Amidst UCF‘s 73-6 victory against Bethune-Cookman in their season opener, it’s easy to overlook the fact that the Knights limited the Wildcats to a mere 181 yards of total offense.
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B-CU completed only 50% of its passes, going 10 for 20 for a mere 74 yards, resulting in a meager 3.7 yards per completion. It was the lowest amount of passing yards since the Knights allowed just 40 passing yards against North Carolina A&T on Sept. 6, 2025.
It’s not surprising when you consider that UCF boasted one of the top passing defenses in the Big 12 last season, giving up an average of only 185 yards per game through the air. Remarkably, the Knights didn’t allow a 300-yard passer for the first time since 2024.
Those figures could be tested Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN2) as UCF (1-0) travels to Pittsburgh (1-0), where the Panthers feature the No. 1 passing offense in the country after a 59-14 romp of Miami of Ohio last week.
Quarterback Mason Heintschel threw for 453 yards while tying a school record with seven touchdowns to seven different receivers. He became the first quarterback to pass for over 450 yards and seven touchdowns since LSU’s Joe Burrow in 2019.
UCF defensive coordinator Alex Grinch wasn’t shocked by Pitt’s performance.
“It’s just a continuation of the production that they had a year ago,” Grinch said on Tuesday. “You saw them do it against a number of opponents last year. There’s a consistency about it. In their approach. It’s an attacking style. It’s pedal down all the time. They don’t take the air out of the ball.”
Grinch sees a lot of similarities between the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Heintschel and another former UCF quarterback, Blake Bortles, who was also undervalued early in his college career.
“I remember being a coach at Missouri in 2012 when we came to Central Florida and they had a young quarterback that looked pretty good on tape,” recalled Grinch. “He had like 280 yards and a couple touchdowns. You’re sitting there like, ‘Oh my God.’ He ends up being Blake Bortles, who was a former first-round pick.
“All he does is make plays, extend plays, find guys downfield, keep plays alive and punish you if you have good coverage because he scrambles. This is a real one, and he’s got weapons to direct the ball to. So, the antennas are up on the defensive side of the ball this week.”
Grinch believes his defense will be up to the task, crediting the group’s maturity.
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The experience will help in the secondary, which features five returning starters: cornerbacks Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson and safeties Demari Henderson, Jayden Williams and Braeden Marshall, all seniors.
“The message is your reward for good coverage is now you have to play longer because he’s going to extend the play and the plays ultimately going to have to be made,” said Grinch.
Heintschel punished Miami’s defense, escaping the pressure and finding receivers open at every turn. Even more impressive, he was 5 of 6 for 168 yards with three touchdowns on throws of 20 yards or longer.
Grinch stresses the importance of his defenders not allowing receivers to get behind them.
“From a communication standpoint, being sound and making sure we got guys where we need them, so we don’t give up the free one,” he said. “Who’s got the back or who’s got the vertical? We’ve got to make sure we don’t give them free ones from that standpoint. Beyond that, it’s 11-man football.”
The Knights, 7-point underdogs, will also need to disrupt Heintschel, who was only under pressure seven times last week, according to Pro Football Focus.
“We’ve just got to do what we’ve been coached,” said defensive tackle Horace Lockett. “We just have to do it perfectly. Cage the quarterback, keep him in the pocket, cause pressure and stop the run.”
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram at @osmattmurschel. Email: [email protected]. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
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