UCF Special Teams Provide Spark in 27-10 Win Over Georgia Tech
After having trouble for the first two games, it seems the special teams unit is finally finding its groove at UCF.
In Week 4 versus Georgia Tech, head coach Gus Malzahn praised the unit for how they impacted the outcome.
“Special teams helped us win the game,” he said in a postgame press conference. “We got some really good players on special teams.”
Against Florida Atlantic in Week 3, Malzahn made the first big changes that culminated in the resurgence of the special teams. He removed longtime Knights kicker Daniel Obarski and punter Andrew Osteen from the lineup, giving true freshmen Colton Boomer and Mitch McCarthy the kicking and punting duties, respectively.
Since then, UCF is 6-6 in field goals after missing the first two attempts of the season with Obarski.
“He’s a stud, man, that’s just flat out what he is,'' quarterback John Rhys Plumlee said about Boomer after the game on Saturday. “He deserves everything that’s coming to him for sure.”
As he seems to be the solution for UCF’s kicking problems, Boomer said that he is still trying to gain Malzahn’s trust, but he hopes he has done it.
“I might look a little wild on the field, but it’s pretty meticulous how I do my stuff,” Boomer said after the Georgia Tech game. “But a magician never reveals his tricks.”
Malzahn said the kicker is off to a “super start” with the Knights, which could be a good sign for the young kicker.
And the Knights seem to be doing well when others kick, too. Opponents are just 4-8 in field goals against the Knights. That includes a blocked field goal at FAU when UCF was leading 23-14 in the third quarter. On Saturday against Georgia Tech, the Knights forced two missed attempts.
Additionally, UCF has two blocked punts, with both recovered for touchdowns by junior defensive back Quadric Bullard. Cornerback Jarvis Ware blocked the punt Bullard returned against Georgia Tech.
“Probably the big key play of the game,” Malzahn said about Ware's block and subsequent return by Bullard for a touchdown on Saturday. “It gave us some momentum going into halftime.”
Special teams certainly played a key role against the Yellow Jackets. The touchdown by Bullard and Georgia Tech’s missed field goals ended up making a huge difference in the final results.
Still, there is some work to do. UCF gave up a total of 87 yards on three punt and kickoff returns.
Also, penalties are still a problem. While freshman Xavier Townsend is making big punt returns, including finding the end zone, they are being called back due to holding from UCF.
“We are on our way to be a disciplined team,” Malzahn said.
All things considered, it appears UCF has a special teams unit the coaching staff can now start to trust. Still a work in progress, but nevertheless, the unit helped to be a pivotal component of the win against the Yellow Jackets.
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