Paul Carrington: Summer Is Important for Alonza Barnett III

Alonza Barnett III did not participate in spring practices, and UCF legend Paul Carrington believes summer is a huge deal for the James Madison transfer, who was crowned as the Knights' starting quarterback.

Coach Scott Frost held his new starter out for precautionary reasons, to protect his health and the program's financial investment in him. Barnett III still interacted with his teammates in a limited setting, but now he can seize the opportunity to build chemistry in the summer.

"This is the critical time ... I will say it again: CRITICAL TIME ... where the core receivers will learn how to catch Barnett's spirals," Carrington wrote for Knights247 last Sunday. "While this may seem strange to some, I encourage you to ask any receiver who's played at the collegiate or professional level. It takes time to get in rhythm from the QB to WR/TE/RB relationship, so everyone knows "the ball is being delivered, RIGHT NOW."

Barnett III missed the opportunity to learn about his receivers' tendencies in practices, but his sideline observations may help him forge a connection more quickly. The former JMU Duke said he took mental reps on the sidelines and paid attention to his teammates' conversations to study their habits.

"Even though I'm not out there throwing to those guys, I can still get those mental reps of how they come out of their routes," Barnett III said two weeks ago. "I'm hearing conversations that they have with Kaleb (Annett) and the other quarterbacks, where they want the ball, the type of releases that they use, and what they're really comfortable with."

Although the summer is crucial for Barnett III to get back on track, it's still important for the rest of the team to sharpen their skills and focus on their bodies before fall camp.

Carrington said the weight room is "the centerpiece of development," as linemen prioritize adding strength and size to their frames and skill players improve their speed, agility and durability.

Frost outlined one goal for the program this offseason: to have the best offseason in the Big 12. Now is the time for UCF players to continue building towards that goal with several months separating spring and fall camp.

The summer is when skill sets are polished for starting competitions in fall practice before the season begins.

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