UCF Need to Attack Cincinnati Cornerback Ahmad Gardner

ORLANDO – When there’s a future NFL cornerback on the gridiron, it’s oftentimes complicated to originate passing performs to that cornerback’s aspect of the discipline. With true approach, blueprint, and play calling, taking revenue of that proficient cornerback will almost definitely be achieved.

The Bearcats will accelerate out Ahmad Gardner against the Knights. He’s one of the most finest, if no longer the finest, cornerback within the country. Would possibly maybe beget to UCF space Gardner? Yes, but there wants to be magnificent steps when making a concerted effort to switch straight at Gardner and his mountainous skills.

Right here’s a look at two areas that Gardner does correctly sooner than defining what can work against him and the Bearcats.

Ahmad Gardner

Space: Cornerback

Vitals: 6’3”, 200 pounds 

Space of beginning: Detroit (Mich.) Martin Luther King

Finest physical attribute: Dimension; Gardner’s arms allow him to deflect passes utterly different cornerbacks merely cannot reach. He’s also consistently redirecting huge receivers some distance from their supposed route path along with his length and his physical come to the sport of soccer.

Gardner will play bump-and-scamper protection by lining straight in front of the massive receiver, and as quickly as the soccer goes to the quarterback, Gardner will attack the massive receiver. Any huge receiver with moderate or much less approach for defeating press protection will likely be in distress against Gardner. He’s also a savvy defender.

Gardner will play press protection after which, at the last moment, bail into a at ease zone. Timing when he strikes some distance from the massive receiver can uncover to be the excellent factor for Gardner, because if done because it will likely be, there’s no pre-snap adjustment for the quarterback and huge receiver to originate.

It’s powerful extra complicated to alter after the snap of the soccer, and that’s what Gardner wants his opponents to assemble. Cincinnati coaches its cornerbacks completely, and Gardner’s savvy play provides to the final cornerback building he receives from the Cincinnati teaching team.

Despite all of Gardner’s skills, the next might maybe maybe presumably be four true methods to attack him.

Screens

There is no longer a cornerback alive that essentially wants to buy on offensive linemen and tight ends. Though cornerbacks might maybe maybe content it, powerful greater avid gamers working in opposition to them with the intent to bury them into the turf will no longer be the first merchandise on their prefer list of performs to switch up against. Gardner is no longer any exception.

Early within the sport, UCF wants to scamper shows to the remarkable suspects — Johnny Richardson, Price Antony-Richards, Amari Johnson, and Ryan O’Keefe — amongst quite quite a bit of proficient skill attach avid gamers. When those shows happen, it’s completely crucial that UCF offensive linemen and tight ends hammer Gardner with their blocks.

Soccer is a sport of attrition. Make optimistic Gardner knows he’s taking half in soccer from the early phases of the sport the total design by the fourth quarter.

Perimeter Working Plays

This might maybe maybe presumably be comparable to the shows, after which there’s the added bonus of attempting to kind out someone as colossal as Antony-Richards size, which might maybe maybe presumably be about 215 pounds. Worthy take care of with the shows, that’s no longer the first prefer for a cornerback.

The identical will almost definitely be said when UCF quarterback Joey Gatewood enters the lineup. He’s a colossal man at 6’5″, 220 pounds. When he runs in opposition to the sideline, he can lay a lick on Gardner and most utterly different defenders.

Gardner deserves to be referred to as a physical participant, but he’s no longer a linebacker. Each time he wants to kind out a UCF participant that’s one extra physique blow he’ll absorb.

Stacked Extensive Receiver Formations

On yarn of Gardner does an remarkable job of taking half in press protection, there’s no quiz UCF wants to be inventive with its huge receiver formations. That’s the attach a stacked formation can come into play. It’s merely what it sounds take care of, too.

Two huge receivers line up one in front of utterly different. Fetch a important participant take care of O’Keefe and stack a true cessation or huge receiver in front of him. That can aid assign away with press protection, and it further helps originate shows and rapid releases so as that quarterback Mikey Keene will likely be in a design to carry the soccer hasty.

Double Strikes

Gardner’s aggressive nature might maybe maybe allow for a double switch to reach success. When there’s scamper on the discipline with a participant take care of O’Keefe, UCF merely must uncover methods for him to salvage unhurried the secondary, Gardner incorporated.

For that topic, Gardner might maybe maybe practice O’Keefe spherical all sport long. Variety no longer question Jaylon Robinson to play against Cincinnati, so O’Keefe’s manufacturing will likely be crucial. Even supposing it’s true one play of O’Keefe going by Gardner and catching a pass for 50 yards, it can very correctly be the distinction within the sport.

With magnificent timing and play calling, there’s an opportunity to connect Keene to O’Keefe all one of the best design by an out-and-up route, cessation-and-move route, or something identical.

Final Thoughts

Gardner is one of the most nation’s most productive overall avid gamers, and will likely be revered. That does no longer imply UCF can true give him the aspect of the discipline he traces up on. The Knights must composed be physical with Gardner all sport long, and uncover a vogue to buy revenue of his aggressive taking half in vogue.

For UCF insights, faculty soccer news, and recruiting records move to: The Each day Knight podcast. This might maybe occasionally be found on iTunes and Spotify. For extra UCF and recruiting records, move to Twitter: @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation, moreover to my YouTube Channel and Instagram page. Contend with and Subscribe!

Contemporary Articles From Internal The Knights

Cincinnati’s Defensive Skills Takes Middle Stage

Tuesday’s Thoughts: Capitalizing on Miami’s Failures

The Each day Knight: Replacing Defensive Contend with Kalia Davis After His Damage

Gus Malzahn’s Press Convention, Highlighting Brandon Adams and the Speeding Attack

The Each day Knight: Which School Soccer Head Coach Will get Fired First in October?

First Search: Cincinnati Bearcats Offensive Talent Players

Obarski Leads Particular Groups Revival

UCF Hall of Status Recap

The Each day Knight: UCF Defensie Comes Up Gigantic In opposition to East Carolina

Keene Comes Via, Working Backs Thrive, Knights Remove

Around the SEC: Picking SEC Video games for Week Six

UCF Defense, Led by Bethune, Steps up For the length of 20-16 Victory Over East Carolina

Knights’ Final Drive Ends in 20-16 Victory Over Pirates

Halftime Thoughts and Statistics, East Carolina at UCF

Gameday Central: East Carolina at UCF

Midseason Recruiting Overview

The Each day Knight: UCF Soccer Recruiting Game Day Visits

Around the SEC: Picking SEC Video games for Week Six

Scouting Quan Lee, Buchholz Versus Gainesville

The Each day Knight: UCF Recruiting, 2021 When put next with Future Classes

Recruiting Comparison Between East Carolina and UCF, How They Constructed Their Programs