UCF’s players are doing their best to move past Saturday’s final minute meltdown against Temple.
“We can’t get that game back. We know the mistakes that we made,” senior linebacker Demeitre Brim said. “We know that we have to move forward in order to control our own destiny in this conference.”
The Knights second half performance against Temple is part of a disturbing trend the Knights defense.
In the last three games, opponents have generated nearly twice as many yards in the second half as they did in the first.
“We have to play as hard as we do in the first half in the second half,” Brim said. “We don’t make any excuses on this defense so we’re looking to correct that coming up.”
Improving in the second half is a must for the Knights to have any hope of contending for the American Athletic Conference title.
“Second half, they’ll switch it up and mentally we have to get to the sideline and get the adjustment from our defensive coordinator Coach Chins [Erik Chinander] and then go out there and play,” senior defensive back D.J. Killings said.
The UCF defense was on the field for 21 of the 30 second half minutes Saturday, but players assert their struggles are due to poor execution, not wearing down.
“If you’re out there on the field, you’re expected to be 100-percent running to the ball sideline to sideline so it’s adjustments,” Brim said. “Everyone has to trust their fits and assignments in order for the defense to work correctly.”
UCF’s seniors are well aware that their season is at a crossroads.
“When you get around six, seven games, you see who is going to lay down and who is going to keep it going,” Killings said.
Their resolve will determine whether the team makes a push for a league championship.
“We’ve got a point to prove to ourselves that we can go out there and compete and win in our conference,” Brim said.