UCF's Keys to ECU: How Did They Fare?

Last week, I wrote an article on the keys to UCF winning the game against East Carolina, and how valuable these keys were for the entirety of the season. So, how did my key players fare in the 19-14 loss against the Pirates?

Of note: Some of my keys to ECU and beyond either didn't make any plays during last Saturday's game, or didn't play at all. If the Knights would have played to their potential, surely some of these members would have shined.

In the future, I believe those key pieces that are not highlighted in this article will be essential components to the Knights' success.

Brett Hodges

Saturday afternoon against ECU, Hodges was not the calm, cool, and collected quarterback that we saw in the win against Buffalo. An inability to cope with threats in the pocket led to four interceptions, the last of which ended all hopes for a late-game comeback.

Hodges was also sacked four times, eliminating any fluidity and comfort to this game. His completion stats were average; nothing to write home to Orlando about, and no way to play a conference matchup.

If Hodges wants to lead his team to the first C-USA win of the season against Memphis this coming Saturday, he'll need to play much smarter football. His passing performance wasn't terrible against the Pirates, but any chance of the game being successful was lost in his picks.

The Tigers are coming off of a conference loss against Marshall with unimpressive statistics; if Hodges keeps his head in the game, we should see a much better showing vs. Memphis, which is only the beginning of the rest of the challenges the team will see in 2009.

Brynn Harvey

Harvey did all he could against East Carolina last Saturday, netting a 19-yard gain for a touchdown in the first quarter, and 71 yards total. With a better game from Hodges, Harvey would definitely have made a big impact in the game.

The running back is proving his anticipated worth for the 2009 season, and will be the key component to the Knights' running game against Memphis and beyond.

Jarvis Geathers

Last week, I noted Geathers' as a key member of the Knights' defense. He had a fantastic game against Buffalo, but was part of an ineffective and sack-less defensive team against East Carolina. In addition, the DE was without an unassisted tackle in the game and was a part of only two assisted tackles.

Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable and his crew need to work out the kinks in the “D” before Saturday if Geathers is going to continue to be a clutch player for the rest of the season.

Kamar Aiken

Aiken did his job against the Pirates, with two catches for 50 yards and a touchdown. As the Knights' most electrifying player on the receiving end, he will achieve as much as Hodges (and the opponent's defense) allows him. Look for him to be a big piece of the success next week and in the rest of the season.

The Again Elusive First Half

The Knights were not completely shut out in the first half, but one touchdown with a touchdown and a field goal allowed doesn't make for a strong first 30:00.

The ECU Pirates are a great team, and to their credit were phenomenal vs. the Knights on Saturday, but if UCF continues to let teams dog all over them like they did, the first half will not get any better.

As Coach O'Leary noted in my interview with him last Monday, before the UCF-ECU game, the black and gold need to come out and play focused and hard from the moment the first whistle blows.

Without heeding their head coach's wisdom, they will continue to struggle in both conference and non-conference play.

Read Jessica's article at Examiner.com Orlando