TCU coach Sonny Dykes isn’t pretending Duke Watson is just another name on the UCF scouting report.
Watson has already forced Big 12 coaches to adjust their game plans, and Dykes made it clear why during TCU’s media availability. The Knights’ running back has been a home-run threat every time he touches the ball, and the Horned Frogs know the first job is keeping him from turning a routine play into a sprint to the end zone.
"We're going to have to do a really good job of containing him, not let him get started and then find ways to tackle him when he gets in the open field," Dykes said during TCU's media availability.
Dykes also labeled Watson a "big play running back," a fitting description for a player who has wasted no time making an impact at UCF. Through the first stretch of the season, Watson leads the running back group with 270 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. He’s averaging 11 yards per carry, the same kind of explosive production he delivered as a freshman at Louisville, when he also led the nation.
That production has been central to UCF’s success, even with coach Scott Frost saying the Knights will go as far as quarterback Alonza Barnett III takes them. Watson has still been the engine behind much of what UCF has done on the ground.
Against Bethune-Cookman, he needed only seven carries to rack up 110 yards and a touchdown in a blowout win. A week later, he carried 14 times for 177 yards and two scores as UCF stormed back to beat Georgia State.
The one time Watson was bottled up, the result followed suit. In Week 2 against Pittsburgh, UCF managed just 20 rushing yards against a run defense that was described as historically great, and the Knights were held to seven points in a five-point loss.
Now TCU brings a similar challenge. The Horned Frogs have been stingy against the run, allowing only 79.3 yards per game, which ranks fifth in the conference. If Watson can’t get loose, the pressure shifts quickly to the rest of the offense.
That means more is placed on Keyone Jenkins, who is making his second start. His first outing last Saturday was a struggle, as he went 7-for-17 with one touchdown. UCF needs steadier passing production if it wants to keep pace in conference play, especially with the run game likely to face resistance again.
Offensive coordinator Steve Cooper is trying to strike the right balance. He wants to get UCF’s playmakers involved early and help Jenkins settle in as the Knights move through what looks like their toughest stretch of the season.
There is still plenty of speed on the outside for UCF to lean on. The receiving group has been rebuilt, and it has the kind of big-play potential that can change a game in one throw.
Josh Derry, a transfer from Monmouth, arrives with a track record of explosive production after putting up 1,123 yards and 13 touchdowns on 76 receptions, while averaging 14.78 yards per catch. That earned him All-CAA First Team honors during a strong junior season.
Freshman Tyren Hornes has also flashed as a deep threat early on. After strong spring and fall camp showings, he earned real playing time over the first three weeks, and that opportunity could continue as conference play ramps up.
In Other News...
UCF Heads Into TCU With Two Critical Spots Suddenly Exposed
UCFs depth is about to get tested in a hurry. The Knights head into Saturdays Big 12 matchup with TCU at the Acrisure Bounce House in Orlando carrying a heavier-than-usual injury burden, with several key names showing up on the league report for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff. TCU is dealing with its own list of unavailable and probable players, but the bigger concern for UCF is how it absorbs the losses while trying to keep the season on track at home.
The defensive side of the ball takes a particular hit, with linebacker Lewis Carter among the most important pieces suddenly out of the mix. Carter has been UCFs leading tackler, and his absence changes the look of the middle of the defense, while the situation at quarterback adds another layer of uncertainty for a unit that was already trying to settle in. There is at least some optimism on Carters timeline, with a possible return coming around the October 10 trip to Oklahoma State, but for now the Knights are left figuring out how to patch two critical spots against a conference opponent. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Tougher TCU Test In Big 12 Home Opener
TCU brings a different kind of challenge into UCFs Big 12 home opener, and a big part of it is the return of Jordan Dwyer. The wide receiver is expected to make his season debut after being sidelined by a foot injury since last December, adding another layer to an offense that has already been reshaped and demands extra attention from a Knights defense that has spent much of this season answering problems as they appear.
UCF defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said the Horned Frogs adjusted scheme makes preparation tricky because it is not always clear how the pieces will fit together, especially with Dwyer back in the mix. Still, UCFs defense has shown a knack for resilience, creating turnovers and settling in after early-game hiccups, and now that group will have to do it again against an opponent bringing more uncertainty than the tape might first suggest. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Opens Big 12 Play With Pressure Building On Its Offense
UCF heads into Big 12 play with a sturdy run game and a tight end who has become one of the most reliable red-zone options on the roster. Dylan Wade is closing in on a place in the program record book for receiving touchdowns by a tight end, giving the Knights a steady target as they prepare to host TCU in a conference opener set for 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1. The matchup comes with the usual early-league pressure, but it also arrives with the kind of home-stage atmosphere that can help a team settle in fast.
Sonny Dykes is already bracing for the noise, expecting a loud and supportive crowd at UCFs home stadium, and that setting could matter as much as any early-game execution. For the Knights, the bigger question is whether the offense can carry the momentum it has built on the ground into a conference game where every possession tends to get a little heavier. A strong start would do more than just protect home field, because Big 12 openers have a way of revealing whether a teams early-season identity can hold up when the stakes rise. [Read more 🡒]