Stock rising: 6 UCF football players who impressed during spring practices
ORLANDO — Spring football is in the books for UCF. When the Knights return to the practice field in August, they will do so in preparation for their debut campaign as members of the Big 12.
Coach Gus Malzahn was thrilled to escape the spring game without any major injuries, and several of the notable missing Knights — offensive tackle Tylan Grable, safety Quadric Bullard, kicker Colton Boomer, etc. — are expected to be available over the summer.
Power Five football will not only test the talent on UCF's roster, but also its depth. And there's little time better to discover new contributors than the spring.
Let's take a look at six Knights who impressed coaches and teammates throughout spring practices.
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Matthew Alexander and Malachi Lawrence
Let's kick things off with a double-dip of defensive linemen.
The overwhelming majority of UCF's 2021 recruiting class, predominantly put together by Josh Heupel's staff, is no longer with the program. However, Alexander and Lawrence chose to stick around after starting out on the scout team and are now blossoming into trusted rotational players along the stacked defensive line.
Alexander (6-foot-3, 280 pounds) saw action in all 14 games as a redshirt freshman, collecting 10 tackles, one tackle for loss and three QB hurries. Lawrence (6-4, 270) played just three times last year, but earned plenty of reps in the spring game off the edge — along with redshirt freshman Jamaal Johnson and true freshman Kaven Call.
Both players should be listed with the second team on the depth chart come the fall. Tre'mon Morris-Brash, Lee Hunter, Ricky Barber and Josh Celiscar account for the expected starting foursome up front.
Demarkcus Bowman
Bowman shook off an early fumble in Friday's spring game to flash the explosive speed UCF's running game lacked between the tackles last season.
The former Lakeland High star, selected as Mr. Football in the state of Florida in 2019, has long possessed the talent but has rarely been afforded the opportunity at the college level. He spent one year apiece at Clemson and Florida, totaling 23 carries for 113 yards, before transferring to UCF last summer and spending the season on the scout team while ineligible.
Bowman (5-10, 193) gained 61 yards on six attempts in the spring game, bouncing outside for a 21-yard TD run in the second quarter. He also won a three-man, 40-yard dash during the skills challenge, making up ground against fellow Polk County native Johnny Richardson to beat him and Dionte Marks to the line.
"He's a home run waiting to happen," Malzahn said in Friday night's press conference.
Marcellus Marshall
Offensive tackle was one of the more intriguing spots entering March, considering Grable's injury absence, the addition of Amari Kight from Alabama out of the transfer portal and the growth of experienced holdovers Paul Rubelt and Ed Collins.
However, it's another portal addition — Marshall, from UCF's Week 1 opponent Kent State — that looks like a plug-and-play starter. Marshall (6-5, 310) held up well throughout camp and looks locked in at left guard, completing an interior tandem alongside center Bula Schmidt and right guard Lokahi Pauole.
Selected to the Mid-American Conference's first team last fall, Marshall started all 12 games at tackle for the Golden Flashes and paved the way for a rushing attack that surpassed 2,400 yards. He got a taste of elite competition, as well; Kent State faced both Oklahoma and Georgia in 2022.
Randy Pittman
Malzahn believes he and his staff "hit on all of (their) young guys," with an expectation that several early enrollees from the 2023 class will quickly become factors. John Walker, the Knights' highest-rated recruit in program history, obviously stands out. Call and Jason Duclona combined to force and recover Bowman's fumble, one of two defensive takeaways in the spring game, and Braeden Marshall should get reps at nickel and safety out of the gate.
Tight end Pittman (6-2, 225), though, garnered rave reviews in the late days of camp from teammates. A true H-back during a stellar career at Mosley High in Lynn Haven, Pittman was UCF's top target at the position in the 2023 cycle and could be a major piece of the offense as a blocker and receiver.
"He's made some plays. It's crazy that he is a freshman," junior wide receiver Chauncey Magwood said. "Since the first weight training program, he came in and has been consistent and strong. Then he gets on the field and blocks all the fourth-year, fifth-year guys like he's been here. It's very impressive to me."
Walter Yates III
New defensive coordinator Addison Williams expects UCF's linebackers to play downhill, and that suits fifth-year senior Yates (6-1, 219) just fine.
Yates, who joined UCF from Division II Savannah State last May, tied for third on the team with 54 total tackles. He often made the most of his reps, tallying five TFLs, 1½ sacks and a forced fumble, and hopes to take the next step with a renewed focus on consistency.
"I'm trying to be a dominant player every snap, not just at the beginning of a series but to keep that momentum as a series goes on," Yates said earlier this spring. "That's a big part of developing my game."
Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste's decision to transfer to Ole Miss left a hole at the second level alongside leading tackler Jason Johnson. Yates filled in when Jean-Baptiste missed time due to two injuries and appears to be the most likely candidate to earn the starting spot.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF football: 6 Knights players who impressed during 2023 spring camp
