With Alonza Barnett III out for an undetermined stretch because of what UCF is calling a “significant” hamstring injury, the Knights are suddenly in the market for a new starting quarterback. And heading into Saturday’s game against Georgia State, Scott Frost isn’t tipping his hand.
“We have a lot of guys I think are capable. We’re kind of putting together a game plan right now.”
That leaves UCF weighing a few different paths. Senior Keyone “Lightz” Jenkins brings the most experience by far.
He started 32 games over three seasons at FIU before transferring to UCF this offseason, and he piled up 6,713 passing yards with 42 touchdowns and 25 interceptions for the Panthers. Through UCF’s first two games, he has completed all four of his passes for 42 yards and a touchdown.
He also gives defenses a different look.
“Lightz brings the challenge of the fact that he’s a lefty,” said senior defensive end Ken Talley. “You’ve got to think about how he sprints (out of the pocket) and certain different plays they’ll call with him. Plus, he brings a lot of experience.”
Then there’s Kaleb Annett, a redshirt sophomore who spent three seasons at Boise State without throwing a collegiate pass. Even so, he impressed the staff in camp enough to earn second-team reps. He got into the opener against Bethune-Cookman, rushed twice for 12 yards and did not attempt a pass.
And UCF has two more young options in Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr, the top-rated quarterbacks in program history when they signed in December. Both arrived early, both made quick impressions, and Marriott worked with the second team during camp. In the opener, he didn’t throw, but he did score his first collegiate touchdown on a goal-line run in the fourth quarter against B-CU.
Whoever gets the job on Saturday will have at least a week to get more comfortable with the backs and receivers around him. Frost said the team’s response should come naturally.
“With this group of guys, I don’t think I’m going to have to say much,” Frost said of his message to the team. “That’s going to happen organically.
We have a tight-knit team and guys believe in each other. The guys will prepare and be ready and embrace whoever is playing quarterback.”
The quarterback situation isn’t the only issue UCF is sorting through. The offensive line took a beating in the loss to Pittsburgh, with Barnett under pressure all night. He was hurried 14 times and went 3 for 8 for 36 yards under duress, according to Pro Football Focus.
The ground game never got going either. UCF managed just 20 yards on 22 carries, a 0.9 yards-per-carry average.
This offseason, the Knights turned over four starting spots up front, with Henry Tabansi, Connor Meadows, Owen Spell and Brady Washburn stepping in alongside tackle Preston Cushman, the lone returner. Frost said the rotation may not stay the same.
“We’re taking a look at that,” he said. “There are a couple of guys nicked up a bit, and that affected the rotation and playing time a little bit. Those guys are going to be ready to play this week, but we have a lot of guys capable and we’ve got to make sure to find the right rotation to start with.”
Frost also made clear he’s not pointing fingers after UCF’s 12-7 loss at Pittsburgh.
“The guys know this coaching staff and me, we’re all in this together,” Frost said on Monday. “We talked about that before the game. If we’re going to get these things done, we got to get it done together.
“It doesn’t do any good for the coaches to blame the players or the players to blame the coaches. I told them before the game, we were capable of going up there and winning that game and I’m not sure I believed that at times last year.”
There are also health questions elsewhere on the roster. Starting cornerback Jayden Bellamy and offensive lineman Cooper Terpstra both left the Pittsburgh game with undisclosed injuries. Bellamy has five tackles and a pass defended through the first two games, while Terpstra has played 48 total snaps.
Frost said he expects both back soon.
“My hope and feeling right now is both those guys will be ready to go Saturday,” he said.
UCF is also expecting reinforcements from three players who have missed the first two games with undisclosed injuries: starting receiver Duane Thomas Jr., defensive tackle R.J. Jackson Jr. and defensive end Bruno Dall.
In Other News...
UCF Suddenly Has A Quarterback Decision That Could Shape Week 3
John Barnetts status has quickly turned into one of the bigger questions hanging over UCF entering Week 3. The quarterback went down with a hamstring injury in the recent game, and with Coach Scott Frost still not publicly naming a backup, the Knights have had to sort through their options on the fly after bringing in two transfers during the portal cycle.
Keyone Jenkins and Kaleb Annett both arrived as possible answers, but the profile here leans heavily toward Jenkins, who brings three years of starting experience from FIU. Annett gives UCF another body in the room, yet the more immediate concern is simply stability, because Barnetts absence could stretch beyond one game and force the Knights to adjust their plans well before the league race really settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Former UCF Standouts Gave Fans Just Enough To Keep Watching
Former UCF standouts got their first real taste of NFL action this weekend, and both offered enough to make their old fan base keep an eye on them. Malachi Lawrence made his debut with the Dallas Cowboys and was active on defense in a loss to the New York Giants, while RJ Harvey got on the field for the Denver Broncos against Kansas City and found ways to contribute even as the scoreboard tilted the other way.
Lawrences first outing came with the kind of steady involvement that can earn more looks, and Harvey showed his value in multiple spots, including on kickoff returns. Neither debut came with a win attached, but both players flashed moments of effectiveness in tough spots, which is exactly the sort of early-season detail UCF followers will be watching as their pro careers begin to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
UCF's Defensive Line Suddenly Looks Like A Strength That Could Change Everything
Through the first two weeks, UCF has found an unexpected foundation up front, and it has started with Jeffson Lafontant and Horace Lockett. The defensive line has been a real factor in limiting opposing scoring and rushing production, and the Knights run defense has opened the season allowing just 2.55 yards per carry. For a team that needed steadiness in the trenches, that kind of early push has changed the tone around the defense.
Locketts return after a season-ending injury has given UCF an experienced presence in the middle, while Lafontant is stepping into his first major role and looking every bit like a contributor the staff can trust. Together, they have helped turn a unit that was easy to overlook into one that could alter how the rest of the season unfolds, even if the bigger question is whether this early surge can hold once the schedule starts asking more of them. [Read more 🡒]