With new transfers and homegrown talent, UCF's deep running back stable is forging strong bonds with the offensive line for explosive plays.
The UCF running back room is deep with multiple transfers, returners and freshmen. All of them have a chance to succeed under coach Scott Frost and are building a relationship with the offensive linemen.
UCF signed Central Arkansas transfer Laden Chambers and Louisville transfer Duke Watson in January's portal. The team also signed Kaj Baker and Arthur Lewis IV as incoming freshmen on national signing day last December.
Adding four new running backs to the position group bolstered the depth. Running backs coach Jimmy Beal joked about getting more footballs to balance giving everybody reps, but highlighted Frost's ability to make multiple running backs successful.
"He's done it before," Beal said on Friday. "Where he's shown how he can get different backs, multiple backs the ball in situations, and kind of make sure they all know their role, and then be able to have them have success doing that."
Myles Montgomery, Jaden Nixon, Stacy Gage and Agyeman Addae all got reps throughout last season. It's no different in this year's spring camp with six running backs.
Beal highlighted Watson's explosiveness with the ball in his hands and Chambers' tough, downhill mentality to pick up first downs in short-yardage situations.
While the running back room is talented, a portion of their success is tied to the offensive linemen. Beal said the running backs are building a bond with the linemen, which could aid them next season.
"The one thing is that the bond they're building is going to allow them to play free and true together," Beal said. "And I think that's the one part where we're just working through that, making sure that we always tell the o-lineman, we've got their back."
The lineman opening up gaps for the running backs to attack gives UCF's offense an explosive dynamic out of the backfield, with Alonza Barnett III leading the helm.
Beal also noted the versatility of his running backs as receivers, an aspect he said the team didn't have much of last season.
"The one thing that you see a little bit more of is dynamic ability in space," Beal said. "Their ability to catch the ball in space and really get those guys on the perimeter is one thing that we are really taking advantage of. Their abilities to catch, the ability to run routes are really on a different level we didn't have as much of before."
The Knights' running back room is deep and versatile, but there is only one football to go around. However, Frost is capable of divvying the workload and getting multiple running backs involved in his offense, and the running backs are strengthening their bond with the offensive linemen.
Join the Community. Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!