Dec. 28, 2010
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By Marc Daniels
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - It's the play that makes fans hold their breath. It's the moment when something electric can happen. It's the time in a game where momentum can shift from one sideline to the other sideline. Whether it be a kickoff or punt, it is a special play. George O'Leary will gladly tell you how critical special teams are in the course of a game and season.
"I tell players that if you are on special teams you are playing about 20-30 plays a game," said O'Leary. "And in every game there will be plays on special teams that determine who wins the game."
Ask Tulane if a kickoff can change a game. Quincy McDuffie's 95-yard return was a back breaker to start the game at the Superdome. How about Jamar Newsome's 70-yard return at Marshall to start the second half? Game changer. UCF's return duo led the nation in kickoff returns at 28.3 yards per return. McDuffie's 32.7 yard average per return was second best in the nation.
When it came to punt returns, Josh Robinson has quickly become Joe Burnett-like in that every time someone punts to him he has the ability to break a big return and shift field position in a matter of seconds.
How good were UCF's special teams this year? The Knights led the nation in most yards of field position gained on special teams. That is not just the amount of yards UCF netted on kickoff and punt returns, but also how few yards UCF allowed when they kicked off and punted.
Which brings us to the unsung group of players who led the charge down the field to make plays pinning UCF opponents back deep in their own territory.
"You want players who want to be part of your kick coverage and fly down the field looking to make a hit," said Tim Salem, UCF's special teams coordinator. "We've got a great group of players who have done what they have been coached to do."
Those players include many UCF starters who play on special teams as well as Knights who learned from their coach that if you play on special teams you get to play a fair share of the game.
Players like Chad Alexander, Jordan Ozerites, Darin Baldwin, Jonathan Davis, Lyle Dankenbring and others flew down the field every game making big tackles to limit opponents to 17.7 yards per kickoff return. The same result came on UCF's punt coverage where opponents averaged 6.9 yards a return. The longest punt return allowed all season was 15 yards.
"We've just had an attitude that we are going to get down the field and make a play," said Ronnie Weaver, who has seen his share of special teams during his time at UCF.
"Coach always says you can best help the team by playing special teams," said Jonathan Davis. "We take pride in our kick coverage and there's no question it can change a game."
And in case anyone is wondering about next year's return unit, just about everyone who returns a kick of punt or is assigned to go down and make a tackle is back next season.
Headed into the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, special teams will be a big factor in the game. Georgia allowed even less yards per punt return than UCF this season at 5.6 yards per return. Their kickoff coverage also held opponents under 20 yards per return. Bulldog Brandon Boykin averaged 25.4 yards a kick return and also posted a 100-yard return for a score.
In a game where one big play can change momentum quickly, special teams will likely play a key role in the outcome of the game. McDuffie, Newsome and Robinson will need a big day. UCF's offense, and any offense, increases its odds on scoring with a shorter field.
The last time UCF played in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, the Knights and Mississippi State combined for 17 punts, 11 by the Bulldogs. With the offenses both teams have this season, it is not likely UCF and Georgia will punt as much, but there may be a lot of kickoffs. That's where this area of the game becomes critical.
And it won't take long to see how special things can be. Everyone knows if UCF wins the coin toss they will take the ball. If Georgia wins the toss, they will likely defer to the second half. All that means McDuffie gets a chance to make the game's first big play early. How special that might be.
Knights notes and more: Best field for a holiday basketball tournament in the country? Might be the UCF Holiday Classic. The nationally-ranked Knights are 11-0 and face a Furman team that is 8-2 and coming off a 91-75 win over South Carolina. Princeton is 9-3 and has won at Tulsa this season and Northeastern has three losses by five or less against a tough schedule to start the year. Little did Donnie Jones know that winning UCF's own tournament would be an RPI plus, but it won't be easy...UCF baseball season is six weeks away. I'm not kidding...Final thought: Went to Universal Studios recently. Memo to the guy who buys the funny looking hat. You do realize each mile away from the park you travel with the hat the goofier you look?
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 Sports Network. Each weekday, Marc hosts "The Beat of Sports" on ESPN 1080 in Orlando from 9-11 a.m.