UCF is set for another roster adjustment, and this one comes with timing that says plenty. Jonathan Bibbs plans to enter the transfer portal, according to On3’s Pete Nakos and Steve Wiltfong, after a season in which his role with the Knights shrank as the receiving room kept getting deeper.
Bibbs, a transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, was last on the field in UCF’s 42-28 loss to then-No. 18 Oklahoma State on Oct.
- He didn’t record a catch in that game, though he did make a reception in the previous loss to then-No.
20 Houston.
For the season, Bibbs finished with five catches for 74 yards and one touchdown. That lone score came in Week 1 against Bethune-Cookman, when he hauled in a 23-yard pass from Alonza Barnett III.
The move suggests he was looking for a bigger slice of the offense somewhere else. His usage never matched what he had at Louisiana-Monroe, where he posted 26 receptions for 348 yards and three touchdowns last season.
UCF’s receiver group has been crowded all year, with Josh Derry and Waden Charles leading the way. The pair has combined for 60 catches, 690 yards and five touchdowns.
Freshman Tyren Hornes has also pushed himself into the picture, and his breakout game came in the Knights’ historic upset of then-No. 2 BYU on Oct.
- Hornes caught six passes for 137 yards, repeatedly moving the chains and picking up key first downs.
He also ripped off a 56-yard gain on a screen pass and finished the game by catching the winning two-point conversion in double overtime.
Bibbs’ departure is a little surprising, though there’s still time left in the season before anything becomes final. UCF retained 61% of last year’s production, a sharp contrast to Frost’s second tenure beginning with more than 70 new transfers.
The Knights have already absorbed some receiver depth loss, and now they turn to a tough matchup against Kansas on Saturday. UCF is also trying to clean up its road issues after going winless away from home last season, a stretch that helped extend its bowl drought to two years.
Frost was 4-4 through eight games last season and finished 1-3. After the BYU upset, the Knights have a chance to avoid repeating that finish and keep moving toward ending that drought.
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The performance offered an early glimpse of a team that can defend and score with confidence, and it also gave UCF a strong opening statement under a coach making history in his own right. Keyera Roseby led the way with 22 points, helping the Knights turn the opener into a night their fans will remember, even if the bigger questions about how far this group can go are only beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]