In an expected move, UCF sophomore quarterback Justin Holman took the reins of the first team offense when practice resumed Thursday.

The switch at the top of the depth chart was reported by Shannon Owens-Green of the Orlando Sentinel, who had a sit-down interview with head coach George O'Leary earlier this afternoon.

Pete DiNovo, who earned the starting job with a better preseason, struggled during UCF's season opener last weekend in Dublin, Ireland. With the Knights down 13-3 to Penn State and 6:50 left in the third quarter, Holman entered the game and nearly pulled off what would have been one of the most memorable comebacks in school history.

Holman - who made several highlight-reel type throws - brought the Knights to the brink of victory, taking a 24-23 lead with 1:13 to go.

His final numbers in about a quarter and a half of play: 9-of-14 passing for 204 yards and one touchdown with two more scores on the ground.

So who is Justin Holman?

Born in Tuscaloosa, Ala., he attended Stephenson High School in Stone Mountain, Ga., just outside Atlanta. He played on the same high school team as UCF offensive lineman Tarik Cook, who was two years older. As a senior, he passed for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns with seven more scores on the ground.

Holman was an early addition to UCF's 2013 class, committing at the end of May 2012 with little fanfare. His pledge came as a pleasant surprise to the coaching staff, who didn't think he would commit before a visit. He called his recruiter Danny Barrett the day after Memorial Day to say he wanted to be a Knight.

"The direction of the program is up and coming," Holman told UCFSports.com back then. "They've had flashes and streaks of wins, but UCF is a place I want to be to help build the program until we reach the top. The location is great. It's in Florida and you can't get any better than that. It's not too far away from my family so I'll still be close. One of the biggest things is that they're moving to the Big East in 2013. That's a big thing."

Cook, who had just enrolled at UCF the previous fall, had already planted the seed that UCF could be his best option.

"Tarik Cook has told me all about UCF," Holman said then. "One day he came back to the school and we were talking about the recruiting process and colleges. He didn't influence me to go anywhere. He was just saying to be smart about your decision because you're going to be there for the next four or possibly five years of your life. I asked him about UCF and he says he loves it. He said everything was great, the coaches, everything."

In the spring before his senior year, Holman had also collected offers from Arizona State, Marshall, NC State and Wake Forest. The list also included Missouri, the team which he'll make his first start against on Sept. 13.

"Over the last couple months I've been thinking about committing there and getting it out of the way," Holman said in May 2012. "I wanted to get it done before we started summer workouts with our team, so I can focus solely on working out with them. I didn't want to worry about the recruiting process anymore. The last couple weeks it's been weighing heavily on my mind. I've got a great chemistry with the quarterbacks coach, (offensive coordinator) (Charlie) Taaffe and my recruiting coach (Danny) Barrett. Those are two great guys and they really drew me into the program."

Holman was an "A-list" quarterback target that year as one of the first players offered at that position.

"(UCF) said they liked my athleticism," Holman said. "Some schools would say they might want to move me to safety. UCF said they'd like to use my athleticism as a strength at quarterback. They have a history of catering the offense to the quarterback. I like where their offense is now. It's kind of like a spread with pro-style mixed in here and there. It's a diverse scheme. When they offered me they said they liked how I drive the ball. I have a strong arm. I liked what they had to say."

Even as a junior, Holman didn't lack confidence. He had this say when asked what gives him an edge at quarterback:

"I won't have to worry about height being that I'm 6-4. I'm a solid weight right now at 201 pounds. I've picked up some weight since the end of the season. I've been in the weight room hard. I take this game very seriously. I have a cerebral approach to the game. Before every game you'll see me in the film room studying as much film as possible. I want to know as much about the game as I can. One of my strengths is my arm strength. Footwork and vision will come with more time and more experience."

Every high school athlete has a favorite football player. Holman said he had two quarterbacks that he admired.

"Peyton Manning and Cam Newton," Holman said. "If you look at it, it's the same story but different paths. Great quarterbacks. Cam Newton still has more years to prove himself, but their work ethic and drive is what I can relate to. To come out of the Wing-T offense, a lot of people don't expect me to be able to throw. They expect me to be an athlete. This year they'll see that I have the ability to throw. I can't wait to showcase that with my teammates."

As an early graduate from high school, Holman enrolled at UCF in January 2013 with DiNovo, who had committed the previous summer. The plan was for both players to redshirt in 2013, but the sudden and unexpected departure of backup quarterback Tyler Gabbert after UCF's first game made it necessary to elevate Holman to Blake Bortles' backup. He saw mop-up duty in three games (FIU, UConn and Rutgers), completing 9-of-14 passes for 75 yards and one touchdown.

Holman entered this past spring as the favorite to earn the starting job following Bortles' early departure to the NFL, but inconsistent play prompted O'Leary to continue the competition into the preseason. Those August practices were won by DiNovo, who O'Leary said did a much better job of "managing the team from sideline to huddle."

Holman, who possessed the stronger arm, struggled so much that coaches weren't even sure he was the backup, calling that spot "2A and 2B" between he and transfer Nick Patti.

His heroics in the Croke Park Classic proved otherwise.

"He throws quick, he's not afraid to zip the ball in there if someone's even within three or four yards coverage," O'Leary said of Holman after the game. "I thought he handled the game well. He went in there and managed the game and did what I was hoping he'd be doing the whole preseason. ... He made plays when he had the opportunity. That was the difference between the first half and the second."

Now he'll have to keep the job. His next opportunity to showcase his ability will be Sept. 13 when UCF travels to No. 24 Missouri.