hitting approach.

How Malzahn’s offense looks in comparison from the outset will give an indication of just how potent these Knights can be.

Of course, the transition for Malzahn’s style helps when he has Dillon Gabriel returning at quarterback and a veteran offensive line. Gabriel was one of the best passers last year, and ESPN currently rates him as the best player among Florida schools — even ranking him higher than Miami quarterback D’Eriq King, who is a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate.

A slower approach on offense might actually benefit Gabriel and the Knights. Going as fast as UCF did under Heupel turned into quick series and forcing the defense onto the field without much of a break, when the offense wasn’t gelling.

Granted, the Heupel system thrived in producing the fourth-best passing offense in the country last year. Gabriel averaged 357 yards per game through the air, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Marcus Tatum, Cole Schneider, Sam Jackson and Josh McMullen are redshirt seniors with talent and experience along the offensive line. Having that type of core in the trenches bodes well for Malzahn’s first year at the Orlando school.

What about the running game?

With Malzahn arriving to UCF, transfers from his former school at Auburn also came over. Running back Mark-Antony Richards is one of five former Auburn players to transfer to the Knights. He moved up the depth chart after RJ Harvey suffered a season-ending torn ACL in August.

UCF’s rushing offense was 25th in the country last year. The Knights hold the longest-active streak of games with at least one passing and one rushing touchdown, which currently sits at 49 consecutive games.

In addition to Richards, wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers transferred from Auburn and quarterback Joey Gatewood, who lost his starting job at Auburn in 2019, left Kentucky to play at UCF.

But the issue for UCF in 2020 was its defense. While only Kent State, though doing it in only four games, produced the only better total team offense, the Knights’ total defense ranked 123rd out of 127 programs.

Defensive end Big Kat Bryant transferred from Auburn to help improve a unit that was gashed for 192.6 rushing yards per game and 299.2 passing yards per game. Only four teams allowed more total yards per game than the Knights in 2020.

UCF also lacked discipline in 2020, amassing 9.2 penalties per game. Only Kent State and Toledo fared worse.

Still, the Knights are a preseason favorite to finish runner-up to Cincinnati in the AAC. The Bearcats utilized their defense to stymie enough high-powered offenses in league play last season to usurp UCF as the AAC power.

UCF will aim to reestablish itself as the conference’s dominating force, and the Knights have the pieces with Gabriel and talented transfers and returnees in the fold.

To do so, they’ll need an improved defense to complement their star quarterback and offensive firepower.