The area outside of UCF’s Wayne Densch Practice Complex has been a beehive of activity.
Construction on several athletics facilities projects, such as expansion of the Roth Tower plus the new Hagle Gateway along with sandblasting at FBC Mortgage Stadium, has been a constant — and noisy — reminder of the progress surrounding the football program.
The Knights have been busy this week preparing for their future progress on the football field as the team concluded its first week of spring camp on Friday.
While hard hats were not required, the team donned pads for the first time as the players pushed through the first three practices, emphasizing the fundamentals and instilling a sense of effort.
Many players on the team and the coaches are embracing a fresh start, especially with coach Scott Frost returning to college football after a three-season absence. Frost promptly addressed any questions about a depth chart, emphasizing that every player will have a chance to earn a position. Final decisions will likely be made after fall camp.
One of the biggest questions UCF hopes to answer this offseason is what the offense will look like heading into the 2025 season.
“We’re already putting stuff in and more in so far in the winter than we could run today, but it’s different running out here with no ball on air than it is against the defense on the field,” Frost said following Tuesday’s practice. “It’s kind of like learning a different language. You can’t learn it all in one day. You got to learn bits and pieces of it, and our kids are barely conversational right now.”
“The most important thing in football is playing to your strengths and right now we’re evaluating, getting the wheels on the track in relationship to fundamentals, and finding out what we have,” added new offensive coordinator Steve Cooper.
Frost has indicated that the fast-paced offense he previously ran at Oregon and in 2016 and 2017 at UCF will not fully return. Instead, he envisions a new offense that combines elements of the UCFast approach, blending tempo with precision.
However, the Knights are focused on building a foundation of talent rather than rushing into decisions about the offense at this point.
“There’s no depth chart right now. Everyone has an equal opportunity to get reps. Everyone’s getting reps because it’s spring training camp,” Cooper said. “When we determine the key playmakers and identify what works best for us, we can strategize accordingly.
“Where we’re at right now, I’m not 100% sure, but we’re learning daily. I’ve got a pretty good idea, but it’s been fun just getting the base fundamentals in of our offense, and I’ve got some pretty good ideas where it’s going, but we’re not there yet.”
UCF releases 2025 spring football roster, new jersey numbers
A notable position battle is at quarterback, where four players compete for the starting role as the season approaches. Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson seems to be the leading candidate as training camp begins. He faces competition from Dylan Rizk, Jacurri Brown and Cam Fancher.
Running back is another spot of interest, where Myles Montgomery, Jaden Nixon, Stacy Gage and Taevion Swint compete to replace RJ Harvey.
New defensive coordinator Alex Grinch believes that facing a multifaceted offense like the one the Knights plan to implement this season presents numerous advantages.
“It’s a massive challenge defensively. There’s nothing you don’t see. There’s nothing you can cross off and say we won’t have to handle this adjustment, formation, or type of play,” Grinch explained. “It has a variation of just about everything, which, as a defensive coach, you have two options. You either say, ‘Well, that’s frustrating,’ or you can say, ‘What a great opportunity for us.’
“I would say through the first two days, we’ve probably seen as much as anybody in the country from an offensive standpoint against us, which is an advantage.”
Even as the coaching staff continues to evaluate its talent over the remaining 12 camp practices, the key remains implementing an offense that fits with the available roster rather than trying to make the system work with what’s available.
“When you’re at your best, you can mix and match not just personnel but formations and schematic concepts and run to pass,” Cooper said. “You want to be very balanced in all those areas, but whatever the defense is doing that week might change and alter how you adjust your game plan.”
“We’re going to try to do what our guys can execute when it comes to college football Saturday right now. Where we’re at is based on fundamentals.”
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
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