Despite early-season struggles, UCF Knights quarterback Justin Holman is cementing his status as Blake Bortles’ successor. The talented sophomore has overcome inconsistent play and stepped up big time in a 31-24 overtime victory over BYU at home last week, connecting on 30-of-51 attempts for 326 yards. His stellar outing didn’t go unnoticed; he was named AAC Offensive Player of the Week for the performance.
The Knights scaled new heights in 2013 behind the play and leadership of Bortles, now the starting signal-caller for the Jacksonville Jaguars. UCF opened the 2014 season with questions aplenty at the quarterback position, and following back-to-back losses to open the season and erratic play from Pete DiNovo and Holman, UCF’s on-field performances didn’t match the team’s national profile.
In handing the reins to Holman, head coach George O’Leary recognized his young quarterback would have to learn on the job. With progress coming slowly, O’Leary challenged Holman to step up ahead of the BYU game. Holman delivered, for the most part. His stats were impressive and the Knights won the game, but Holman’s decision-making still needs attention as he also threw two interceptions.
“All of the kids that I challenged, including Justin Holman, I think had his moments tonight,” O’Leary said.“He was throwing those three-cuts and seven-cuts like you need to throw them. Other times that time clock just needs to go off in his head that there is a rush coming and get rid of the ball.”
Holman, even with his ups and downs, appears to be shouldering the weight of leading the team just fine.
“I love coach O’Leary because he knows what to do to push me and challenge me and that’s what I can respect about him,” Holman said. “He gives me his word and he means it. If he tells me to pick it up, I pick it up. He knows just what buttons to push to get me right.”
Defending AAC champions, the Knights will go as far as Holman can take them. With a defense that is improving each week—linebacker Terrance Plummer, who had 17 tackles against BYU, was named AAC Defensive Player of the Week—Holman must shoulder the responsibility of leading an offense loading with playmaking weapons, including wide receivers J.J. Worton, Rannell Hall, Josh Reese and Breshard Perriman.
“I see steady progress with him,” O’Leary said of Holman. “Probably not as quick as coaches want. But I do see steady progress and there’s a lot of learning experience that has to take place. There’s only so many sunrises and sunsets, but he’s a kid who works very hard, studies film very hard. The big thing is, we’ve got to keep manageable downs for him, as far as third downs.”
As the Knights prepare to face the Tulane Green Wave at home this week, Holman continues to gather valuable experience as the leader of the offense. Following the win against BYU, the young quarterback acknowledged the team’s patience with his development.
“My team never gave up and they never lost faith,” Holman said. “Whenever I made a mistake or anyone made a mistake we had that championship mentality and that is ‘pick that guy up.’ Just as when you make a big play, when you make a bad play, guys are still greeting you on the sidelines saying, ‘we have your back’. Those guys have my back and everyone has each other’s back and that is what I will take away from this game.”
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