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ORLANDO — Unlike this time last fall, there will be no drama surrounding UCF's quarterback position.
Head coach Scott Frost, general manager Trent Mossbrucker and the rest of the Knights staff targeted James Madison's Alonza Barnett III immediately and signed him within days of the transfer portal opening. Despite Barnett's absence from all 15 spring practices, UCF named him the starter over the summer.
Returning leaders such as Duane Thomas Jr., Dylan Wade, Preston Cushman, Lewis Carter and Jayden Bellamy are all expected to retain their spots atop the UCF depth chart at their respective positions. However, several spots are up for grabs as the Knights take the field for preseason training camp, beginning Aug. 3.
Here are three position battles worth monitoring over the upcoming month.
UCF's running back room might be its deepest collection of talent, with an argument to be made that it has upgraded despite the losses of Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon to the NFL.
Duke Watson flashed home-run ability as a freshman at Louisville, leading the nation at 8.9 yards per carry. He played in all 12 games for the Cardinals in 2024, gaining 597 yards and scoring seven touchdowns before injuries cut his sophomore campaign short.
A knee injury last August derailed Taevion Swint from making an impact as a true freshman for the Knights in 2025. However, the Kissimmee native, a former four-star recruit, impressed during the spring and could be in the mix for early-down work.
Central Arkansas transfer Landen Chambers finished ninth among Football Championship Subdivision ball-carriers with 1,273 rushing yards, finding the end zone 10 times. Agyeman Addae, a preferred walk-on entering last season, had two touchdowns in UCF's finale at BYU and tallied 120 scrimmage yards on 19 offensive touches.
All four should have some sort of role in Frost's offense, but the next month should settle the pecking order.
UCF's offensive line needs a refresh under first-year position coach AJ Blazek. Henry Tabansi and Preston Cushman appear to be the starting tackles on paper, though Owen Spell earned praise during the spring.
The interior, however, is a bit more wide open.
Connor Meadows finished last season as the starting right guard, and Justin Royes returned in November from a springtime knee injury. Brady Wayburn made six starts for UConn, which graded out as the nation's third-best run blocking unit, according to Pro Football Focus. Tyler Gibson earned the starting right tackle spot in Charlotte's final six games, though he has the size required to potentially kick inside.
Frost rotated guards in pairs during the early portion of 2025 — Gaard Memmelaar with Keegan Smith, and Jabari Brooks with Cameron Kinnie — but with limited levels of success. Expect similar mixing and matching through camp, with the hope of finding a reliable set of starters flanking center Cooper Terpstra.
Carter will likely captain UCF's defense after producing a team-leading 92 tackles and garnering Preseason All-Big 12 second-team recognition from both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. Cole Kozlowski emerged as his most consistent partner last year, with Keli Lawson utilized as a blitzer and in pass coverage with his 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame.
Jayden Jennings gained another year of eligibility with a medical waiver; he missed 10 games at Virginia Tech in 2024. He notched his first career interception (against North Carolina A&T) and fumble recovery (against Houston) after joining the Knights last spring.
UCF also restocked the room with experienced veterans, including Old Dominion starter Jahleel Culbreath and Wisconsin's Tackett Curtis, who played for both USC and Wisconsin while defensive coordinator Alex Grinch worked at those schools.
Edge rusher is also expected to be an open competition, especially if former All-Big 12 second-team selection Dean Miller wins his case in court and joins the team after transferring from Kansas. Isaiah Nixon and Sincere Edwards should have the upper hand on starting jobs as camp opens.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football must sort out these 3 positions during preseason camp
Continue reading...
Head coach Scott Frost, general manager Trent Mossbrucker and the rest of the Knights staff targeted James Madison's Alonza Barnett III immediately and signed him within days of the transfer portal opening. Despite Barnett's absence from all 15 spring practices, UCF named him the starter over the summer.
Returning leaders such as Duane Thomas Jr., Dylan Wade, Preston Cushman, Lewis Carter and Jayden Bellamy are all expected to retain their spots atop the UCF depth chart at their respective positions. However, several spots are up for grabs as the Knights take the field for preseason training camp, beginning Aug. 3.
Here are three position battles worth monitoring over the upcoming month.
Running back
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UCF's running back room might be its deepest collection of talent, with an argument to be made that it has upgraded despite the losses of Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon to the NFL.
Duke Watson flashed home-run ability as a freshman at Louisville, leading the nation at 8.9 yards per carry. He played in all 12 games for the Cardinals in 2024, gaining 597 yards and scoring seven touchdowns before injuries cut his sophomore campaign short.
A knee injury last August derailed Taevion Swint from making an impact as a true freshman for the Knights in 2025. However, the Kissimmee native, a former four-star recruit, impressed during the spring and could be in the mix for early-down work.
Central Arkansas transfer Landen Chambers finished ninth among Football Championship Subdivision ball-carriers with 1,273 rushing yards, finding the end zone 10 times. Agyeman Addae, a preferred walk-on entering last season, had two touchdowns in UCF's finale at BYU and tallied 120 scrimmage yards on 19 offensive touches.
All four should have some sort of role in Frost's offense, but the next month should settle the pecking order.
Guard
You must be registered for see images attach
UCF's offensive line needs a refresh under first-year position coach AJ Blazek. Henry Tabansi and Preston Cushman appear to be the starting tackles on paper, though Owen Spell earned praise during the spring.
The interior, however, is a bit more wide open.
Connor Meadows finished last season as the starting right guard, and Justin Royes returned in November from a springtime knee injury. Brady Wayburn made six starts for UConn, which graded out as the nation's third-best run blocking unit, according to Pro Football Focus. Tyler Gibson earned the starting right tackle spot in Charlotte's final six games, though he has the size required to potentially kick inside.
Frost rotated guards in pairs during the early portion of 2025 — Gaard Memmelaar with Keegan Smith, and Jabari Brooks with Cameron Kinnie — but with limited levels of success. Expect similar mixing and matching through camp, with the hope of finding a reliable set of starters flanking center Cooper Terpstra.
Linebacker
You must be registered for see images
Carter will likely captain UCF's defense after producing a team-leading 92 tackles and garnering Preseason All-Big 12 second-team recognition from both Phil Steele and Athlon Sports. Cole Kozlowski emerged as his most consistent partner last year, with Keli Lawson utilized as a blitzer and in pass coverage with his 6-foot-4, 230-pound frame.
Jayden Jennings gained another year of eligibility with a medical waiver; he missed 10 games at Virginia Tech in 2024. He notched his first career interception (against North Carolina A&T) and fumble recovery (against Houston) after joining the Knights last spring.
UCF also restocked the room with experienced veterans, including Old Dominion starter Jahleel Culbreath and Wisconsin's Tackett Curtis, who played for both USC and Wisconsin while defensive coordinator Alex Grinch worked at those schools.
Edge rusher is also expected to be an open competition, especially if former All-Big 12 second-team selection Dean Miller wins his case in court and joins the team after transferring from Kansas. Isaiah Nixon and Sincere Edwards should have the upper hand on starting jobs as camp opens.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football must sort out these 3 positions during preseason camp
Continue reading...
