Who's new? Who's gone? Burning questions facing UCF ahead of 2022 football season

UCF opened fall camp on a sweltering Monday morning ahead of its swan song as a member of the American Athletic Conference.

The Knights, who have won the league on four separate occasions, hope to add one more trophy this fall before departing for the Big 12 next July. Plenty of hype surrounds the impending move — the program landed commitments from a quartet of four-star local recruits in the month of July alone — but players and coaches alike are focused on present.

"I didn't come back here to not win every game," fifth-year offensive lineman Samuel Jackson said. "I want to leave how I came in."

It's been four years since UCF last triumphed as AAC champion, a season in which the team ran its winning streak to 25 games before a Fiesta Bowl defeat against eventual Heisman winner Joe Burrow and LSU.

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Let's take a look at some burning questions facing the Knights ahead of their home opener, a Sept. 1 matchup against Celebration Bowl champion South Carolina State.

Who's new?

Head coach Gus Malzahn and his staff aggressively bolstered the roster through the NCAA's transfer portal, bringing in 16 new players — in addition to 14 signees from the high school ranks.

A number of those players could have immediate roles.

Kobe Hudson led Auburn in receiving last year; he's one of three additions to the receiving corps from SEC programs along with wide receiver Javon Baker (Alabama) and tight end Kemore Gamble (Florida).

Offensive tackles Ryan Swoboda (Virginia) and Tylan Grable (Jacksonville State) could fill the two vacancies in the trenches.

Defensively, the Knights took fliers on three highly touted athletes from the 2021 graduating class. Defensive tackle Lee Hunter (Auburn) and linebackers Terrence Lewis (Maryland) and Branden Jennings (Kansas State) all ranked within the top 110 players from last year's true freshman class, per 247Sports' composite.

Koby Perry (Austin Peay) and Jason Johnson (Eastern Illinois) add depth to the back-seven after starring for D-I Football Championship Subdivision programs.

Who's gone?

The portal giveth, and the portal taketh away.

UCF will have to withstand the departures of several key figures, perhaps none more so than linebacker Tatum Bethune. Bethune, now at Florida State, led the team with 101 tackles in 11 starts and earned All-AAC second team honors from Pro Football Focus.

Dillon Gabriel opened the 2021 season at quarterback but suffered a broken collarbone on the final play of the Knights' 42-35 loss at Louisville last September. He never returned to the lineup, and instead reunited with former offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby at Oklahoma.

Jaylon Robinson appeared in only seven games last fall, but dominated the spring game at full speed. Shortly thereafter, he decided to enter the portal and committed to Ole Miss.

Other notable transfer exits include former four-star wide receiver recruit Titus Mokiao-Atimalala (UCLA) and defensive lineman Cam Goode (Michigan).

What is the biggest position battle in camp?

Plain and simple, all eyes will be on the quarterbacks this month. Malzahn split reps evenly between returning starter Mikey Keene and Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee with the first and second teams during Monday's opening practice.

Keene, a true sophomore out of Chandler, Arizona, filled in capably once Gabriel went down for the season. He completed 63.6% of his attempts for 1,730 yards, tossing 17 touchdowns compared to six interceptions.

Malzahn said Keene is noticeably stronger and faster this fall, though his experience could prove crucial in his bid for retaining QB1 status.

"You've got to understand if you're a true freshman thrown into the fire, fourth game … he's seen a lot," Malzahn said. "Spring was really good. You can tell he's a lot more confident a guy than he was before."

Plumlee garnered Freshman All-America recognition from 247Sports and The Athletic in 2019 when he rushed for 1,023 yards and 12 scores and threw for 910 yards and four TDs. Much more a dual-threat than Keene, Plumlee demonstrated his abilities as a passer with four scoring strikes in the spring game.

"People always have their opinions, and they're entitled to their opinions, but I choose to believe mine," Plumlee said afterward in response to the perception of solely being a running QB.

What is the team's strength on paper?

Whoever takes snaps under center for UCF will have the support of a terrific stable of running backs.

Fifth-year senior Isaiah Bowser and junior Johnny Richardson form a tremendous power-speed combination. They combined for 1,436 yards and 13 touchdowns (nine belonging to Bowser) in the 2021 season.

Mark-Antony Richards and Trillion Coles, the Knights' third- and fifth-leading rushers, respectively, are also back. Jordan McDonald enrolled early, and Tampa native Xavier Townsend is a similarly touted freshman recruit.

Then, there is a potential X-factor in former Lakeland star Demarkcus Bowman. Should he apply for immediate eligibility after a second transfer in as many years, the former Clemson and Florida recruit could enter the mix. If not, expect Bowman to play a big role when the Knights enter Big 12 play in 2023.

What position group has the biggest questions?

Aside from quarterback, Malzahn's most pressing concern is sorting out the linebacker spot.

Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste is a lock for one starting spot. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior totaled 51 tackles, 6½ tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, two breakups and a forced fumble. He started five times and appeared in 12 games for the Knights.

Defensive coordinator Travis Williams will let the remaining prospective candidates play fast before digging into evaluations. Most of the install work occurred in the summer, especially with the influx of transfers at the position.

"They see now I'm right behind them like a dadgum shark," Williams said. "If you ain't running to the ball, you're going to find Coach T-Will chasing you."

Quade Mosier saw action in all 13 games, mostly in a special teams role, but he has been sidelined the first two days of the fall. Jennings made 23 tackles for Maryland, while Lewis was sidelined with a knee injury that also limited him in spring camp.

"Now he's clear to go 100%, and you can tell he's chomping at the bit to go hit people and be in the right position," Williams said of former five-star recruit Lewis.

What does the schedule look like?

For starters, UCF's schedule is extremely travel-friendly. The Knights play nine of their 12 regular season games within the state of Florida, including seven at FBC Mortgage Stadium on campus.

The Knights will not play a Saturday game until Week 3, facing South Carolina State on a Thursday night and Louisville for the second straight year on a Friday night (Sept. 9). Florida Atlantic and Georgia Tech round out the non-conference slate.

UCF opens American Athletic Conference in October with back-to-back home dates against SMU and Temple. The Knights finally cross state lines on Oct. 22 with a trip to longtime conference rival East Carolina.

Defending conference champion and Group of Five trailblazer Cincinnati comes to Orlando on Oct. 29. The Knights hit the road three times in November, sandwiching a home game against Navy with trips to Memphis, Tulane and South Florida. The latter game could well be the last War on I-4 for the foreseeable future; UCF's non-conference schedule is already booked through 2025.

How high is the Knights' ceiling?

The American Athletic Conference's three preseason favorites, according to the league's media poll, are its soon-to-be defectors.

UCF received seven first-place votes, but finished third overall behind Houston and Cincinnati. Houston boasts a dangerous passing attack anchored by quarterback Clayton Tune and wide receiver Nathaniel "Tank" Dell, a Mainland High grad.

Cincinnati had nine players drafted by NFL franchises after becoming the first G5 school to crack the College Football Playoff. Linebacker Deshawn Pace, a 2022 Butkus Award candidate, anchors the defense after a 94-tackle campaign.

UCF's conference opener with SMU should serve as a good barometer. Tanner Mordecai set the American's passing touchdown record last year with 39 scores.

The Knights closed with six wins in their final seven games, so it's fair to expect an improvement on last year's 9-4 mark, especially considering their toughest opponents come to the Bounce House.

However, there is not a marquee non-conference opponent that will boost their chances at the Playoff. Reaching — and winning — another New Year's Six bowl game on the way out of the American should be the target.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Big questions facing UCF ahead of final college football season in AAC