After back-to-back losses to Colorado and Florida, UCF is approaching "must win" territory when Cincinnati visits the Bounce House this Saturday. And that's assuming the game gets played as there are obviously major concerns due to the midweek arrival of Hurricane Milton.
Here's everything head coach Gus Malzahn had to say at his Monday press conference.
Opening statement:
"Okay, on to Cincinnati, a team we're very familiar with, their head coach. I think it's the fourth time that we faced each other. Kind of really one of our rivals with the conference and everything that goes with it.
"When you look at it, the top two offenses are going against each other in our league. Their quarterback really stands out and he's a really good player. Really good throwing the football, he can extend plays, very efficient.
"They're coming off an off week. Second week in a row, we're playing a team with an off week. And they played really good against Houston, I think they won 34-0. Their defense is kind of an odd front defense. They do a good job with their gap fits, understanding what they need to do with their fits.
"So, got our work cut out for us, but we're glad to be back home. And glad to be back in conference."
Coach, there's a major hurricane in the Gulf headed towards Tampa right now. The track has it going over Orlando late Wednesday, early Thursday. I know you're not a meteorologist, but what are the contingency plans for your team, for practice, and whether or not the game might even be played on Saturday?
"Yeah, we're trying to stay in our routine best we can. We'll adjust with it. We'll have a plan, really, no matter what happens, we'll have a plan. So we've been talking through that. And I think that the main thing is just making sure that plan wise, to make sure our players are taken care of and all the people in our program."
Gus, you had some time to look at the film from Florida. What stood out to you? What can you make of the performance you guys had?
"Yeah, well, defensively, the first half we gave up a few things that we shouldn't have. Defense settled in, I thought they played well in the second half.
"Offensively, bottom line, we gotta be able to effectively run the football. When they load the box, we gotta make them pay. We didn't do that, and really, that's what stands out to me. But we'll have a better plan and moving forward."
Going into Cincinnati, assuming it's played, almost inevitably the ground is going to be soft. Does that give you guys an advantage running the football?
"I don't know, they run the football too. With weather, it's usually wind. That's what really affects people more than anything. So we'll see where that's at."
Why do you think the challenges in the red zone persist?
"Like I said the other day, I think it's all of the above. We gotta do a better job scheming people up. We gotta do a better job getting in the red zone. When we've been really good in the red zone, we've been able to run the football in. And so we gotta do a good job.
"I will say this. I mean, we're able to kinda look back after four games and address some things. And I feel really confident we'll have a better plan moving forward with what we have in the red zone, because that's gonna be really a huge key to the success for our team moving forward."
"Coach, the team ranks bottom in the league in sacks, and near the bottom in passing yards (allowed) per game. That's obvious the defense has been struggling. Are you considering any changes personnel wise, game plan wise?
"We're needing to put more pressure on the quarterback. I mean, that's real evident. We do understand that. So we're looking at really all the above. We gotta figure out ways to put pressure on the quarterback, whether it's schematically or whether certain people or matchups on certain things.
"That's part of coaching. And we gotta do a better job helping our guys We'll have a more specific plan this week, I feel like."
In a blitz heavy scheme, how are you planning to attack on the quarterback? You're pulling people out of coverage, and you're putting people in the blitz, and it opens up the pass.
"Yeah, and I think that's the kinda catch 22. If you're gonna blitz, you better get home. And so really, that's been my message as far as if we're gonna blitz, we gotta get home, we gotta make sure. And then when we're playing back, we gotta cover.
"So it's really a lot of execution, all right, when you look at us. And so we gotta do a better job in that area."
Last three games, you guys have fallen behind in the first quarter and the first half, especially. What do you have to do to get off to a better start?
"Yeah, you're exactly right. We gotta get off to a better start. And that's really everything that goes with it. And going behind three weeks in a row, that's no good. And so we gotta solve that. And that's something we're addressing, too. That's something we're looking at. What can we do differently than we've done before, instead of the same old stuff?"
What more do you need to see from KJ Jefferson? And has there ever been a thought of trying to get another quarterback in there, if nothing more than just a change of pace?
"Yeah, I mean, obviously, last week, I said after the game, we need to play better around him. He's gotta play better, too. I mean, we really all of the above, gotta coach better. It was all of it. So we understand that we didn't have, what, 300 yards of offense. And before that, we were really rolling. So we've gotta be better, really, in all areas."
Speaking of KJ, a lot of the quarterback designed runs that have been called just haven't been as effective as maybe you would have liked. How confident are you moving forward that that is something that can be executed?
"Yeah, I mean, it's part of execution. It's part of the bigger picture scheme. I mean, when you have design either reads, some of them are reads now, too. Some of them are design runs. So just execution-wise and maybe calling them in different situations, too. Really, kinda like I said, it's kinda all of the above when things don't work successfully like you would hope."
Gus, you got the two game losing streak. How do you guys tune out the noise when you go through a losing streak like this? That happened last year too. How do you tune all that out?
"Yeah, well, we got a veteran team. We got a veteran team. I said after the game, we're gonna bounce back. I'm very confident. I'm more confident today than I was afterwards. I mean, you're feeling like crap at that point. But it's our leaders, two of them that you're gonna hear from. I'm real confident that we'll be able to rebound.
"We're still learning some things about our team, about our players, and doing some things. We need to do a better job coaching schematically in some areas to help our guys out. So that's our plan moving forward.
"The thing about our guys, I mean, they're playing their guts out. And they're gonna continue to do that. And I really feel like we're gonna finish strong.
"I'm glad we're back in the conference now. That's behind us. And last two games, we can't control that. That's over. But our group is a real close group. They understand in those walls, the team room, that's all that really matters. Doesn't matter about Twitter. Doesn't matter about this opinion or that opinion.
"Bottom line is we need to play better football on the field. And so we understand that. And we're very committed to doing that. And we will."
So along those lines, you talked about the Big 12. You got an opportunity now to still make some noise in the Big 12. You got a lot of the games left. What can you do to maybe kind of focus on that?
"Well, that's exactly what our leaders and our team's been focused on. They're back in the Big 12. We're 1-1 right now. That's the reality. Got a lot of season ahead. We're starting to get a little bit of youth. Some of them younger guys, especially special teams, are coming on. They played extremely well. And so we're still kind of evolving as a team.
"But there's a lot of good things that are happening. We just got to transfer that over on Saturdays."
Cam Kinnie played a lot of the game at center against Florida. Was that performance based?
"No, (Caden) Kittler was banged up. He got banged up the game before. He practiced, but we knew he wasn't 100 percent. He tried his best. And they had some big guys over the top of him. And so Cam Kinnie got a chance. It was really his first rodeo in prime time.
"We had a couple, whether it was noise or snap counts, we had a couple of issues that were pretty ugly in the second half. But it was good for him to get that experience as far as moving forward."
Coach, you said the best teams improve as the season goes on. What opportunity does the Cincinnati game provide your team to get better?
"Well, I mean, we have to improve. I mean, there's no doubt about that. And we will. Like I said, this has kind of turned into a rivalry game for our program. And we've had some good matchups. We had one that went down the wire last year at their place. We got new players, they've got new players. So it ought to be a good one."
What's your message to the portion of the fan and donor base that's losing confidence in your ability to make the effective changes...
"Well, we gotta win. I mean, that's just part of it. We haven't played very good football the last two weeks. We gotta win. I expect us to do that. And I think we'll finish strong. All of our goals are still intact."
It seems like the offense has been struggling major these past few games. And part of that has been RJ Harvey being stuffed on teams loading the box and not being able to get him out in open field. Are you confident in this team's ability to move the ball if the ball is being stuffed in the running game?
"Yeah, and that was part of what we talked about last game. We gotta do a better job of making them pay when they put an extra guy in. We didn't do a very good job of that overall. We're still, I don't know, top 10, top 11 offense in the country. There's a lot of good things going on, but this part of the season, you've gotta take what the defense gives you. And so we'll have to do a better job than we did last week. I expect us to do that."
This is kind of the reality of the transfer portal and bringing new players in. But are you still kind of learning KJ a little bit? He's obviously a veteran player. But is there still kind of a feeling out process of how he fits in this offense?
"Yeah, I think early on, there definitely was. Like I said, that's normal, especially for quarterbacks. You look around the country, quarterbacks are going in new offenses and all that. So there's always a learning curve. There's a feeling out curve, but we're fixing to go almost middle of the season. So we know all that we need to know right now."
What is the current plan as far as practicing and housing the athletes in the light of the storm?
"Yeah, I mean, we're planning on practicing in the morning, planning on practicing Wednesday morning. Obviously, after that, it's kind of up in the air, and we'll be able to adjust and whatever we need to do with that."
Coach, you rotated a lot of the receivers on Saturday. Do you think that will continue moving forward until you find a good guy, or do you think you'll just keep rotating?
"No, I think Tim just had a plan. We play pretty much six guys, and that was his plan, and keep everybody fresh and everything that goes with that."
How much of a disruption is it after a fourth game, you're getting ready for the next game, and you have to deal with all this off the field stuff about guys deciding whether they want to opt out or not? I'm sure that took you away from stuff you could have otherwise been doing. Would you like to see some rule change? Some other coaches have talked about maybe giving players a blanket five years and no redshirt.
"Well, I think you just said the five year, I think moving forward, I think all coaches would agree, something like that. So things don't happen in the middle of the season, I think that's good for everybody. But like I said, we're in such a unique time, a new age of college football, you just gotta adapt. The five year plan, I think would be good for everybody."
Colton Boomer last night, I guess he indicated it didn't seem like he'd be coming back. You had said he was injured after the game. What are your thoughts on him leaving the program?
"Yeah, that's his decision yesterday. And so, Grant (Reddick) did a super job. And I think Grant's set up to have a really good career here."
Based on how the last two weeks have gone, do you feel like this is a must-win game for you guys?
"I think we're to a point where we're playing in our league, and our goal is to win the league. And if you have a chance to win the league, we need to win this week. I think everybody understands that."
How do you plan on countering Cincinnati's wide receiver corps with four guys averaging over 10 receiving yards per catch?
"Yeah, I think that's gonna be the big matchup. And that's gonna be the big challenge, getting pressure on the quarterback so we don't have to cover him as long, that definitely helps. Their quarterback is really efficient, real impressed with him. And you just said the receivers, I mean, they're getting it done."
On Cincinnati's defense:
"Like I said, what stands out to me when I turn on the film, you can tell they're extremely well coached. You can tell they understand exactly what the responsibility is. If you hurt them on something, they can make an adjustment the next play. So you can tell they're really well coached."
How do you address getting a play called in faster and just the pace of play?
"You just got to do it, you got to call the play and you got to get it done. And so I think that that's a kind of a common sense question there."
What do you think is bogging that down?
"Well, last game, there was some issues as far as how the game was going, how we were protecting, trying to hit a couple possible big play runs late. We weren't able to do that."
I know you talked about KJ and players around him needing to be playing better. How would you assess the offensive line over these last two weeks?
"Well, first of all, we played against two pretty good defensive lines. Last week, I think they were the most talented that we faced. When we got in true passing situations, obviously we struggled. We got to do a better job in that. And then we got to do a better job of helping our guys too. Playing ahead of the chains, not behind the chains. That's coaching responsibility too. So I think it's all the above with that too."
