The American Athletic Conference has seen a rough start from two of the top contenders to win the conference championship this season, and UCF and Houston are main culprits with their inconsistent performances. Each team has considerable talent that allowed for high hopes in the preseason, but the youth on each roster has proven to be a detriment in key moments.
At 1-2, Central Florida faces a tough task as they travel to Houston to play the Cougars in their new stadium. With their only win coming against lowly Bethune-Cookman, UCF has struggled in key moments to make an impact play. They’ll need their talented defense to step up and slow down the powerful Cougars’ offense.
Houston rebounded from a close loss against BYU to defeat UNLV with ease, and their offense seems to have found the recipe for success. With a young core of talent, they continue to play unevenly, but the talent is high.
The prime-time game between UCF and Houston could be a major deciding factor in who wins the conference at the end of the season, and it’s a great chance to watch several key NFL draft prospects.
By: Ian Wharton
Central Florida Knights
Clayton Geathers, SS, #26
At 6’1” and 206-pounds, Geathers brings tremendous physicality to the Knights’ defense. He’s able to play inside the box against the run effectively, but also can drop back into zone or man coverages and make an impact play as passes enter his area. Geathers isn’t the fastest at reacting to plays, but he is solid in that regard. Expect him to be flying around on Thursday night as UCF tries to slow down Houston’s potent passing attack.
Terrence Plummer, ILB, #41
The second-best prospect on UCF’s team is their inside linebacker, Terrence Plummer. Possessing good size and athleticism, Plummer is one of the better under-the-radar linebackers in the country. He hasn’t shown great instincts to drop back into coverage consistently, but he’s not a liability, either. Between the tackles, Plummer can fill gaps and finish tackles well, using his strong base to bring down ball carriers. His ability to shed blocks looks slightly improved this season, but he seems to lack the violent hands needed to be better in that area.
Torrian Wilson, LT, #72
Wilson projects as a guard in the NFL due to his lack of length. He is a decent athlete for a guard prospect, showing quick feet that allow him to win in space. Wilson doesn’t anchor especially well, instead bending at the waist to make up for short arms at the tackle position. Inside at guard, this should be a smaller issue, or non-factor. Wilson doesn’t jab as well as you’d like, so he must become more aggressive as a pass blocker.
Brandon Alexander, FS, #37
Alexander hasn’t been as effective in his senior season as his junior tape indicated he should be, but he still can be a force in the secondary. Another big safety, standing 6’2”, Alexander will switch with Geathers to play single high or in the box throughout the game. He doesn’t read plays very well, so if the ball isn’t coming into his direct area, he isn’t likely to make a play on it. He does, however, break down and tackle as well as most draftable safeties.
Breshad Perriman, WR, #11 (JR)
At 6’2”, 209-pounds, Perriman has been the most consistent weapon for UCF on offense. Perriman has decent speed on deep routes, but has played his best on intermediate routes, where his size and hands help him win. Just a junior, Perriman is a player to watch moving forward.
Houston Cougars
Deontay Greenberry, WR, #3 (JR)
The Cougars’ star receiver, Greenberry continues to be a major weapon in the slot. He possesses good size at 6’3” and 200 pounds, and he’s a plus athlete for the position. Greenberry rarely runs more than three routes, so he’s raw in that regard, but he wins on jump balls and has solid speed for his frame. He could be an early-round draft pick as soon as 2015.
Trevon Stewart, FS, #23 (JR)
On defense, Stewart is the top prospect for Houston. He’s small, listed at just 5’9”, but he’s feisty and throws his body into any situation. He plays somewhat recklessly, with his lower body out of control in comparison to his top half. As far as ball awareness, Stewart can make highlight-reel interceptions when he keeps the play in front of him. But when in coverage and he turns his head, he doesn’t have a clue when to play the ball. Stewart is a potential late-round prospect for 2016.
Joey Mbu, DT, #3
Mbu is a well-built tackle at 6’3”, 313-pounds. He has active hands that allow him to be an effective run stuffer, but they aren’t powerful. His base is impressive, as he plays with leverage and can put a lineman on skates if he gets off the snap well. He’s not at all a pass rusher, but has upside as a 2-gapping tackle.
Bryce Redman, OC, #58
Redman is an undersized lineman, but he has some upside due to his quickness. He might only be practice squad or training camp-caliber right now, but for teams that use a zone-blocking scheme, he can play a Sam Brenner-type role. Redman struggles anchoring due to his lack of strength, and needs to sit his butt down more in pass protection. But in the run game, he gets out in space very well and can beat linebackers to the edge of the hash marks.
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