UCF's Rushing Attack Poised to Charge on Through in 2024

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The UCF Knights had a rocky start to Big 12 Conference play last season, finishing 6-7 overall and 3-6 in the conference. Their spotty performance can largely be attributed to inconsistent play from the quarterback position and their defense. The brightest spot from last season, however, chose to return despite a near certain spot in the NFL Draft and lucrative opportunities in the Transfer Portal—running back RJ Harvey.

Harvey has shown deadly speed on numerous occasions throughout his UCF career. After an injury sidelined him for the 2021 season, Harvey bounced back in a limited, third-down back type role in 2022 with 5 TDs and almost 800 yards on only 118 carries.

As the feature back in 2023, Harvey made himself a potential NFL Draft choice with a breakout season where he gained 1,654 yards from scrimmage and had 17 Total TDs. Harvey’s 2024 return is a great sight to UCF fans who are hoping to steady the ship in the Big 12.

Splitting the Workload

Harvey had to do much of the heavy lifting at RB last season, carrying the ball 226 times while the UCF RB (Johnny Richardson) with the next most had only 87 carries. This carry split is unlikely to last with the arrival of Toledo’s sledgehammer RB, Peny Boone through the Transfer Portal. Toledo had an uncharacteristically good season in 2023, largely due to Boone’s impact.

Listed at 6-foot-1, 245 pounds, Boone carried the ball 194 times for 1,400 yards and 15 TDs last season, all while punishing the undersized linebackers tasked with tackling him in the A-gap. Boone’s hard-nosed style will allow for UCF to show a variety of attacks in the rushing game, with Harvey taking control of outside zone or sweep plays and Boone smashing through on power and counter concepts.

Additional Rushing Threat

And yet, the most impactful part of UCF’s running game might not be a running back at all. Transfer QB KJ Jefferson helped bring Arkansas to prominence in the Southeastern Conference with his strong arm, huge frame, and deadly mobility, and looks to bring that firepower to the Knights as he seeks accolades and an NFL future.

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Jefferson is built like a cinder block, standing at 6-foot-3 and 250 pounds, making him a very tough man to tackle. His mobility has been showcased on numerous occasions, with 21 Rushing TDs for his career, three games of 100-plus yards rushing, and four multi-rushing TD games illustrating the threat he brings on the ground.

His size-speed combo even prompted UCF coach Gus Malzahn, who was the offensive coordinator for Cam Newton at Auburn, to state that Jefferson is the closest thing to Heisman Trophy wining quarterback he has seen before or since.

With the departure of Texas and Oklahoma from the Big 12, the conference is wide open for any team to snatch. UCF’s new and improved rushing attack might just be the key that unlocks their potential for conference championship aspirations and beyond.