For a moment before the UCF Knights played the BYU Cougars on Saturday, it looked like the UCF Knights would be getting Alonza Barnett back at quarterback. Brought in as a transfer to start, he’s been out since Week 2 with a bad hamstring. In the end, he couldn’t go, and Keyone Jenkins started once again.
Jenkins is a transfer with experience starting as well. He spent three years as FIU’s primary quarterback and came to UCF knowing he’d likely be a backup. However, when injuries forced him on the field, he became a starter once again.
At time, Jenkins has been inconsistent, both with costly turnovers and the deep ball. However, he came up massive against BYU, and UCF knocked off the No. 2 team in the country. With that win, it’s going to be hard for head coach Scott Frost to take the starting job away from Jenkins once Barnett is healthy.
UCF Knights QB Keyone Jenkins on Starting
Keyone Jenkins made the case he should be starting for UCF on the field on Saturday. After the game, however, he didn’t want to publicly campaign for the job.
“It’s really up to the coaches for real. They going to do what they feel is best for the team. It’s really out of my control. I’m going to control what I control. Continue to do what I do,” Jenkins said.
More than that, Jenkins was bold enough to directly call Barnett the starter once he’s healthy. That is, unless the coaching staff makes a bold change.
“Keep my head down and work. I’m happy he’ll be back. It’s still his team. Still his starting job. You don’t lose your starting job due to injury. So whenever he is healthy, he’s going to be the starter until the coaches think otherwise.”
For the season, Jenkins is completing 67.9% of his passes for 1,099 yards and 11 touchdowns to 3 interceptions. He’s also rushed for 76 yards and 4 touchdowns. In that time, UCF is 3-2.
Barnett, meanwhile, has a 1-1 record as a starter. In his more limited time, Barnett is completing 63.3% of his passes for 344 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 1 interception. He also has 22 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground. Of course, UCF will also consider that Barnett is being paid more in NIL, a reality of the modern era.
UCF HC Scott Frost Praised Keyone Jenkins
Immediately following the upset win over BYU, UCF’s Scott Frost was emotional on the field. That allowed him to share some genuine praise for Keyone Jenkins, including that he played like a starter.
“Our guy isn’t playing like a backup. Our guy played like a legit starter tonight, and we needed every one of the plays that he made,” Frost said after the game.
“But man, I’m glad we went and got him.”
Of course, the truth is that Jenkins is a starter, or at least he had been in the past. That experience is something most teams don’t have on their bench due to the Transfer Portal, and it could make what UCF is doing a model for other programs.
UCF QB Battle: Scott Frost Must Decide Between Alonza Barnett, Keyone Jenkins