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UCF Passing Attack DEMANDS Improvement – Can Barnett III & Thomas Jr. BREAK OUT? I UCF Podcast

April 10, 2026·32 min·2 clips

UCF's passing attack was terrible last year, ranking 12th in the Big 12—can Alonzo Barnett III and Dwayne Thomas Jr. break out?

1. Locked On UCF host Mike and UCFNightZone.com senior writer Andrew Gluko analyze the state of UCF's passing game heading into spring practice for the 2026 football season. 2. Andrew Gluko is introduced as a senior writer at UCFNightZone.com with deep familiarity with UCF's offensive roster and statistical trends. 3. The episode's central question is whether Alonzo Barnett III and an upgraded receiver group can lift UCF from 12th place in Big 12 passing to the top five. 4. UCF's 2025 passing totals were 2,649 yards for the season and 220 yards per game — firmly in the bottom half of the Big 12 — with quarterback Taven Jackson ranked 12th in the conference at 2,100 yards. 5. The comparison class is stark: Big 12 leader Sawyer Robertson of Baylor threw for 3,681 yards, Josh Hoover at TCU had 3,472, and Noah Fivita came in at 3,328 yards passing. 6. Barnett's numbers at JMU last season — 2,806 yards, 23 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and over 600 rushing yards — would have placed him fifth in the Big 12 by passing yards, representing a significant upgrade over what UCF had. 7. Andrew argues Barnett does not need to be a 4,000-yard passer; reaching 2,800 to 3,000 yards with 23-plus touchdowns and single-digit interceptions would make UCF an eight-to-nine-win team. 8. No UCF receiver ranked in the top 16 of the Big 12 by receiving yards in 2025, while programs like BYU, TCU, and Baylor each had multiple players in the top 16. 9. Dwayne Thomas Jr. led UCF with 53 catches and 528 yards but never scored a touchdown, largely because he was used as a screen-pass target and UCF failed to score in short-yardage situations. 10. Thomas Jr. is returning in 2026 alongside tight end Dylan Wade, who had an outstanding season, and Waiting Charles, a freshman who had 290 yards with no touchdowns. 11. The wide receiver room is historically young — only two seniors in Josh Derry (transfer from Monmouth) and Dwayne Thomas Jr. — with the remaining players being true freshmen through redshirt sophomores. 12. Andrew identifies the youth of the room as a double-edged sword: higher developmental ceiling but less proven production, requiring Barnett to take on more leadership than a typical quarterback. 13. Notable returning and new contributors include Day Day Farmer (returning from injury, highly touted West Virginia transfer), Jordan Bridgewater (redshirt sophomore), Caleb Rollerson, and Josh Derry as a senior leader. 14. CBS projected UCF for three wins in 2026, prompting Mike and Andrew to push back by arguing UCF would have to get significantly worse from a season where they left three wins on the field. 15. FanDuel has UCF's over-under at five and a half wins, and Andrew says eight to nine wins is achievable if short-yardage conversion improves and the offense is more consistent. 16. UCF sits 12th in Big 12 conference title odds at plus 4,500, behind teams including Kansas and ahead of only a few programs in the market. 17. Barnett's completion percentage was 58.5% last season, with two games under 50% and only one game at 70% or above, reflecting inconsistency that the hosts hope a better receiver group will correct. 18. PFF data identified deep sideline passes as Barnett's weakest category, but Andrew attributes this to receiver issues rather than arm limitations, pointing to Barnett's solid deep-middle accuracy. 19. Adjusting for 20 receiver drops last season, Barnett's completion percentage rises to 70.2%, which Andrew cites as the more honest baseline for his accuracy in a better situation. 20. Listeners who want in-depth statistical analysis of UCF football with a focus on roster construction and conference context will find strong value; casual or non-UCF football fans will not.

As heard by us

A blunt look at whether UCF's passing game can finally catch up.

UCF's passing game is the issue the conversation keeps circling. Mike G and Andrew Gluko call 2025 terrible, then keep pressing the same point: how much improvement does this offense need before it starts to feel settled?

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Why you'd press play

If UCF's passing-game ceiling matters to you, this is your stop.

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