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Haynes grounds offense of UCF

The Orlando Evans product is expected to enliven running game.

By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 27, 2002

ORLANDO -- When Alex Haynes' 5-foot-11, 219-pound frame hits the hole, as the redshirt sophomore squares his shoulders and bursts through the line, the Central Florida tailback will be carrying more than the ball this season.

He will be carrying hopes of the school's first conference championship and the first postseason bowl bid.

While UCF always has been a productive offensive team, rarely has it been a balanced one.

To compete in the Mid-American Conference and improve on last season's 1-5 road record, the Knights will have to run the ball, run it well and run it better than they have in seven years.

"It's always the same thing with us," coach Mike Kruczek said. "We know how to throw the football against anybody. We have got to learn how to dominate the line of scrimmage with those up front people and run the ball on a consistent basis."

To do that, Kruczek brought in two junior college signees to bolster an offensive line that has three returning. Running the ball also has been emphasized in spring and fall camp.

But once the holes are opened, moving the ball and keeping opposing defenses honest falls to 20-year-old Haynes, an Orlando Evans product. Haynes, considered UCF's biggest local signee, said he has felt the pressure throughout the offseason.

"I felt it as soon as the season was over," he said. "We hit the weight room and it's just been high-tempo since then. It's been get it done, get ready to play ball, put on size, get faster, do whatever it takes to win.

"I think I'm going to be in a big role (this year). The running game is going to be very effective this year, and that's going to open up the passing game. So we're both going to be complementing each other, we're both going to be helping each other out."

Physically, Haynes has dropped four pounds, increased his bench press by 20 pounds, squat by 25 pounds and dropped his 40-yard dash time by .04 seconds.

Mentally, Haynes said he's more prepared.

"I think I'm a little bit more faster (than last year)," he said. "I've lost a couple of pounds and put on more muscle mass. Plus I played last year, so I got that under my belt now. I know my limitations on offense, the things I can do and the things I can't do. I just feel more comfortable now, like I'm a veteran."

Quarterback Ryan Schneider added, "He looks great. He looks ten times better than he did last year. He looks strong, he looks quicker, he looks like he's ready to run through people."

After redshirting in 2000, Haynes showed more as a freshman last season than any UCF back since 1995, despite missing three games with a hip pointer.

In nine games he rushed for 690 yards and nine touchdowns, the best effort by a back since Marquette Smith's school-record 1,511 yards. Smith was the last 1,000-yard rusher for UCF, while Haynes' four 100-yard games last season were more than the previous three years combined.

The Knights can throw the ball with the best of them, ranking eighth in the nation at 308.3 yards per game in 2001. But the team that had 8.3 yards per pass had just 3.3 yards per carry. UCF rushed for 100.6 yards per game last season, ranking 104th nationally among 177 I-A teams.

With a more focused, more experienced Haynes in the backfield, Kruczek said, that will change.

"He's gonna be a great player in our program," Kruczek said. "He's kind of a glider, but now he's learned how to slash. He sees the hole much better, and the thing I emphasized with him in the offseason is to cut his weight. He doesn't need that weight, it just slows him down. He doesn't want to get caught from behind once he breaks out into the open.

"He has to stay healthy, and the way you do that is you run with a vengeance and with a focus. Don't fear a thing. I think as a redshirt freshman at times last year, that was hurting him.

"They won't see that this year."

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