Scott Frost praises front-seven play, tackling in UCF’s first scrimmage
UCF head coach Scott Frost came away encouraged by the defensive effort in Thursday night’s first preseason scrimmage, particularly from the front seven.
“I thought for the most part the tackling looked crisp and sharp,” Frost said. “There were some broken tackles and good plays on offense, but I thought we tackled pretty well, and that gives me hope. The front seven did a really good job with the ones. Those guys were really stout in the run game.”
Stopping the run a priority
Frost said the defensive line earned the right to rush the passer by winning first and second down.
“We’re gonna have some good pass rushers, but you earn that right by stopping the run,” Frost said. “They did a good job of that tonight.”
The scrimmage also marked extended looks at players who missed the spring, including edge Malachi Lawrence, defensive tackle John Walker, and defensive back Braeden Marshall.
“You’ve got to get that whole group together and let them start coalescing as a defense,” Frost said. “I saw some signs of that tonight.”
Turnovers and disruption
The defense was active around the football.
“There were a bunch of hands on balls, a bunch of disruption,” Frost said. “Getting quarterbacks out of rhythm, breaking up passes. Guys are playing with good ball awareness.”
Cornerback Antione Jackson has been emerging.
“Antione’s been a bright spot,” Frost said. “He’s another guy we didn’t really see anything from in spring… He’s stepped in and showed us the type of player that he could be.
“He’s still kind of getting his feet under him, but he’s definitely got hands. I don’t think we’re gonna play anybody two ways, but he’s got receiver type hands for sure.”
Defensive identity still forming
While pleased with Thursday’s performance, Frost said the defense is still a work in progress.
“We’ve got a ways to go,” he said. “The guys are working hard. That effort has to be very calculated and precise. I want them to come out of this scrimmage knowing we’re better, but we still have a long way to go before game one.”
Special teams progress
Frost called the kicking game “one of the bright spots” of the night.
“Our two field goal kickers did a really good job,” he said. “Punters and kickers were good, and that’s important.”
Noe Ruelas, a transfer from James Madison, is the favorite to win the kicking job. Freshman Noah McGough is also competing. UCF has a pair of punters: Anthony Venneri, who previously played at Ohio State and Buffalo, and Mason Denaburg, a former minor league baseball player who punted in high school.
He credited special teams coordinator Pete Alamar with rebuilding the unit.
“Pete loves special teams, has been really good at it for a long time,” Frost said. “We’re getting pretty good buy-in, could be a little better as far as coverage units, but we’ve got the right guy manning that.”
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