UCF starting center Matt Lee tried to give it a go last week at Louisville, but he ultimately did not play against the Cardinals due to an ankle injury.
“It was a game-time decision,” coach Gus Malzahn said. “He tried to warm up and couldn’t go. It broke his heart. He was crying in the locker room. I told him I really appreciate him even trying. Most guys wouldn’t.”
Left guard Cole Schneider replaced Lee, with Adrian Medley filling in along the offensive line. Although it was the first time of his career starting at center, Schneider delivered.
“For him to go in and having never played center in a college football game and to able to on the road with all the odd fronts, he did an unbelievable job,” Malzahn said. “I was really impressed.”
Schneider is the most decorated UCF offensive lineman, having earned first-team all-conference honors two of the past three years. Still, playing out of position is no easy task.
“There was a lot of stress involved with that,” Malzahn said about the decision to start Schneider at center.
Malzahn said Lee spent most of the week in a boot but was “determined to play.” Lee suffered the ankle injury vs. Bethune-Cookman and couldn’t return to the game.
Schneider filled in for the sophomore center in the second half before the Knights replaced most of their starters leading the Wildcats by 35 to end of the third quarter.
Malzahn said the short week made the timing of Lee’s recovery process difficult. Luckily for UCF, the Knights have been off this week and don’t play until Oct. 2 when the team travels to Navy.
“Lee is a guy that really is one of our better all-around football players,” Malzahn said. “We played without him. It was good to rest him. Hopefully this week, [we can] get him healthier and have a chance.”
This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.
