Sidelined by minor injuries, UCF’s starting quarterback prioritized mental preparation and receiver chemistry to master the Knights’ versatile offense before his anticipated return to action this summer.
Alonza Barnett III took notes and mental reps about his teammates behind the scenes to remain engaged with the team despite not participating in UCF's spring practices.
Coach Scott Frost held his starting quarterback out of the spring for precautionary reasons. He noted Barnett III's injuries were minor and did not want to push him.
Barnett III told reporters that he and the coaching staff were treating his injuries day by day, and he engaged with his teammates when not participating in practice.
"It was just something we were taking a day at a time," Barnett III said on Saturday. "And it just got to a point where it was like, for a while. I've still been throwing, I've still been running, still been lifting, getting engaged with the area, teammates and stuff like that. Just on a smaller scale."
The former JMU Duke working out and interacting with teammates is a positive sign, especially since his status became a topic of discussion throughout the spring.
Barnett III said he'll return to action in the summer and felt like he didn't miss much because of the mental reps he prioritized in the last several weeks.
"Obviously, they're quality reps that you want to get, but just mentally staying on top of things is what you have to do," Barnett III said. "I mean, being a quarterback is 90% mental anyway. But like I said, I haven't missed too much. I've been able to throw to guys like Josh Derry, Waden (Charles) and Speedo (Duane Thomas Jr.)."
Building connections with the returning and new receivers is crucial for Barnett III, who is also new. He said the Knights' scheme is very versatile and pro-like because many players can move around and handle different assignments on the field.
The versatility of the offense, paired with Barnett III's rushing ability, could make UCF a high-octane scoring team, like last season.
Despite not taking meaningful practice reps like the other quarterbacks on the roster, Barnett III listened to his teammates' conversations and, through observation, took mental note of how the receivers ran routes and where they preferred the ball placed.
"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. "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."
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