UCF is set to open its 2026 training camp with a clear eye on the Big 12 landscape, but the odds are stacked against a repeat of last year’s national‑title run. Analysts project the Knights to finish near the bottom of the conference for a fourth straight season, a reality that hangs over every drill and meeting.
The biggest question mark is at quarterback, where Alonza Barnett III has been brought in from James Madison to stabilize a position that saw four different starters in 2025. Barnett’s 2025 campaign at James Madison earned him Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors after he threw for 2,806 yards, rushed for 589 yards and accounted for 38 touchdowns. He entered the summer ranked 43rd nationally and 11th among Big 12 starters in a The Athletic survey, giving the coaching staff a glimmer of hope.
UCF’s offensive line is also in flux. After losing several key pieces, the team retained right tackle Preston Cushman and added transfer portal starters Henry Tabansi, Brady Weyburn and Cooper Terpstra. New hires AJ Blazek, formerly of Wisconsin, and Cooper Bassett, a former Oklahoma State assistant, have been tasked with reshaping the blocking scheme.
The run game, which produced 1,259 yards and 11 touchdowns from Myles Montgomery and Jaden Nixon in 2025, still lacks a reliable short‑yardage option. A failed three‑play stretch from the 1‑yard line against Kansas highlighted the issue, a drive that could have secured bowl eligibility.
Statistical snapshot
UCF’s third‑down conversion rate sits at 33.9 percent, ranking 14th in the Big 12, while the defense forced only 27 sacks, 37 percent of which came from departing edge rushers. The secondary, under Grinch’s guidance, aims to create more turnovers after a season that saw just one interception from Isaiah Nixon.
Defensively, the pass rush will need to replace the combined 27 sacks contributed by Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly, both now in the NFL. Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch hopes to generate more turnovers and improve a unit that ranked 13th in scoring at 24.3 points per game. The Knights will also face road tests at Texas, Baylor and Kansas, while home matchups could prove decisive for bowl eligibility.