Oct. 8, 2010
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By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF coach George O'Leary was noticeably weary on Thursday, a day after his Knights had whipped UAB 42-7. O'Leary didn't get in the bed until 4 a.m., spent most of the day schmoozing with boosters, conducted a staff meeting and filmed his television show.
But no amount of fatigue could hide the glee splashed all across O'Leary's face when the topic turned to defensive end Bruce Miller's game-changing, season-saving forced fumble almost a year ago against the Marshall Thundering Herd.
O'Leary has seen hundreds of big plays throughout his nearly 40 years in football, and to this day Miller's second-effort tackle last season ranks among his all-time favorites.
With UCF trailing Marshall by six points last season and staring at a potentially devastating Conference USA loss with just 2:12 on the clock, Miller made a play for the ages. He exploded off the line, beat the right tackle around the end and tore the ball out of the arms of quarterback Brian Anderson. Miller's teammate, Josh Robinson, recovered the loose ball and minutes later UCF was in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown.
The victory sparked a run of six-consecutive conference victories for the Knights and kept them in contention for the C-USA title down to the last week of the regular season. It also put UCF in prime position for the St. Pete Bowl, the third bowl game in school history.
The old-school O'Leary isn't usually one to gush or delve too deep in hyperbole, but he said the importance of Miller's play last season can't possibly be overstated. It meant everything to a UCF team looking for a moment to rally around, O'Leary said.
``That play was the difference in last year's season,'' O'Leary said. ``That was just a big, big play in what was a really big game for us. Causing that fumble helped us get (a second touchdown) and kept us alive for everything that we wanted to accomplish last season. It was the play of the season and just a great second-effort play.''
The Knights (3-2 overall and 1-0 in C-USA play) will face a Marshall (1-4 and 0-1) team that undoubtedly hasn't forgotten the way it lost to UCF last November at Bright House Networks Stadium. Down 20-7, UCF scored twice in the final 8 minutes to win 21-20 - the final score set up of course by Miller's magic rushing the passer.
The senior defensive end, who entered the season as college football's active leader in sacks, got to the quarterback for a 30th time in his career in Wednesday's rout of UAB. But more so than reaching the milestone 30th sack, Miller is most fond of his play against Marshall that helped the Knights deliver one of their most dramatic victories in school history.
``It was one of those plays that was like we always talk about where it's not the first effort, but the second and third effort that gets you there,'' Miller recalled. ``It's being relentless and never quitting - something that we all talk about every day in practice.''
UCF was relentless on both sides of the ball in Wednesday's win against UAB, rolling up 399 yards of offense, 23 first downs and numerous big plays from quarterbacks Jeff Godfrey and Rob Calabrese. And defensively, the Knights produced two scores off turnovers and proved itself to once again be one of the elite defenses in Conference USA.
O'Leary said he was extremely pleased with how Godfrey and Calabrese worked directing UCF's offense while alternating throughout the game. Godfrey, the freshman phenom from Miami, was nearly flawless with 80 rushing yards and nine of 11 passing for another 137 yards. And Calabrese, back in a prominent role, hit on all three of his passes, including a dart of a touchdown pass just before halftime.
Offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe, who coached from the sidelines for the first time, and O'Leary are planning to continue using two quarterbacks against Marshall, but it isn't a true two-quarterback system. Because of Godfrey's youth, O'Leary prefers to pull the freshman out from time to time to let him see scenarios from the sideline and compose himself.
``The rotation was really good and I thought both of them played really well,'' O'Leary said. ``I think it's a good way to use them and it keeps fresh legs in the game.''
UCF plays on a national stage provided by ESPN for a second-consecutive week when it travels to Huntington to face Marshall. O'Leary went back after Wednesday's game and watched the ESPN broadcast and said that the UCF program ``can't buy'' the sort of exposure shown on national television Wednesday night.
Last season's UCF-Marshall game was also televised by ESPN, and O'Leary expects the showdown to be a tough battle considering the animosity between the Knights and Thundering Herd. And as fond as he still is of Miller's miracle moment from last season, he's hoping the Knights don't need another rally in the final minutes to win this time around.
``Marshall has had some tough times, but I expect them to be at full throttle for us,'' O'Leary said. ``They're the team we've played the most since I've been here. It will be a big, big game for us, no doubt about it.''
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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.