Breaking down UCF’s depth chart heading into season opener vs. Kent State
UCF released its first two-deep depth chart ahead of the Knights’ opener against Kent State on Thursday night at FBC Mortgage Stadium.
“I want to see how our team responds to success. I want to see our response to adversity and I want to see how close we are,” UCF coach Gus Malzahn said. “We’ve strained our group all through fall camp to bring them closer together and ensure that we are all together no matter what happens. So that’s really what I’m excited to see.”
Quarterback John Rhys Plumlee returns to lead a team with 15 returning starters.
Here is a look at the full depth chart for the first game, along with analyses of the offense, defense and special teams:
Note: The first name listed at each position is the starter. “OR” indicates that one or more players could play as the starter or backup, but it’s still to be determined.
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OFFENSE
Left Tackle: 5th-Sr. Tylan Grable, redshirt-Sr. Amari Kight
Left Guard: r-Sr. Bula Schmidt, r-Sr. Adrian Medley OR 5th-Sr. Ed Collins
Center: r-Jr. Drake Metcalf, r-Fr. Caden Kitler
Right Guard: 5th-Sr. Lokahi Paoule, r-Jr. Cam Kinnie OR 5th-Sr. Ed Collins
Right Tackle: r-Jr. Marcellus Marshall, r-Jr. Paul Rubelt
Quarterback: 5th-Sr. John Rhys Plumlee, r-So. Timmy McClain
Running Back: r-Sr. RJ Harvey, Sr. Johnny Richardson OR So. Jordan McDonald OR r-Jr. Demarkus Bowman OR r-Sr. Mark-Antony Richards
Wide Receiver: Sr. Javon Baker, r-Sr. Jaylon Griffin
Wide Receiver: Sr. Kobe Hudson OR r-Jr. Trent Whittemore, r-Jr. Stephen Martin
Wide Receiver: So. Xavier Townsend, r-Sr. Jarrad Baker
Tight End: 5th-Sr. Alec Holler, Fr. Randy Pittman OR 5th-Sr. Zach Marsh Wojan
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Offensive analysis
UCF has developed one of the deepest offensive line units since Malzahn’s arrival in 2021.
The Knights had starters Pauole and Grable returning but added four transfers with Marshall (Kent State), Metcalf (Stanford), Kight (Alabama) and Schmidt (Fresno State).
Metcalf, Schmidt and Kitler battled throughout preseason camp for the center spot before the Stanford transfer earned the chance to start against the Golden Flashes.
“The guys behind him, it’s like 1A and 1B,” said Malzahn. “That’s [where] we’re going with this game. There are other guys that could be playing before the end of the season, too.”
McClain, a USF transfer, will back up Plumlee at quarterback in the opener.
“Tim has had a really good fall camp and when we went live once with him, that stood out,” said Malzahn. “He’s got a good command of the offense.”
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DEFENSE
Defensive End: Sr. Josh Celiscar, r-So. Malachi Lawrence OR Fr. Kaven Call
Nose: r-So. Lee Hunter, Fr. John Walker
Defensive Tackle: r-Sr. Ricky Barber, r-So. Matthew Alexander
Buck: 5th-Sr. Tre’Mon Morris-Brash, r-Sr. Shaun Peterson Jr.
Will: r-Sr. Jason Johnson, r-Sr. Isaiah Paul OR r-Fr. TJ Bullard
Mike: 5th-Sr. Walter Yates III, r-Sr. Rian Davis
Star: 5th-Sr. DeJordan Mask, Fr. Braeden Marshall
Cornerback: Jr. Brandon Adams, r-Sr. Decorian Patterson OR Sr. Fred Davis
Cornerback: Sr. Corey Thornton, r-Fr. Ja’Cari Henderson
Safety: Sr. Quadric Bullard, 5th-Sr. Jireh Wilson
Safety: So. Nikai Martinez, So. Demari Henderson OR Jr. William Wells
Defense analysis
The defensive front could easily be the strength of UCF’s defense with the return of starters Celiscar, Baber and Morris-Brash.
“We can be like the best in the country with the experience we have got up front,” said Celiscar. “With Drop [Morris-Brash] having so many snaps, Ricky having so many snaps and me having so many snaps, we have a lot of experience up front.”
The unit is joined by Hunter, who has earned plenty of praise from coaches and teammates for his offseason development.
“He has turned the page as far as having a high motor,” said Plumlee. “He has done a lot of work to get in shape. He was always strong and a playmaker, but I think he got tired last year. This year, he’s been worried about having a high motor and being able to stay on the field longer.”
Johnson and Yates return to anchor the middle of the defense, with transfer Mask, Adams, Thornton, Bullard and Martinez taking care of the secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicker: So. Colton Boomer, Fr. Grant Reddick
Punter: So. Mitch McCarthy
Holder: McCarthy
Long Snapper: r-Sr. Gage King, r-So. Chris Bowerfind
Punt Returner: So. Xavier Townsend, r-Jr. Trent Whittemore
Kick Returner: Sr. Johnny Richardson, r-Jr. Demarkus Bowman
Kick-Off Specialist: Boomer or Reddick
Special teams analysis
Boomer returns to kicking duties after connecting on 93% (14 of 15) field goals and 97% (42 of 43) extra-point kicks last season. His backup is a freshman, Reddick (Boone High), who could help with kickoffs.
McCarthy assumes the punting duties after taking over for Andrew Osteen in the middle of last season. He averaged 43.3 yards per kick on 38 punts, with 13 inside the 20-yard line.
Alex Ward’s departure allows King, an Arizona State transfer, to step into the long-snapper role.
Townsend (20 returns, 177 yards) returns as the Knights’ primary punt returner, sharing duties with Whittemore, a Florida transfer, while Richardson (5 returns, 78 yards) and Bowman will work primarily on kick returns.
“We have a talented group of kickers, punters, returners and specialists,” said Malzahn. “A lot of experience with that group, quality experience, so that helps going into a new season.”
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.
