(10-03-2014 08:03 PM)Knightbengal Wrote:  

(10-03-2014 04:14 PM)zfred12 Wrote:  

(10-03-2014 03:52 PM)apex_pirate Wrote:  

(10-03-2014 02:43 PM)zfred12 Wrote:  

(10-03-2014 07:34 AM)apex_pirate Wrote:  I agree...which hammers home how similar the two squads are...and how Bortles was the X factor. He took a mediocre team last year to great places. UCF fans argued this was a better team. Not seeing it and unfortunately Holman is no Bortles.

No one is Bortles. Shane carden is no Blake Bortles either not even close. But I wouldn't say we were a mediocre team with a great qb. When that qb is a part of the team he elevates the team not just himself


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You are right. Carden is no Bortles and not even close. Bortles is no Carden either. Not close there. Two very different QBs in two totally different offenses. Bortles would fail miserably in ECU's offense. Shane the same in UCF's.

You got my point exactly. Bortles was not only a sinle player. He was part of the team and elevated that team above mediocre status. If UCF fans felt this year's TEAM was better than last year's team (which was what we all heard leading up to the season), then Bortles was the X factor. Take him out, replace him with Holman, add a better team and you see what that product is currently. All I'm asking you to do is take him out of last year's team and tell me what you see? The picture looks pretty mediocre given the close outcomes of last year's games.

It matters not. You guys will still win a fair number of games and still be in the top 4 of the conference IMO. That is a good down year if you are going to have one.

I like your points. I did not think the team would be better but I did expect lot with all of the returning starters especially on defense. We still have a solid defense. The biggest difference is without Bortles and storm Johnson and the 3 offensive lineman we lost, the offense hasn't been the same. I thought the offense would be good enough to win most of the games on our schedule as we could rely on our running game. For whatever reason whether it be blocking, or the vision of the running backs, or no real passing threat to make defenses back off the running game taken a step back. And as of now I don't think our offense is good enough to win the conference. A lot could change between now and december though


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The running game was hurt because the oline didn't play together until two weeks before byu and it's changed four times. Stanback has played limited minutes and holmans timing isn't there


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The coaches know there's no push upfront by the line which is why you see the read option, jet sweeps, and all the motion in the backfield.

I took some time off to be at the game last night. Not a pretty game to watch but still enjoyable to me. There were far too many penalties on both sides and the play was far from stellar, but Ward was stellar and played well enough to almost win the game, no thanks to the receivers. UCF's OL is still a work in progress which is still hurting the run game. I felt that Holman had a decent game, although that pass with the defender wrapped around his legs was amazing and shows a lot of promise.

That brings me to what has been said in regards to Bortles and what I perceive was the main difference between this years and last years UCF team. I am a Bortles fan, watching the Jags whenever I can and believe it is true that Bortles was able to play at a high level, but the play of the OL to be able to run the ball was a BIG part of it. That is the reason the offense is not able to keep consistent drives this year. I doubt that Bortles would have the same success he had last year if not for that.