By: Robert Craft

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

UCF Spring Football is underway, and the Knights have another opportunity to learn more about their reshaped roster under head coach Scott Frost as he enters his second first season in Orlando.

While expectations of another 2017-style undefeated run are unrealistic, optimism around this team is growing fast. UCF returns with a strong amount of production from last season while also adding key transfers, providing a much stronger foundation than it had a year ago.

Although the season remains months away, spring football offers the first real look at what this team could become in 2026. From position battles to scheme fits and leadership development, there is plenty to learn before kickoff arrives.

Here are the three offensive biggest questions UCF needs to answer during spring football.

How quickly can Alonza Barnett III take command of the offense? There is no question Alonzo Barnett III is the headline addition of UCF’s offseason.

Adding a projected starting quarterback who just led JMU on a run to the College Football Playoff immediately raises both the standard and the expectations for UCF entering the 2026 season.

Head coach Scott Frost and the staff believe in Barnett beyond physical tools. They view him as a proven winner, someone with the leadership, poise, and playmaking ability to elevate the players around him.

The biggest question, though, is how quickly that success can translate. Barnett spent the past four seasons at James Madison developing within one system and growing comfortable in that environment.

Now, he is being asked to step into a new offense, build chemistry with a new locker room and replicate that same production in essentially one offseason. No pressure, right?

One of the biggest focuses this spring is Frost and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton. They must work to build timing, chemistry and overall cohesiveness around football’s most important position on the field.

Can AJ Blazek fix UCF’s offensive line issues? The Knight’s offensive line enters spring as one of the biggest areas to monitor after  difficulty and inconsistency in 2025.

The Knights endured the tragic loss of offensive line coach Shawn Clack early in the year, and even with Danny Hope stepping in to help stabilize the group, the unit never fully found its rhythm.

At times, the line showed flashes individually. Collectively they struggled, which led to costly mistakes, like penalties at the worst possible moments. Whether it was a holding call or a false start, it frequently felt like UCF’s momentum was being derailed during key second-half drives or comeback opportunities.

Now, UCF turns to new offensive line coach AJ Blazek to reshape the group.

Blazek wasted no time putting his stamp on the room, helping bring in four transfer portal additions to compete for major roles up front. While the tackle spots appear relatively stable entering spring, the biggest questions lie on the interior, where center and guard battles could play a major role in determining the offense’s ceiling.

Few position groups will be impacted more by UCF’s offensive line play than the running backs.

Who will emerge as UCF’s lead running back? The Knights brought in two experienced transfer backs in Duke Watson  and Laden Chambers, both of whom are expected to compete for major roles in the offense. Each brings a different skill set, but both have the experience to help carry the load in Scott Frost’s system.

The biggest question is who will separate themselves as the true three-down back.

That battle becomes even more intriguing with Taevion Swint returning to the mix after missing last season with a meniscus injury. The former four-star recruit has worked his way back and gives UCF another talented option in the room if he is fully healthy.

Spring camp should provide the first real look at how the workload could be divided and whether one back is ready to take control of the position group.

Spring practices officially begin for the Knights on March 31st, giving UCF their first real chance to start answering these 3 questions on the field.