Nov. 14, 2010
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - No one said winning a conference title was simple. It is supposed to be a journey that challenges a team so when the goal is reached the reward is even more satisfying. UCF is about to face the next challenge in that journey to win a title. Football legends tell you that you need to battle, overcome and hurt a little to get that title.
UCF needs to catch its breath. Its defense has not seen a huddle in three weeks totaling 230 plays by the opposing offense. And I hate to break the news, but Tulane doesn't often gather its 11 guys on offense in a big circle before snapping the ball.
The Green Wave just ran 77 plays in a thrilling 54-49 shootout win over Rice. But George O'Leary made it clear after the Southern Miss game, there are no excuses. UCF must make whatever adjustments that must be made and they need to go on the road and win this week to keep the path to a conference title moving forward.
The defense does need a break for now. The last three weeks has taken a toll. At times last Saturday, the Knights used four defensive ends on the line to try and generate some sort of pass rush against the quick release of Southern Miss quarterback Austin Davis. But the front was not the only group with hands on hips wearing down; linebackers and defensive backs had little time to grab air before the next play as well.
But this is what the journey is about. Tulane will watch the film and they will continue to try and wear down the Knights. That means, guys must make plays and take back momentum. Sounds easy, but it's a simple formula.
More on the Tulane game in a bit, but first the leftovers from Southern Miss:
Faster than fast: Give Southern Miss credit. They went fast when the saw UCF's defense struggling and got 6-foot-6 receiver DeAndre Brown back after missing six weeks and he only caught three balls, but one was for a touchdown and the other for a momentum changing 53-yard play.
Jeff Godfrey was human: Southern Miss was the first defense that forced Godfrey into looking like a freshman quarterback, which no one had done this season. They kept him contained and didn't allow him to get outside and be a run threat. And the UCF offensive line struggled like no other game this season.
Penalties: UCF was 3rd in the country in fewest penalties coming into to the game. The Knights were called for nine penalties totaling 65 yards.
Field Goals: They can win and lose games. UCF has missed more than half its field goal attempts this season.
Field goals were not the score of choice in the Tulane-Rice game at the Superdome last Saturday. The two teams combined for 14 touchdowns and just two three pointers. The Green Wave put up over 500 yards in offense and got a game winning 73-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Griffin to Ryan Grant with 1:46 left to beat the Owls. Suddenly the Green Wave, at 4-6, have some confidence and coach Bob Toledo has pointed out that two wins in their final games and they would be bowl eligible.
Here are the key matchups for this week:
Ball control: It's not the time of possession UCF is losing, it's just being able to sustain drives on offense and then the Knights defense needs to get off the field. They need three-and-outs. Southern Miss was 11-of-16 on third down and that was a big factor in a defense that tired even more.
Jeff being Jeff: Jeff Godfrey took more than a few shots against Southern Miss. That can't happen this week. UCF's offensive line needs to bounce back and protect their leader. Godfrey needs to be a weapon running the ball. Tulane is giving up almost 200 yards a game on the ground and Godfrey has a chance to get yards against its defense.
Sacks: Best way to get off the field for the defense is to not give up the big play and make your own big play. Tulane has allowed 24 sacks this season. The UCF defensive front needs pressure and needs to close the deal.
Turnovers: Despite a 4-6 record, Tulane is +4 in the turnover category. UCF needs to win this stat battle.
Coverage of Tulane's trio receivers: Casey Robottom has 55 catches, D.J. Banks has 44 catches and Cody Sparks has 33 catches. The three have more than 70 percent of the receptions for the Green Wave. The Knights cannot allow the big play deep and must shut down third and long situations.
Deal with elements: Follow me on this. It's not that the Superdome will be filled with over 70,000 screaming fans, it's that it will not. The Dome can be a tough place to play crowded and tough when it's not. It's weird in that with a small crowd it's hard to get excited. You can hear noises you would not normally hear, like people talking across the field. When you UCF last played at the Dome, in 2006 and lost 10-9, the crowd was sparse. And you could see the Knights struggle to get into the game early. That can't happen this week.
Bob Toledo is in his fourth season at Tulane and his team's four wins this season equals his high mark in victories. The Green Wave's last bowl game was in 2002. UCF beat Tulane 49-0 last season in their most dominant performance of the 2009 season.
Knights notes and more: Depending on when you are reading this, the UCF men's basketball team is either 1-0, 2-0 and maybe even 3-0...or something else. The Knights opened last Friday with an easy win over West Florida. Donnie Jones' up-tempo style is fun to watch and UCF will score points this season. Jones admits it will take time for his system to really start clicking. Off the court, Jones signed a top-50 recruiting class and all three players from Florida will add to an already athletic roster. One prep coach told me the class should be ranked in the top 30 but that too many "recruiting experts" have to rank other programs above UCF or their pipeline of information might go away. Nice to see it's a fair system...Kudos to women's soccer. Despite losing 2-1 to UCLA in the second round of the NC AA Tournament, Amanda Cromwell's team had a strong season finishing 15-5-3 and winning the C-USA regular season title. Cromwell waits another season to get past the second round of the tournament, but memo to the NCAA selection committee, really? Los Angeles? No other regional east of Colorado to send UCF to?...Anyone who doesn't believe the power of television on college sports just look at ESPN's Round-The-Clock coverage of hoops Monday. The network has college basketball on 24-hours straight on their family of outlets. My favorite game is the 6 a.m. Stony Brook vs. Monmouth showdown. Yes, I'll have the decaf latte and an offensive foul...Final thought: If you are going to New Orleans for the game this week, please note, no, those are not the actual pictures of the people who work in that club on the window outside. You've had to have already walked Bourbon Street to get that.
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.