Sept. 27, 2010
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Some say it is easy to look back. Really? Ask the UCF football team to look back and most would tell you it is too painful. Painful because there are too many quarters, drives and plays to relive and too many thoughts about how the outcomes might have been different.
One could say UCF could easily be 4-0, but the fact is the Knights head into conference play 2-2. Both losses have come against teams that are 4-0 and teams that likely would have to admit they are surprised to have those records. But you can also look and say Kansas State beat UCLA and the Bruins just throttled Texas in Austin and NC State pounded Georgia Tech in Atlanta and their quarterback had a career day. The only team to shut down Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson is UCF.
But none of that makes it any easier today. Yet, UCF must turn the page. A conference schedule begins next week and there is a championship to play for. And despite the setbacks, the Knights enter Conference USA play as a favorite.
Before we move on to UAB and the league slate of games, some leftovers from Manhattan:
Dorothy and Toto would have been freaked out: The video and pictures posted on the web tell the rest of the world what it looked liked, but to witness the cloud show in Manhattan was nothing short of amazing and downright scary. When the game began the layers of clouds started to cross from a distance. When the delay came, the sight seemed like a biblical movie telling a tale of what the end of the world would look like. I must admit I got a bit nervous when the people who live in Kansas admitted they had never seen the clouds do what they did on that day.
UCF's defense can play with anyone: While Kansas State did make plays late in the game, the UCF defense was solid for the most part. Kansas State's Daniel Thomas was a non-factor. The Knights ended any Heisman hope for the big back. UCF got pressure and its secondary made a number of big plays. Heading into league play, it's hard to see any C-USA opponent bring a defense like the Knights.
In search of the big play on offense: A.J. Guyton's 32 yard reception was the longest play for UCF against Kansas State. It needs big plays. The UCF offense has not had a play of 40 yards or more this season. Jeff Godfrey cannot run and run. The Knight receivers need to create the breakout moment where someone turns a short pass into a 70-yard play.
Godfrey will learn game to game: Godfrey was the fastest player on the field in Manhattan and likely will be in most remaining games. His ability to save a play and turn a negative into a positive is a huge plus. But he will make mistakes as well. He needs help from his line, backs and receivers. Despite the outcome at Kansas State, Godfrey didn't look a freshman without a clue. And don't think Kansas State coach Bill Snyder hasn't thought about his team's trip to Orlando in 2012, when Godfrey will be a junior.
Kemal Ishmael has become a big-time player: The sophomore is making plays every week. While Darius Nall is getting deserved attention for his play, Ishmael has earned a piece of the spotlight. Ishmael was thrown to the fire as a freshman and now is a solid part of UCF's athletic secondary.
Too many penalties: UCF was one of the least penalized teams in the country last season. The number of penalties is not that bad, but the timing of the penalties is a different story. Too many illegal blocks in the back on returns have crippled field position starts for the offense. And false starts must be eliminated. Too many have turned third and short into third and long.
Speaking of long, it will feel like a very long time between now and next Wednesday's game against UAB. A loss like Kansas State will do that, but the page needs to be turned. UCF's quest for a packed stadium for the conference opener is something that should matter to UCF fans. It is a nationally televised game on ESPN. That's ESPN, not ESPN2 or ESPN "the ocho." It matters that people across the country see a good crowd. It matters to recruits, media watching and coaches tuning in and it should matter to you. If you are reading this, it means you care to some degree about the program and its success. Help the cause. Spread the word and be there to make some noise when UAB comes to town. A conference championship run begins with this game and the team needs a little pick-me-up from you as well.
Knights notes and more: Saw Amanda Cromwell's soccer team on Sunday while doing a broadcast for Bright House Sports Network. It wasn't her team's best game, but they still won in beating Marshall 2-1. At 7-2-1, UCF is poised for another big season and Cromwell believes her team can make noise again in the NCAAs...Terry Rooney signed another top 20 recruiting class for his baseball program. It's part of his building process and the building has been in phases. The Knights return a solid offensive nucleus and Rooney went pitching heavy in this class...The radio crew met a UCF fan in Kansas who was in town to watch the game and visit his son who is stationed at Fort Riley, just outside of Manhattan. That son has served our country for over 13 years. He described his three tours of duty in Iraq and additional tours in Afghanistan and Korea. Final thought this week: Thanks to the soldier and everyone else who protect us because it's what they do and they do it well and we sometimes don't say thanks as much as we should.
Marc Daniels' From the Press Box runs several times per month on UCFAthletics.com. Listen to Marc during UCF football, men's basketball and baseball radio broadcasts on the UCF-ISP Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts "The Beat of Sports" on ESPN 1080 in Orlando from 9-11 a.m.