Will QB Rob Calabrese be able to step up in 2010?

This is the second in a two-part series of questions about the UCF football team heading into Fall camps.

1. What player needs to step up this year in order for the team to reach it's potential?

That role rests with the starting quarterback, Rob Calabrese.
He had the opportunity last season to watch and learn from the calm, cool Brett Hodges and how composed he was during games.

Hopefully that transfers over to Calabrese, who has looked frantic at times behind center.
The junior has shown flashes of being a quality starting quarterback, but he's going to have to be consistent on the field and not turn the ball over for the Knights to be successful in 2010.

2. Who is the top offensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?

Watch out for Iowa transfer Jeff Brinson at the running back position.

The St. Petersburg native wanted to transfer closer to home and fits in nicely at UCF.
With the absence of Brynn Harvey because of an injury for the start of the season, the sophomore Brinson can come in and provide depth at a position that will be a question mark until Harvey returns.

Brinson was limited to just one carry last season with a foot injury, but he was a highly touted prospect coming out of Northeast High School after rushing for 4,925 yards and 67 touchdowns on 567 carries in his career.

3. Who is the top defensive newcomer that can make an impact this year?

The biggest impact a newcomer can make is on the defensive line, which is why I feel Quenton Brown will have a chance to make some noise.

The Tucker, Ga., native can provide power at the ends and will help fill the void left by the Knights' two defensive line anchors of the past in Torrell Troupe and Travis Timmons.

At 6-foot-3, 215-pounds, Brown needs to add more weight, but once he does, expect to see his name pop up in the box score often.

4. Which player will have the biggest impact on special teams in 2010?

Last season, it wasn't known how freshman Quincy McDuffie would fit into the Knights' plans.

He ended up being the plan, especially when it came to the return game.

The sophomore wide out registered 944 kickoff return yards last season, averaged 24.2 yards per kickoff an returned a kick for a touchdown in what was a marvelous display of athleticism and raw speed.

In 2010, he will be the go-to guy for kick returns and should be featured in the punt return formation as well.

5. What has head coach George O'Leary done well while at UCF, and what does he need to improve going forward?

During his tenure, he's continued to improve on his recruiting classes year after year, not to mention giving Kevin Smith a shot at running back after other schools were recruiting him to play defense. Seems like that worked out well.

As far as improvements, consistency is the key. UCF has alternated winning seasons during his tenure and hasn't been consistently atop of C-USA since joining in 2005.

6. Gut feeling on the team's final record at the end of the regular season and what makes a successful season?

Final record should read 8-4.

The defense is great, but they need to get consistent play out of the quarterback position to be able to win on a more consistent basis. If Harvey comes back healthy, UCF has a chance to go bowling.