UCF is coming off their first regular season loss since 2016, a streak that lasted 25-consecutive games, so it’s no wonder a lot of questions were asked to 2nd year head coach Josh Heupel, questioning how his team was handling the 35-34 loss to Pitt.

“Disappointed obviously, that happens when you put a lot of time and energy into something,” Heupel said earlier this week. “They’ve been good. They came in [this week], corrected what they saw on tape and went to work on the field.”

With the Knights having a lofty goal of going for their 3rd straight undefeated regular season, a loss brings about a lot of questions, including if it would ultimately define the 2019 season.

“2019 defines itself one week at a time,” Heupel said this week. “We have a mantra of going 1-0 and that doesn’t change whether you win the previous week or lose the previous week. It’s been a long time since our players felt that during the course of regular season play. It’s important in that moment to understand that that doesn’t define the entire season. The high, lofty goals and aspirations of the team, none of that changes.”

With the expectations of an unbeaten season now gone, does the preparation get a little easier with the players knowing they don’t have to build off such a substantial win streak week-after-week?

“I don’t feel like there is any pressure taken off of our football team,” he said. “We have high expectations within our walls everyday. Our players have been really good about not focusing on the end prize, just focusing on the journey of that week, staying true to our motto of going 1-0.”

Heupel’s thought about going against UConn?

“This is just the next game on our schedule,” he said. “Our players will be excited about walking into that stadium. I don’t expect the environment to be any different than it ever has been since I’ve been here, a packed house. We open up conference play and our kids are excited about that.”

And he expects that excitement to carry over to the field.

“Just come back, be focused and engaged with high energy,” he said. “I wouldn’t expect our players to be any different than they’ve always been. Yes, we lost a football game, but we have another one to play. The kids will be ready to go.”

TRUE FRESHMAN QB DILLON GABRIEL:

Much like UConn, UCF will also be playing a true freshman quarterback, another play, like McKenzie Milton, who hails from Hawaii. Gabriel unseated opening night starter and Notre Dame transfer Brandon Wimbush and will again start tonight against the Huskies, Heupel confirmed earlier in the week.

With Gabriel quarterbacking the Knights to the loss in Pittsburgh, does Heupel think that advertsity will help or hurt his confidence as they look to turn the page against UConn?

“It helps everybody,” Heupel said. “I don’t care what position you are playing. Every rep makes you better. Adversity that you face, as long as you are willing to accept the things that you see on tape and learn from the experience, are going to benefit you as you go down the road, so he’ll be better for it.”

Last week, UCF did not have a designed QB run, something that the Knights offense has really used to exploit opposing defenses. It’s something Heupel thinks will come with time.

“I think the young quarterbacks, finding out when is the right time to step up in the pocket and get out, when is the right time to throw the ball away, those are the things that come with experience,” he said. “There’s some things [Dylan] wants back, whether that’s a throw, moving in the pocket, running on a play outside of the pocket, you learn and be better from.”

Heupel was also trying to establish the mindset that this just wasn’t Gabriel’s loss, it’s a shared responsibility that is indicative of how every member of the program performed last week.

“[It’s] not just his first loss, it’s our first loss,” he said. “At the end of the day, we need to take care of the football, we need to win the turnover battle. It will be a major issue for us moving forward if we don’t correct that. We need to be on the right side of the turnover margin.”

If the Huskies can force some turnovers tonight at Spectrum Stadium, particularly early, that will help keep the Huskies in it. The longer the game stay close tonight, the longer questions may creep into the back of the mind of a young, true freshman quarterback.