There's competition in some spots, particularly center, but UCF co-offensive coordinator Herb Hand couldn't be more bullish about his offensive line heading into the Knights' first season in the Big 12. His philosophy has been to roll with the best five, but he's rethinking that approach given the depth at his disposal.
Here's our conversation from the recent media day.
Obviously every preseason is big, but you got some questions and some competition. You've gotta try to figure out your best five. What's the goal for you and your line as you work through these two or three weeks before you get to the season?
"Well, training camp, you basically have four phases. The first one is your maturation as a player. So that's your growth and your development. The second one is the installation of the offense. And learning exactly how we're gonna do things and then you have evaluation which yesterday it was our first practice in pads, so that's our first like real true evaluation of guys.
"When we get these scrimmage situations, you have an opportunity to evaluate them and eventually you transition into the preparation phase. So the goal for us as a unit is to identify who our best five guys are through the evaluation process, but also to continue the maturation process as well and continue to develop as players.
"Every day in practice is an opportunity to get better and continue to grow. So that's kind of the goal of training camp. Eventually, we'll move into the preparation phase and getting ready for our upcoming opponent."
Obviously, when you look inside it center, that's the one spot where I know it's a big focus. The preseason is to identify who your starting center is gonna be. Bula Schmidt was there in the spring, Drake Metcalf arrived in summer. Caden Kitler has been there last year. How are you handling that competition?
"They've been on a rotation. We go period by period. So if we have three periods of team, then one of the racks, Bula is gonna be there. One rack Caden will be there. Drake will be in there. With the ones. We got three units that we're rolling right now. So every period of team we're able to rep three different units.
"I just rotate those centers and so they've all been getting work with our one unit. Once we get into these scrimmages, that'll give us an opportunity to really evaluate how those guys are doing."
Bula Schmidt was here in the spring. He comes in with starting experience from Fresno State. How is he kind of integrated into everything?
"He's been great. He's got a lot of experience. You're talking about a guy that's started 30-plus games in his career. So he's played a lot of football. The transition has been really smooth. He gets along great in the room. He's got a great football IQ. He brings some pop to the position. He's got a little bit of an edge to him, which I like. Everything has been going well with him."
What do you like about Drake Metcalf? I know he got here in the summer, wasn't able to participate in spring, but he's a guy I know you were high on when you recruited him. I know it's still early, but what have you seen from Drake?
"Really good football IQ, coming from Stanford. He graduated Stanford in three years, which is pretty impressive. He's played at a high level. He a strong dude. He's got a lot of girth to him. He can move guys inside. He's still learning all of the little things. But he's an experienced player that he's been very well coached.
"I know the guy that's coached him. Kevin Carberry is a very good friend of mine. I guess Carbs coached him his first year (at Stanford)... He's been very well coached and he brings that experience to the position."
What's the time frame for naming a starting center? By the conclusion of camp? The sooner, the better?
"You'd like to figure things out fairly soon, but we're not in a rush. We got three really good players there. As we go through these scrimmages and a lot of our situational stuff that we've got going on, that'll sort itself out. All three of those guys are playing really well right now."
What's that tackle competition looking like? You've got Tylan Grable back from injury. Ed Collins has experience. Paul Rubelt got his feet wet last year. You've got Amari Kight. There's a lot of guys in the mix. How do you shake that out?
"Kind of in the same situation in terms of shaking it out. As we go through these scrimmages, it'll all sort itself out at that position. Tylan is a returning starter. He didn't participate in spring, but he's back and he looks great and has been practicing really well.
"You got Ed Collins who has just got tremendous leadership and experience with him. Paul, who has really grown as a player and gotten better each and every year. His execution, not only from an assignment standpoint, but technique and fundamentals is really starting to catch up with his physical gifting. He's a big strong dude.
"You got Amari who has got experience and has played at a real high level at a great program for some great coaches. He's right in the mix as well. So it's a good competition."
When we talked to Marcellus Marshall at the end of spring, I know it was kind of open ended when he came in, he said he could play tackle or guard. But it seemed like guard was where he was fitting into. Is that your expectation for where he'll probably contribute and compete this year?
"He could play tackle as well. He repped tackle in the spring. Kind of settled in at the guard position, but you're talking about a guy that was an All-Conference offensive tackle at his previous place. To move back, if you will, would not be difficult for him. Very talented guy. He's got great leadership qualities and really good football IQ. He's got a high, we call it 'give a crap' factor. He really cares. He cares deeply. Same thing with all those guys. I've got a really good unit. Marcellus is doing a really good job with everything."
What does Lokahi Pauole provide? He's such an experienced guy. Leader, team captain. How reassuring is it to you knowing you've got him in your starting lineup?
"He's like a coach on the field. He's an extension of our coaching staff. You sleep well at night when you got a guy like him in there."
I know you could answer this better after you go through a couple scrimmages, but how do you feel your depth is on the offensive line? That's a big question for every position group going into the Big 12.
"This is as deep an offensive line that I've ever had in my career. We got a lot of really good players that are playing well. We've got to do it on Saturdays, but guys are working hard, they're practicing hard, they're jelling. I feel really good about the quality of our unit right now."
Does that change your philosophy? You've always said you're ride or die with your starting five. Is that still your philosophy? Or if you feel like you've got depth and maybe there's not a drop off, are you more open to rotations during a game? Or you'll just cross that bridge when you get to it?
"Yeah, I kind of cross that bridge when we get to it. But for the first time in my career I would be more comfortable rolling guys. Maybe like a whole unit at one time. Like a hockey line change, you know what I mean? To get guys work, to get guys game reps to keep guys fresh, to help not only the fourth quarter of games but games nine, 10, 11, 12.
"Last year, I think our starting five played around 1,000, some of them more than 1,000 snaps, which is a lot of plays. There's some merit in that as well. When I was a player, once I earned that starting position, I didn't want to come off the field. But that's how guys are wired, which is a good thing. But we have really good quality players that I think can help us win."
You've coached at Texas recently. What do you think this first season in the Big 12 is gonna be like for UCF? Obviously it's gonna be a battle every week, right?
"Yeah, I've been in that league. It'll be a great challenge for our guys. It's exciting. I think we're ready for it. I know our guys are real excited about it. They're just looking at it as an great opportunity to go out and show people what our program is all about."
Isn't this fun? I know as a coach you're focused on the day to day. You're worried about your line, tomorrow's practice, scrimmage on Sunday. But you get to lead UCF into their first season in the Power Five, the inaugural year in the Big 12. Do you think it's going to be fun for you personally?
"I think when we look back on it, I think it'll be a really cool thing to look back on. But honestly, right now I'm just worried about tomorrow's practice and getting to our opener vs. Kent State. Anything beyond that I don't even worry about it right now."
Paul Lounsberry is around here a lot. He's meant so much to this program. He was here in the early days. Recruited Daunte Culpepper. What kind of resource has he been for you these last couple years?
"I've actually known Paul for a long time, going back to when he was at South Carolina. I think that's the first time I met him and spoke with him and all that. I have tremendous respect for him. I love the fact that he's around practice all the time. He's got blood, sweat and tears put into this program. He's got skin in the game. Us o-line coaches, we kind of gravitate to each other.
"Paul is awesome, having him around as much as he is. He knows this place and knows what it's like to be in that room with that unit. He's an awesome person to be around. And he's around a lot, which is awesome."
Last thing. Have you found any good restaurants lately? Any new places to try out or any recommendations for Knight Nation?
"I've been keeping my eye on whenever Torchy's Tacos is supposed to open up out in Altamonte Springs. That's a Texas chain. I probably shouldn't have said that because now everybody will go there when it opens. I'll have to wait in line. Every day on my phone I check to see if it's open yet so I can go out there and hit that place up.
That was a favorite place when you were at Texas?
"I think probably the first month I was there, I bet I ate there 20 times in the first month. It was fantastic."
UCF will be going to Texas a lot in the Big 12. What are some other Texas places you like? BBQ places?
"In Austin, you have Franklin Barbecue. Salt Lick is out that way. La Barbecue is a really good barbecue place. I mean, you're not gonna get bad barbecue in Texas. I can tell you that."
