UCF head coach Gus Malzahn and his team, fresh off a bye week, visit Navy in Annapolis this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The extra days of prep couldn't have come at a better time as the Knights suffered a long list of injuries in the loss at Louisville, notably quarterback Dillon Gabriel who is out for the foreseeable future with a broken collarbone. Also questionable are starters such as running back Isaiah Bowser, wide receiver Jaylon Robinson and defensive tackle Ricky Barber.
Opening statement:
"We're excited to be going on the road to play Navy. I got a chance to watch them on TV Saturday night, played a good Houston team. As a matter of fact, they played them very good. Really good. You can tell they used the off week to clean some things up. Starting out with their offense, obviously it presents challenges. It's an offense you don't see the entire year. I know Travis (Williams) has worked hard, even in fall camp and on Sunday nights preparing for this. Hopefully having that week will help us with that. Defensively, they present a lot of challenges. A lot of different pressures. Some exotic pressures and all that. Then the fact we're going to be starting a true freshman, I think we'll see some pressure with that. But overall, I'm impressed. Their head coach is one of the best in the business. It will be a challenge for us."
When you prepare for an option team like Navy, how important is your scout team this week to give you a good look? And who are you asking to be that option quarterback to try and mimic what Navy does?
"Parker Navarro is giving us a great look. He's a very good runner. He's one of those leaders. You're exactly right. It's all about the scout team. That's what we've challenged our scout team to do, to come in and watch a little extra film on their own. Do as much walk-through as they can. I know last night was a really good job by that group. That's going to be a key to our success on defense vs. this offense."
You mentioned you're starting a true freshman in quarterback Mikey Keene. You had three practices during the bye. How has he looked in that role?
"First of all, he earned the right to be our No. 2 behind Dillon (Gabriel) even before (the injury). He's got something to him I believe. He had a great high school career. He's used to winning. I think that's very important. Just the way he's handled himself since Dillon went down. I've been very impressed. I think he can operate our offense. There's nothing like the real thing. There will be some learning things. There could be some growing pains. We've got to be better around him. That's been our message. Let's help him out. Let's be better from a coaches' standpoint and players' standpoint. Everybody raise their level."
Is there anything differently to prepare for the Navy mentality and their unique intangibles?
"They're disciplined in what they do. They're very good at it. The uniqueness is the biggest challenge. They've played two or three different quarterbacks. Looks like they've settled in to who they're playing after their off week. They're a disciplined team. I think they're leading the league in non-penalties. That doesn't surprise you. You've got to play clean football against these guys. Their head coach is one of the best in the business. He's been successful for a long time. You've got to be disciplined with them."
How is Mikey Keene's leadership style different from Dillon's?
"That's probably a better question to ask after we've played a game. He's an attention to detail guy. Dillon is too. Dillon is a real calm guy. Even on the sidelines. We'll see how Mikey responds to everything. The good thing that you've got going with Mikey is he's used to winning. He was a championship quarterback in high school and I think that's one of the biggest factors, when you get a freshman that's taking over, that he's used to winning. I think that's good."
Despite Navy's loss to Houston, they had a lot of success rushing the ball in the first half. What stands out about them on film and how do you stop the run?
"They hold the ball. That's what they do. They do a good job keeping the other offense off the field. I know in the first half they did a very good job of that against Houston. They went for it on fourth down a lot too. You've got to have a good fourth down defense. Strategically from an offensive standpoint, we've got to see how the game goes. That's what they challenge you with. They're a little bit unconventional compared to this day and time. I think that gives them an advantage in a lot of ways. Just trying to keep the offense off the field. We've got to do a good job of not letting that happen."
What about making sure Mikey Keene is getting what he needs compared to Dillon? Obviously less experienced, is there anything different that you do?
"What we've done is we've got some good information from the spring, fall camp, scrimmages and all that in what he's comfortable with. What his strengths are. Really trying to build around those strengths. We did the same thing with Dillon. Dillon is obviously an experienced guy and provides a lot of different strengths. I think Coach Kinne has got a good grip of that. Trying to build what we feel like he can be successful with so he can play fast and not have to think a lot. Just play football."
Was there any particular moment, maybe in the spring, about Mikey that jumped out at you?
"We were wide open for our No. 2 position since we've been here. It was a progression that his consistency really stood out. When we went into scrimmages, he found a way to get us in the end zone. So really it was a combination of all of the above. He's earned that. He's been very consistent and very steady. Like I said, we're just going to build around his strengths."
Who is the backup quarterback?
"Joey Gatewood will continue to have a package like he's had. Joey is getting the No. 2 reps. He just got here five weeks ago or whatever. He still has some learning to do, but he does remember quite a bit from the past. We'll continue to do that. Parker (Navarro) and Quadry (Jones), they're getting reps also."
There was a laundry list of guys injured in the Louisville game. Do you have an update?
"First of all, I'll start with Matt Lee. He practiced last night which I think is good. He's one of our better all-around football players. We're very hopeful we'll have him. Everybody else is week to week still. Later in the week, we'll have a lot better idea of that. But that whole list and it's a long list is week to week."
What progress have you seen in the last week in tackling, heading into facing a triple-option team?
"T-Will, every day does tackling drills. That's the foundation of our defense and his approach and all that. We'll continue to get better with tackling. They do present different challenges because they're a little unconventional in this day and time. You've got to play assignment football. You've got to stop the fullback, the quarterback and their wings. It's a challenge."
How are the leaders on this team stepped up their game heading into this game?
"You could not tell it was an off week. A lot of times from a coach's standpoint, people let up during a bye week. You couldn't tell that, so that says everything. I was real curious how our guys would respond. They responded like champions. Like I've said before, we've got a lot of champions in that locker room. A lot of veteran leaders that have been through some ups and downs in understanding how to lead. I'm real pleased with our leadership."
Navy is a different program with the commitments made beyond football. Have you played an academy during your career?
"Went to Army when I was at Tulsa in 2007. That was my first experience. It was a dog fight that went down to the end. They were very disciplined. You've got to play really good football, especially when you go there. There's a lot of tradition and a lot of different things that go with that. We've got to be prepared."
How important is this game being the very first conference game?
"It's conference schedule now. It's got to be completely different. It doesn't matter the first three games. They're in the rear-view mirror. It's behind us, win, loss or draw. It's a new season. We go on the road with a true freshman quarterback. That's probably my biggest stress right now. We're playing a very worthy opponent with one of the best coaches in college football. We'll have to play good, clean football."
You and your staff went out recruiting last week. Really the first opportunity to talk about future Power Five, Big 12 status in your back pocket. How did that go?
"It went real well. Everything has changed in the past two and a half week since that announcement. It's a new day. A new day in recruiting. Like I've said before, there's a lot of new interest. We've just got to get the ones that we have circled."
How was it to be back on the road recruiting again?
"It was great. For me, being a former high school coach, to get out there with high school coaches and be on the road watch high school games. That's one of the fun parts of this job."
How do you think has to step up most to ease in Mikey Keene?
"I think the center is probably the main one. So we're hopeful we'll have Matt Lee. That would be super. It really is everyone like I said. Everyone has got to raise their level. Especially when you lose one of the best if not the best quarterback in college football. As coaches, we've got to raise our level. That's been my challenge to the whole unit. Let's be better around him. It's not really one position. It's really everything. Everybody has got to play better. The great thing for us is we had an off week. It couldn't have come at a better time, not just for quarterback but we've got other injuries and all that. We've got to heal some guys up. The young guys, we've got to get them more reps. We did that this past week. We're hoping that will help in the long run."
You've said a lot of guys are week to week, but specifically Isaiah Bowser, how is he?
"He's getting better. Like I said, we'll know later in the week. Not ready to make any calls on any of those guys."
It looks like the NCAA will allow you to replace seven players who have transferred, increasing the size of your 2022 recruiting class. How big is that?
"I'm excited about it. It'll be a real positive for us, there's no doubt."
You mentioned the Navy coach is one of the best. Do you have any history with him?
"I've talked a little bit with him from time to time. Just that respect. I've watched him do his thing and the way he handles himself. He's a real class guy. One of the good guys in college football. That's the type I root for. It's a really neat deal for me to be able to coach against him."
Debuting a freshman quarterback, advantage to being on the road?
"If you had your choice, you'd rather be at home. We'll do that crowd noise like we normally do. We'll try to be as simple as we can so we can play fast. There's obviously things you have to do. The good thing is he's handled himself very well in scrimmages. That's what we have to go by here. I really believe our team has a lot of confidence in him. That's important too and he's earned that."
