Palm Beach Post
Clemson's Trevor Lawrence has a cannon attached to his right shoulder. Everyone knows that. Miami Hurricanes defensive coordinator Blake Baker even compares it to guys playing on Sunday.
"He has such great arm strength, such great accuracy, he's really able to throw it in there, just like an NFL quarterback, into really, really tight windows," Baker said.
But that's not all that scares the No. 7-ranked Hurricanes (3-0) about the quarterback they will face Saturday when they travel to No. 1 Clemson (3-0). Baker and coach Manny Diaz spent a lot of time Tuesday talking about how Lawrence is just as dangerous if you overlook what he can do when he tucks the ball.
Lawrence, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, is going to get paid because of his arm, but at the college level especially, he has proven to be a threat when running.
"The really aggravating part is just when you are doing a good job in pass coverage and he's got the ability to break away from pass coverage and either scramble to throw - he's really, really good throwing on the run – or just tuck it and get a first down," Diaz said.
"He eats up your angle because he gets to the sideline and you never really can get a hit on him because he's just got these long strides and finds a way to get out of bounds for a first down. He puts a lot of stress on your defense."
And it's not just scrambling when a play breaks down. Diaz this week watched film of Lawrence breaking through the Ohio State defense in last year's playoff game on a quarterback draw. He went 67 yards untouched for a touchdown.
But it's what he did after getting through a huge hole that was so impressive.
First, he faked out two defenders with moves that had one of them falling to the ground and the other spinning around. Then, he outran the entire secondary that, as Diaz said, "was filled with first-round draft picks."
"Once he gets into the open field, he's a load to bring down," Baker said. "Real, real fast. People probably sleep on that more than anything because he has such long strides. But he is eating up ground and gaining tons of yards once the pocket breaks down."
Still, when a guy has thrown for 7,783 yards and 73 touchdowns in 33 games, of which he's won 32, most have a tendency to worry more about that arm.
"The biggest thing is we have to be able to contest a lot of his throws," Baker said. "Even when you think you have a guy covered, he is so accurate that he's going to put the ball in there."
Playoffs? Not for UCF
We will never see a Group of Five program crash the playoffs unless something extra-extraordinary happens. This could be that year considering how nothing is typical in 2020 and the competition is limited with the Big 12 imploding and not knowing how many games teams in the Big Ten and Pac-12 will play.
But we know now if a Group of Five team is considered this year, it will not be UCF. Unless it cleans up its play, UCF is going to waste an extraordinary offense that is second nationally with 582.3 yards per game and a quarterback in Dillon Gabriel who is throwing for 385 yards per game, second most in the country.
But the reason UCF is now out of the national conversation and unranked in the AP poll is because it has become one of the most undisciplined, sloppiest teams in the country.
The Knights lead the country with 45 penalties in three games after committing 18 for 124 yards in their 34-26 home loss to Tulsa Saturday, a game in which UCF blew an 18-point first-half lead. No other team that has played at least three games has more than 32. UCF's 104.67 penalty yards per game are the most among teams with at least three games.
"It costs you a football game like it did tonight," UCF coach Josh Heupel said Saturday.
And it will cost them a lot more if Heupel does not fix it.
Three-and-out
1. Dan Mullen was not happy with the way Florida finished its 38-24 win over South Carolina. Mullen's team ran nine plays for 11 yards and gave up 40 plays for 160 yards after leading 38-14. He said to be a complete team the Gators have to learn to put away a team at that point. "You're a stop or a score away really from the game being completely out of reach and a lot of backups even playing. That was disappointing we didn't do that." he said.
2. With Jordan Travis being named the starting quarterback at Florida State, the Seminoles now have had five different starters at quarterback and four different acting head coaches in the last two years. Travis, the former Benjamin standout who transferred to FSU from Louisville, makes his first start Saturday at Notre Dame.
3. We are three games into the season and USF has used four quarterbacks who have combined for a 53.7 completion percentage, one TD, five interceptions and sacked eight times. The Bulls' passing efficiency rating of 85.09 is second from last nationally, only because the team below them, Air Force, has attempted nine passes all season. Coach Jeff Scott said on his radio show he's back to square one at the position and the four quarterbacks will compete this week to see who starts Saturday against East Carolina.
1. Florida 2-0: Gators face Texas A&M and Jimbo Fisher, who is 7-1 vs. Florida.
2. Miami 3-0: Game at No. 1 Clemson will tell us a lot about this team.
3. UCF 2-1: Now getting into AAC title game should be main goal.
4. FSU 1-2: Finally, some hope, even if it was Jacksonville State.
5. FAU 1-0: Struggled to beat bad Charlotte team in opener.
6. FIU 0-1: Next opponent, MTSU, might be worst team in country.
7. USF 1-2: Savor that season-opening win over The Citadel.