UCF vs. SMU football

The University of Central Florida Knights managed to put the brakes on a three-game losing skid with a little help from freshman Ronnie Weaver and junior Michael Greco. Weaver rushed for a career-high 123 yards and Greco, who relieved Rob Calabrese in the second half, threw for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the 31-17 win over visiting SMU (1-5, 0-3 C-USA) Oct. 4 at Bright House Networks Stadium.

Head Coach George O’Leary praised Weaver. “He lowered his pads a couple of times and did a really good job of getting some things done out there. I thought he had better vision and got more north and south. I was happy for him because he is a hard working kid," he said.

The UCF defense played hard, surrendering only 25 rushing yards on 21 attempts as well as sacking SMU quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell four times and intercepting him three times.
Senior cornerback Joe Burnett’s 14th career interception set a new school record, and also extended UCF’s streak of consecutive games with an interception to 13.

After moving 29 yards in 7 plays, UCF stalled on their first drive of the game but senior Daren Daly did manage to kick a 36-yard field goal for the game’s first points. It was the first time this season the Knights scored on their opening drive.

The Mustangs responded with a 14-play, 77-yard drive that took over seven minutes off the clock. Mitchell and senior running back Andrew McKinney combined efficient passing and hard rushing to move to a first and goal at the UCF one-yard line. McKinney then punched it in for the go-ahead touchdown.

UCF return man Darin Baldwin fumbled on the ensuing return, setting SMU up just outside the red zone on the 27. The Knights’ defense clamped down, limiting the Mustangs to a 33-yard field goal from kicker Thomas Morstead.

The first half was marred by UCF inconsistency. After scoring their first touchdown of the game, UCF kicked the ball out of bounds, setting the Mustangs up at their own 40. The defense offered a chance at redemption when Burnett made his record-setting interception with 5:22 left in the half.

The offense failed to capitalize on the turnover, however, and went three and out. Mitchell finally unleashed the deep ball with a 41-yard completion to Aldrick Robinson.

The second quarter ended with a highlight reel play. Mitchell passed to Robinson for 10 yards, then fumbled. UCF safety Jason Venson recovered the fumble and ran backwards for four yards, then lateralled to safety Sha’ref Rashad. Rashad ran backwards for six yards, then lateralled to Joe Burnett. Burnett then raced down the right sideline for 60 yards before being knocked out of bounds by SMU’s Emmanuel Sanders at the 15 to end the half tied at 10-10.

O’Leary benched Calabrese for the second half, giving Greco the responsibility of breaking the tie.

When asked about the switch, O’Leary credited a higher football power. "It was divine intervention. I went into the locker room at halftime and sat at my desk and I kept looking up and it just hit me in the head: put Greco in. Sometimes you take [the quarterback] out and let them see what is going on from the sideline then put them back in, but I thought Michael did a good job of controlling the team and putting some points on the board."

Greco agreed, saying "I was able to see what they were doing differently from what we saw on game film during the week. They brought a couple different blitzes that we weren't expecting. They also blitzed a lot more than we expected them to. We came in during half, made the adjustments and we were able win."

His first drive did not bode well, though. After Weaver got UCF a first down, Greco’s pass from 3rd-and-8 intended for Kamar Aiken fell incomplete.

Greco’s next third down was more successful than his last. Facing 3rd-and-20, Greco found redshirt sophomore Brian Watters at least 10 yards in front of the nearest defender and fired a 56-yard pass to him for the touchdown.

The Knights never looked back. On SMU’s next possession, sophomore linebacker Derrick Hallman picked off an errant Mitchell pass and returned it 24 yards, setting the Knights up at SMU’s 17. UCF elected to grind it out on the ground, and after a 4th-and-1 Greco keeper for the first down, Weaver found the endzone on a 7-yard run to make it 24-10. It was his first career touchdown.

UCF’s defense surrendered their biggest play in the fourth quarter. Though backed up to his own six, Mitchell played it cool and found a wide-open Robinson again who raced 94 yards for SMU’s last score.

"If we didn't give up that one big play we would have had a hell of a day,” O’Leary said.

UCF’s final scoring drive was set up by three bruising Weaver runs that brought the Knights to SMU’s 15. From there, facing 3rd-and-9, Greco zipped a quick pass to sophomore receiver Khymest Williams to set the score at 31-17.

“The last touchdown was a good read on his part and it was well executed,” O’Leary said.
SMU played hard on their final possession, with Mitchell completing passes of 14 and 31 yards, but the UCF defense stepped up and Rashad picked off a pass with seven seconds left on the clock. Greco took a knee to seal the win.

UCF hits the road next week for their game against the Miami Hurricanes (2-3, 0-2 ACC). The Knights next play at home Nov. 2 for a Sunday night game against East Carolina.