Things have not started well for the UCF Knights, a program that just two years ago had players like Blake Bortles and Storm Johnson leading the program to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Baylor. This season has started slowly out of the gates with a mildly surprising 0-2 start with losses to FIU (shocker) and Stanford (not at all unexpected). Now the Knights have lost their starting quarterback for the next two weeks. Or three. Or four.
On Monday UCF head coach George O’Learey announced quarterback Justin Holman will be out of action for the next two to four weeks after injuring his throwing hand early in Saturday’s game at Stanford. If that timeline holds true, that would make the best case scenario for Holman’s return to have him back on the field in time for American Athletic Conference play on October 3 at Tulane. The worst-case scenario would seem to have him back for the October 17 game at Temple, if not the previous week at home against super mega historical rival UConn. UCF’s next two games are at home against Furman this week and on the road at South Carolina next week.
“It [wasn’t as] ... serious as they thought when they first told me about it in San Francisco, but it’s still enough where he has to let some sutures heal and all that type thing,” O’Leary said, per The Orlando Sentinel. “But he’ll be back as soon as he can be back... He’ll work the rehab as much as he can work it to get back as soon as he can.”
With Holman out of action, UCF will put the offense in the hands of freshman Bo Schneider. Schneider stepped in and completed seven of 19 pass attempts for 46 yards and an interception against Stanford. He and freshman Tyler Harris could end up splitting reps until Holman returns. Whoever the quarterback is though will be taking snaps from a brand new center. Starting center Joey Grant has left the team after suffering his third shoulder surgery. Junior Jason Rae will be the new center on the offensive line, leaving UCF a bit more shallow at the position early on in the season.