The UCF Knights passing attack has not produced explosive numbers compared to previous seasons, due in large part to untimely injuries. Veteran receiver Brandon Johnson has helped carry the water for a depleted receiving group, even though he’s not always defined as a big-time playmaker.
Johnson, a graduate transfer from the University of Tennessee, has caught nine touchdown passes in his first nine games with the Knights. He ranks sixth in the nation with his nine touchdowns, and is two touchdowns shy of the national lead. He’s also two shy of breaking into UCF’s top 10 for touchdown receptions in a single season.
UCF scored 20 or more points the entire season until an unproductive night against one of the worst-ranked defenses in the country, a 14-10 victory over Tulane. The Knights were held to season lows of 48 rushing yards and 14 total points, while the offense had 96 total yards in the second half.
Down 10-7 with just 5:55 remaining in the fourth quarter, true freshman quarterback Mikey Keene found Johnson for a 23-yard strike to take a 14-10 game-winning lead against the Green Wave this past Saturday.
“It’s just huge,” Keene said about Johnson’s veteran presence. “He understands where people are, where he needs to be and how to make himself open, so it just makes my job a lot easier.”
The UCF offense got solid production from its receiving group, including a 53-yard reception from junior wide receiver Ryan O'Keefe and a 50-yard catch by Johnson. Both receivers combined for 167 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Johnson recorded his ninth touchdown catch despite only having one touchdown in 46 career games at Tennessee.
"Him (Johnson) and O'Keefe have really carried the water for our offense," UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn said. "We're just trying to get them the ball in different ways."
In nine games this season, the Knights currently rank No. 37 in the nation in scoring offense at 32.4 points per game and No. 63 in total offense with 404.6 yards per game. UCF’s returning first-team all-conference receiver Jaylon “Flash'' Robinson has missed the last six games after suffering an injury in the loss at Louisville (Sep. 17), but Johnson has stepped up to fill the role with 29 receptions for 397 total yards and the aforementioned nine touchdowns this season.
Johnson is the son of former Major League Baseball and four-time Gold Glove catcher Charles Johnson, and he’s also a cousin of former All-Pro NFL receiver Chad Johnson. The 6’2”, 195-pound receiver out of Fort Lauderdale earned an undergraduate degree from the University of Tennessee in communication studies in December of 2020. For his career at Tennessee, Johnson recorded 79 receptions for 969 yards and one score, starting 15 games during the process.
His most productive season at Tennessee was his sophomore year, leading the Vols with 482 receiving yards and tied for the team lead in receptions with 37. Johnson recorded his first career touchdown catch against Indiana State on Sep. 9, 2017. That was the only touchdown Johnson recorded in his four years at Tennessee.
Johnson was a four-star recruit and top 100 prospect in the state of Florida at powerhouse American Heritage High School in Plantation, Fla. where he recorded 20 receptions for 237 yards, scoring three touchdowns as a senior in 2015.
With a win over Tulane, UCF improved to 3-0 in the second half of the season and remained perfect at the Bounce House at 5-0. The Knights travel to Dallas, Texas on Saturday to take on a competitive Southern Methodist University team playing solid on both ends of the ball.
This season, SMU won its first seven games and was ranked as high as No. 16 in the coaches poll, before falling in back-to-back conference games at Houston and Memphis. The Mustangs defense is led by senior linebacker Delano Robinson with 54 tackles and freshman safety Isaiah Nwokobia with 22 total tackles along with two interceptions.
The Knights hope to get speedy downfield threat “Flash” Robinson back as Malzahn hinted at his possible return in Monday’s pregame press conference. Robinson was dressed on the sideline against Tulane but did not play.
UCF will need another receiver to step up to take pressure off Keene and free up passing lanes with most teams doubling and focusing on shutting down O’Keefe. Despite the injuries, Johnson has asserted himself into the offensive game plan and wants to finish his collegiate career strong.
“If I can focus on trying to help my team, the rest will take care of itself,” Johnson said on Aug. 7. “The rest will push me forward into my dreams of playing at the next level.”
Johnson has certainly made his mark on the UCF receiving corps.
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