Aug. 11, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF's football squad is one dominated with its senior presence (18 of them) and its returning starters (17 more of those), but the biggest contributions this season could come from a player who played only sparingly last season.
But did Quincy McDuffie ever make the most of his chances last season? And because of the enormous big-play potential seemingly every time he touched the ball, the speedy McDuffie figures to make a major impact in the UCF offensive attack this season.
After watching McDuffie run a kickoff back 95 yards in his first collegiate game, snag an acrobatic touchdown pass in UCF's biggest victory and nearly take another kick back in last December's St. Pete Bowl, UCF head coach George O'Leary vowed that the Knights would do everything in their power to ensure more touches for the team's fastest player this season.
That's why McDuffie, a sophomore, is expected to get carries in the running game, get more balls thrown his way as a starting receiver and be a constant take-it-back threat again in the return game. Just hearing that O'Leary has specifically pinpointed him to be more involved in the offense brought a bright smile to the quiet and humble McDuffie.
``It's a great feeling knowing that coach thinks highly of me and knows that I have capabilities to make big plays for us. It's such a good feeling,'' McDuffie said. ``I stay humble with everything that I do. My freshman year was a great experience, but I'm the type who moves on and gives God the glory.''
With starting tailback Brynn Harvey likely out until mid-September with a knee injury, UCF is looking at more creative ways to get production from a variety of ball carries. Brendan Kelly and Jonathan Davis will handle most of the work from the backfield, but McDuffie and A.J. Guyton also expect to give the Knights treats around the ends with the blazing speed.
And in the eyes of offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe, some of the short flat throws to speedsters McDuffie and Guyton are the equivalent of running plays. The idea is to get McDuffie into wide-open spaces and let his explosive speed do the rest.
``We didn't really know who Quincy was a year ago and he didn't play a lot, but as the season went on we got him the ball more,'' Taaffe said. ``But (in slot sets), it should be easier to get the ball in his hands more. He and Guyton are two really talented kids. And we feel like they can generate big runs after the catch. So (McDuffie) is going to be a big part of what we do.''
The push is there to get McDuffie more involved after he impressed everyone with his fearlessness and explosive speed last season. The Orlando native bolted 95 yards for a score in his first college game on a kick return and averaged 24.2 yards a return for the season.
He averaged 15.8 yards a catch, including his high-degree-of-difficulty touchdown catch against Houston that put the Knights into the lead for good. And he came within a whisker of another stellar touchdown return in the St. Pete Bowl, settling instead for a 65-yard burst that showed Knights fans his enormous potential.
And it seems the only one not surprised by McDuffie's instant success was McDuffie himself.
``At first, I had some nervousness in me. But then once I got involved in the system and got to know all of the guys, it was like home for me around here,'' McDuffie said.
And here's something that has to be scary for opposing defenses looking to try and catch McDuffie - he made major gains in his power and speed this offseason, making him and even more dangerous player in the open field. Despite being just 5-foot-10 and 177 pounds, McDuffie is a rock when it comes to his power. He can do the pro bench (225 pounds) 16 times, up from the 10 times last season. He's squatting 390 pounds five times and his bench-press max is above 350 pounds.
And going head-to-head daily with Freshman All-American cornerback Josh Robinson, his closest friend on the team, has just made him faster and hungrier for a breakout season as a sophomore.
``Just give me one or two blocks,'' McDuffie said with a big smile, ``and I'm going to find that seam and just turn it on from there.''
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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.