UCF is suddenly in quarterback triage, and Scott Frost is trying to sort through the damage after Alonza Barnett III went down with a hamstring injury in Saturday’s 12-7 loss to Pittsburgh.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Barnett is expected to miss multiple weeks after suffering the injury on UCF’s second-to-last play of the game. Frost said the redshirt senior had been settling in more comfortably with the offense as the season moved along, making the timing especially tough for the Knights.
Barnett’s numbers show why the setback matters. He passed for 344 yards with two touchdowns and one interception, and he added 22 rushing yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.
For now, Frost hasn’t named a Week 3 starter for UCF’s final nonconference game against Georgia State. He made it clear Monday that the staff is still piecing things together.
"We're kind of putting together a game plan right now," Frost told reporters during Monday's media availability. "We have a plan for that. I don't really want to address it right now."
UCF did at least build some insurance into its roster in January, when it added two quarterbacks through the transfer portal: Keyone Jenkins and Kaleb Annett.
Jenkins looks like the cleanest answer, and Thamel expects the FIU transfer to get the start. He arrives with real game mileage, having started 35 games over three seasons for the Panthers. In his FIU career, the senior threw for 6,721 yards, 42 touchdowns and 25 interceptions while also rushing for 312 yards and 13 scores.
That kind of dual-threat profile fits what Frost wants to do. UCF’s offense leans on rolling play actions and read options, so Jenkins’ mobility gives the Knights a chance to keep the structure of the attack intact.
Annett is the more uncertain option. He’s three years removed from being the centerpiece of an offense since graduating from Corona del Mar High School in 2023.
He signed with Boise State, but didn’t get any game snaps over the last two seasons before transferring to UCF. The redshirt sophomore also reconnects with offensive coordinator Steve Cooper, who was an offensive analyst at Boise State during Annett’s freshman season.
As UCF sorts out who becomes its ninth starter since joining the Big 12 in 2023, Frost said fans should expect a clearer update on Barnett later on.
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UCF Suddenly Has A Quarterback Decision That Could Shape Everything
Alonza Barnett IIIs hamstring injury has put UCF in an uncomfortable spot at the most important position on the field, and it has arrived at a time when the offense is already trying to steady itself. With Barnett sidelined, Scott Frost said the Knights are sorting through several backup options for the start against Georgia State, while also taking a close look at the offensive line rotation after the group struggled in the last game.
Frost has not yet settled on who will take the first snap, and the list of possibilities gives UCF a few different directions to explore. Senior Keyone Jenkins and redshirt sophomore Kaleb Annett are among the names in the mix, along with Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr, and the decision could ripple beyond one Saturday if Barnetts absence stretches on and the Knights have to keep adapting around a quarterback spot that suddenly carries a lot more weight. [Read more 🡒]
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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
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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 🡒]