July 29, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Here is a breakdown of UCF's wide receiver positions, arguably the deepest spot on the team for talent and number of quality players. It is the third in a nine-part series breaking down each position for the Knights.
Here are the breakdowns for the quarterbacks and the running backs/fullbacks.
Training camp opens Aug. 5 and the Knights kick off the regular season on Sept. 4 at Bright House Networks Stadium against South Dakota.
POSITION: Wide receivers
PROJECTED STARTERS: Kamar Aiken (6-2, 218, Sr.); Quincy McDuffie (5-10, 175, So.).
KEY RESERVES: A.J. Guyton (5-11, 194, RJr.); Jamar Newsome (6-2, 198, RSr.); Khymest Williams (5-10, 178, RJr.); Brian Watters (6-2, 192, RSr.); Nico Flores (6-2, 208, RFr.); Marquee Williams (6-0, 203, RFr.); Joshua Reese (6-1, 182, Fr.).
PLAYER TO WATCH: Kamar Aiken. The senior from Miami led UCF with 610 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. Aiken has dreams of following in the footsteps of UCF greats Brandon Marshall and Mike Sims-Walker to the NFL and he's worked hard to improve his speed and hands. He showed his flair for the dramatic in one of the biggest games of the season by catching two touchdown passes in the St. Pete Bowl against Rutgers. Making the spectacular catch has been easy for Aiken, but it's a need for consistency on the routine throws that is there for the senior wide out.
STRENGTHS: UCF has loads of talent at wide receiver - both with veteran players and newcomers - and that has allowed wide receivers coach David Kelly to promote competition at all the spots. Quincy McDuffie has blinding speed and is a star in the making, while quarterback-turned-wide out Nico Flores has the size and speed to someday become a No. 1 wideout. Marquee Williams made great strides and true freshman Joshua Reese could be the best of the bunch following a stellar high school career playing alongside of quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey. A.J. Guyton is fully healthy and is poised to have a big junior season, including possibly some time as UCF's ``Wildcat'' quarterback.
WEAKNESSES: Finding enough playing time and footballs to go around to all of the wide receivers could be a chore for Kelly, also UCF's Assistant Head Coach. He said he won't hesitate to play freshmen wide receivers this season if they prove themselves to be elite playmakers. O'Leary wants more ``chunk'' plays this season, so look for the Knights to go up top to McDuffie and Guyton more this season. As a whole, the group needs to work on becoming more consistent on the routine catches.
COACH'S QUOTE: ``On the successful teams that I have been on where you have two entities meeting - guys who have had success and are proven guys and young guys coming up ... that's when you can have an outstanding football team,'' Kelly said. ``To me, that's the largest question looming in regard to the 2010 team - how those two entities mesh. I go by the motto, `When all is said and done, there's always been more said than done.' I won't know if they got the message until (later) because actions speak louder than words. If you're not getting it done, someone will take that opportunity. Our (returning) guys have the opportunity and have to run with it.'' - UCF wide receivers coach David Kelly
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John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.