UCF Q&A: What’s the biggest reason for offensive struggles? What is QB Rocco Marriott’s future?

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UCF once featured an offense that was the greatest show on grass.

The 2017 Knights boasted one of the most electrifying offenses in all of college football, racking up an impressive 48 points and 530 yards per game. The high-octane attack functioned with the precision of a finely crafted Swiss watch, engineered to maximize speed and tempo. It thrived on explosive plays that left opponents scrambling.

Now, UCF’s offense looks nothing like its predecessor.

The 2026 Knights have struggled to develop an offensive identity, averaging 32 points and just 351 yards per game, which is the worst in the Big 12. UCF amassed 73 points against Bethune-Cookman and 44 against Georgia State, but is averaging just 15 points in its other three games. The last time the team managed just 350 yards a game was in 2016, Scott Frost’s first season with the program.

Where speed once ruled, UCF now has to get out of neutral.

“It kills me not to let it rip, but we got to make the decision on what’s best for the football team,” Frost said on Monday. “It’s more my personality to go fast, let it rip, try to make plays.

“That said, we have a defense that does a good job of getting turnovers and timely stops and we don’t want to put them out on the field forever. I don’t want to blindly pick one strategy or the other.”

UCF has run 282 offensive plays through five games, averaging 56.4 plays per game. In 2017, the Knights averaged 71 plays per game.

Extenuating circumstances, including a rash of injuries, have left the Knights without four starters: quarterback Alonza Barnett III, receiver Duane Thomas Jr., right guard Owen Spell and linebacker Lewis Carter.

That, coupled with the level of competition, has left the Knights struggling to develop a rhythm on offense.

“We’re a good team that’s really close to having won a couple, one or two more, and we’re going to keep having those chances. So we got to keep trying to get better,” Frost said.

“I don’t care if we win games 51-49 or 7-6. We just are trying to win football games and whatever we need to do to try to win.”

Can UCF get more vertical in its passing game?

Part of UCF’s offensive struggles comes from a lack of a vertical passing attack.

According to Pro Football Focus, quarterback Keyone Jenkins is 1 for 7 on throws of 20 or more yards over the past three games, with the single completion coming against Houston. The Knights have just four completions of 30 or more yards this season.

Frost would love to take more shots downfield, but not at the risk of stalling drives or shortening possessions.

“I would love to see the ball get launched and put up more,” said Frost. “If you do that and it’s incomplete, you’re in second-and-10. Sometimes you make the gamble and sometimes you don’t.

“It isn’t like that stuff’s not getting called, but I certainly would like to see some more explosiveness in the pass game.”

“To get more shots down the field, we’ve got to earn those by being more efficient,” added offensive coordinator Steve Cooper. “We need to be better on third down and when you do that, you earn the right to take a shot. We need to see some of those down-the-field plays come to fruition.”

UCF is completing just 33% of its third-down plays, ranking 14th in the Big 12 in third-down conversions. The Knights also rank next-to-last in the conference in passing offense, averaging 178 yards per game.

How have injuries impacted the offensive line?

When center Jacob Maiava went down with a lower-body injury in the first half against Houston last week, it put tremendous stress on an already weakened offensive line.

UCF has been without Spell for three games while he deals with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Conner Meadows moved over from center to fill the spot, opening the door for Maiava.

But when Maiava left the game with what Frost called a soft-tissue issue in his lower body, the Knights had to get creative, moving Cooper Terpstra to center for a handful of snaps before eventually flipping him to right guard with Meadows.

“It’s a big hit because he’s the guy that brings the juice,” said Cooper. “I love having Jacob out there, and you know his future is bright, too.”

What has been the process of developing freshman quarterback Rocco Marriott?

Since arriving on campus as an early enrollee in January, Rocco Marriott has quickly transitioned from high school quarterback to college quarterback, impressing the coaching staff and his teammates with his growth in spring and preseason camps.

With Jenkins now taking over as the starter and Kaleb Annett seemingly his backup, Marriott moves up the depth chart.

“Across the board, we’re trying to get reps to all these guys, especially the young players on the team, to try and figure out what you got with them and then what they need to work on,” said Cooper. “He runs the scout team, but he also runs some plays with the first-team and second-team offenses. I’m excited about his future.”

Freshman Dante Carr, who also signed as part of UCF’s 2026 recruiting class, has been out with an undisclosed injury.

How have some of the injured players remained active?

Even though Carter and Thomas aren’t able to contribute on the field lately, the pair remain a presence throughout the locker room and on the sidelines.

“He’s in the meeting room. He’s still engaged. I still have questions for him,” linebacker Jahleel Culbreath said of Carter. “He’s still helping us out, and it’s good that he’s doing that for us.”

“Even though he’s injured, he’s always out there with us,” receiver Waden Charles said of Thomas. “He’s always critiquing guys on little things and making sure we have the same energy. When you make a big play, he’s the first person on the sideline to greet you. It’s been a big help.”

Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.

Up next

What: UCF (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) at No. 18 Oklahoma State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12)

When: Noon, Saturday

Where: Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater

TV: ESPN2

Favorite: OSU by 9.5 points

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