UCF spring game highlights strides Knights have made under new coach Gus Malzahn

There was a little razzle and some dazzle as UCF wrapped up its first spring camp under new coach Gus Malzahn with the annual spring football game Saturday at the Bounce House.

Quarterback Dillon Gabriel completed 17 of his 22 passes for 191 yards with a pair of touchdowns, while tailback R.J. Harvey found the end zone twice as the Black Team jumped out to a 27-7 lead before cruising to a 34-17 win over the White Team.

“I’m really proud of our team,” Malzahn said. “We challenged them physically and mentally. We practiced four days a week for four straight weeks and we got at it.

“I think they played hard and they played for each other. It was a really good atmosphere and a really good day for us.”

Gabriel, who spent the day in a grey non-contact jersey, also hauled in a 22-yard pass from receiver Ryan O’Keefe in the second quarter.

“When Gus asked me, I said yeah, because I knew what he had in mind,” O’Keefe, who played quarterback his junior and senior years of high school, said of being asked to throw the ball. “It was exciting to show I still have got my arm.”

Gabriel returned the favor by finding O’Keefe for a 17-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter.

“Ryan made a bunch of strides last year and put himself in a good position to get a lot of experience, and now it’s just clicking for him,” said Gabriel, whose day ended after the first half.

O’Keefe led all receivers with six catches for 83 yards.

With sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-80s, it was ideal conditions for the limited crowd of spectators on hand to witness the coaching debut of Malzahn, who took over the program Feb. 15 after eight seasons at Auburn.

Attendance was limited to 25% capacity based on recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with state and local health officials. But those in attendance were able to see the strides the team has made in a short amount of time.

Both teams combined for 724 yards on 107 plays.

Malzahn wasn’t afraid to add a few wrinkles into the offense, including having 285-pound defensive tackle Kalia Davis in a Wildcat formation and taking a direct snap from the center before rumbling for a few yards.

“Coach knew about my background as a running back in little league and high school, so he wanted to see if I could catch the snap and run with it,” said Davis, who opted out last season due to concerns over COVID-19. “The hole opened up and my athleticism kicked in and I was able to get the first down.”

“He was excited and he talked about it all week, to be honest,” linebacker Tatum Bethune, who led the team with eight tackles, said of his teammate.

Malzahn said the Knights would incorporate the Wildcat formation into its offensive plan, which could open the door for more appearances by Davis in the future.

“He played running back in high school and there’s a good chance you could see him next year running the Wildcat, I can tell you that,” Malzahn said.

With Gabriel penciled in as the starter, much of the focus was on the other three quarterbacks who saw extensive action Saturday.

Quadry Jones passed for 111 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown pass to running back Damarius Good at the start of the second quarter. True freshman Mikey Keene, who played for both the Black and the White teams, finished with 99 yards, including an 18-yard strike to fellow freshman tight end Charlie Browder.

Parker Navarro finished with five carries for 40 yards, highlighted by a 7-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter.

“It was really good to see those other guys play football,” Malzahn said of the other quarterbacks. “It was good for our defense to have those guys go live, too.”

This article first appeared on OrlandoSentinel.com. Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com.