Heading into Scott Frost’s second run at UCF, the buzz around the Knights has started to sound a little different. The projections still have them buried in the bottom half of the Big 12, but there’s enough optimism floating around to make people think this team could push past that.
On Friday, Barstool’s Brandon Walker went a step further, calling UCF a potential nine-win team. He pointed to Frost’s track record in second seasons with the program and the impact of the portal additions as reasons the Knights could outperform the expectations attached to them.
A big part of that belief starts with new starting quarterback Alonza Barnett III. Walker praised Barnett’s winning background, and that reputation has followed him to Orlando after a College Football Playoff berth. Pete Thamel had already been effusive about Barnett back at Big 12 Media Days, calling him “championship level” and saying he could “electrify” UCF’s offense.
Barnett also stood out at The Manning Academy, where he was among more than 45 quarterbacks in attendance. He threw passes there while working back from the lingering injuries that kept him out during the spring. Since arriving, the message around him has been clear: he is the starter, and that certainty is something the program hasn’t had in a while.
The pieces around him are part of the reason the outlook has grown so much. Senior tight end Dylan Wade is coming off the best season ever by a UCF tight end, and there’s an expectation he can be even more dangerous with Barnett running the offense.
There’s also reason for confidence on defense. Lewis Carter and Cole Kozlowski are expected back as the linebacker pairing for coordinator Alex Grinch, with Kozlowski currently eligible because of a court ruling tied to NCAA policy. On the back end, Jayden Bellamy is one of the Big 12’s top returning defensive backs, with PFSN College giving him an 88.9 grade.
Bellamy said he has been driven by that edge all along.
“I feel like just having a chip on my shoulder,” Bellamy said. “I always kept a chip on my shoulder, and, you know, I just feel like coming into the Big 12, I feel like just trying to make a mark for my name. I feel like I've been doing that, and I feel like I'm just trying to establish my name and just get it out there.”
For Walker and others, all of that adds up to a team that might be capable of more than the outside projections suggest, even enough to get back into College Football Playoff contention.
In Other News...
UCFs Big 12 Push Rests On A Risky Roster Bet
UCFs attempt to close the gap in the Big 12 has taken shape through a sweeping roster overhaul, one built more on efficiency and upside than on matching the leagues biggest checkbooks. The Knights brought in a wave of transfers to patch obvious talent holes, with Scott Frost and general manager Trent Mossbrucker leaning hard into a strategy that tries to find value where others might simply outspend them.
The centerpiece is a collection of high-upside additions, including quarterback Alonza Barnett III from James Madison and several FCS standouts, all of whom are being asked to help lift a team working under clear NIL limitations. UCF has spent heavily by its own standards, but not enough to keep pace with some Big 12 rivals, which leaves the Knights betting that development and fit can make up for the financial edge they do not have. [Read more 🡒]
UCFs New Offensive Identity Should Have Knights Fans Paying Attention
UCF is trying to reshape its offense into something far more explosive, and offensive tackle Henry Tabansi has made it clear the Knights are not approaching that idea timidly. The plan centers on stretching the field vertically, pairing a more aggressive passing game with a roster that looks better equipped to handle it, from quarterback Alonza Barnett III to receiver Josh Derry and a line being pushed by offensive line coach AJ Blazek.
Tabansi, who arrived with a reputation as one of the MACs better offensive linemen, sounds bought in on the direction and the work required to make it happen. For UCF, the appeal is obvious: if the protection holds and the new pieces click, the Knights could have a passing identity that keeps defenses on edge and gives fans a different kind of reason to pay attention this fall. [Read more 🡒]
Former UCF Pass Rusher Just Made Packers Cuts A Real Story
Nyjalik Kelly gave Green Bay exactly the kind of late-preseason reminder that can turn a bubble player into a hard decision. The former UCF pass rusher flashed all over the field in a preseason game, bringing the kind of disruption that showed why he was worth a long look after a college career in Orlando that included 12.5 sacks and more than 100 tackles.
What made Kellys night matter was not just that he was around the ball, but how often he was around it. He brought pressure from multiple spots and showed up in coverage too, leaving the Packers with a tougher call than they may have expected when final cuts arrive and the roster or practice-squad picture gets sorted out. [Read more 🡒]