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Knights Have Big Parts To Replace

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By BOB BELLONE

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 29, 2008

Updated: 08/29/2008 02:04 am

Kevin Smith spent last season slipping through cracks in opposing defenses. The All-America running back then left a gaping hole in the Central Florida offense by bolting a year early for the NFL.

Smith was 61 yards shy of college football's single-season rushing record after the Knights capped a 10-4 season with a loss, their first in a span of eight games, to Mississippi State in the Liberty Bowl.

To defend its Conference USA title, UCF also must replace quarterback Kyle Israel and four other starters from an offense that averaged 36 points a game.
Coach George O'Leary likely will hand the quarterback reins to junior Mike Greco, who played sparingly in a backup role last season, or former Land O' Lakes standout Joe Weatherford, a redshirt freshman.

O'Leary is confident both contenders have the ability to pick up where Israel left off.

"I think we'll find that out real quick in the early part of the season," said O'Leary, in his fifth season at UCF.

One thing is certain: O'Leary doesn't want to split the snaps.

"I don't like the double-quarterback situation," he said. "You go with the one quarterback. Now, if he's not getting it done, then you obviously have to make a change, but I don't believe in playing this quarterback the first half, and the next guy the second half. I just don't think you ever get any continuity that way with your football team."

It should be even more difficult to compensate for the loss of Smith, who led the nation with a rushing average of 183.4 yards a game and scored 29 touchdowns. None of the running backs on the roster have game experience.

"I don't think you replace Kevin with any one person," O'Leary said, "so that will be running back by committee."

In contrast, the defense should be solid, with nine starters returning from one of the best units in the conference. The Knights were ranked No. 1 against the pass and led the league with 39 sacks and 24 interceptions.

UCF will host South Carolina State in its season opener Saturday night. Emotions will run significantly higher a week later, when rival South Florida visits Orlando. The Bulls buried the Knights 64-12 last year at Raymond James Stadium.

USF coach Jim Leavitt doesn't expect his players to drop their guard in the rematch on the UCF campus.

"I don't have to warn our players. They know darn well how good they are," Leavitt said. "We never won a conference championship. Shoot, they have. Our players know how good they are. We'll have to fight our tail off to have a chance in that game, that's for sure."

O'Leary wants his players to sense a home-field advantage - the Knights notched six consecutive victories at Bright House Networks Stadium after being edged by Texas in the inaugural game there last season - but he isn't planning a pep talk on the revenge factor.

"I don't think it really does anything. I don't think the kids listen," he said. "I think everything is the here and now. That's what they want to know about. They easily forget things from last year, especially losses."

Reporter Bob Bellone can be reached at (813) 259-7303 or bbellone@tampatrib.com.

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