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Group of Five season preview: Who is this year’s Cinderella?

By Jordan Alexis

ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 01: UCF players hoist the trophy after winning the AAC Championship football game between the visiting Memphis Tigers and the UCF Knights on December 1, 2018, at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - DECEMBER 01: UCF players hoist the trophy after winning the AAC Championship football game between the visiting Memphis Tigers and the UCF Knights on December 1, 2018, at Spectrum Stadium in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Boise State defensive end Curtis Weaver (99) encourages the crowd with Fresno State backed up near their own end zone in the first half of the Mountain West championship at Albertsons Stadium on Dec. 2, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. (Joe Jaszewski/Idaho Statesman/TNS via Getty Images)
Boise State defensive end Curtis Weaver (99) encourages the crowd with Fresno State backed up near their own end zone in the first half of the Mountain West championship at Albertsons Stadium on Dec. 2, 2017, in Boise, Idaho. (Joe Jaszewski/Idaho Statesman/TNS via Getty Images) /

Five Names to Know

D’Eriq King- QB, Houston

D’Eriq King is truly one of the most electrifying players in all of college football. Whether it is with his arm or legs, King is also a touchdown threat. King got to start a full season in 2018 and did not disappoint. He finished with over 3600 total yards, threw for 36 touchdowns and added another 14 on the ground. With Dana Holgorsen coming to Houston there is a high chance we could see King take his play to an even higher level in 2019.

Jordan Love – QB, Utah State

Jordan Love is not the level of athlete D’Eriq King is, but with his arm, he doesn’t have to be. Love took a massive leap from his freshman to sophomore season, increasing his completion percentage from 54.9% to 64%. That is even more impressive when you consider that he raised his average yards per attempt from 6.9 to 8.6. If you want to see one of the best deep-ball throwers in the country, check out Love this season.

Curtis Weaver – DE, Boise State

The Broncos have had some great pass rushers lately in Demarcus Lawrence and Kamalei Correa, so Curtis Weaver appears to be the next in line. Weaver is a dominant rusher who plays with violent hands, making it hard for tackles to get a hold of him. 20.5 sacks in two seasons are no joke, and if he has another productive season in 2019, he could shoot up the draft boards next April.

Mason Fine – QB, North Texas

North Texas may not be the most popular program in the country, but they have one of the better signal-callers in all of college football with Mason Fine. Pro Football Focus ranked Fine as their fifth-best quarterback and for a good reason. Fine is coming off a season where he passed for over 3700 yards with 27 touchdowns and only five interceptions. The Mean Green return eight starters on offense this season so expect Fine to put up similar, if not better numbers.

Greg McCrae – RB, UCF

Adrian Killins may be the speedster of the UCF backfield, but Greg McCrae was the far more efficient runner for the Knights. Despite having 14 fewer carries, McCrae outgained Killins by almost 500 yards (1182 to 715). In UCF’s biggest games of the season versus Memphis for the AAC title and LSU in the Fiesta Bowl, McCrae was the offensive force. With uncertainty at QB, expect the Knights to leaning heavily on McCrae, especially in the early parts of the season.

Honorable Mentions:

Zac Thomas: QB, Appalachian State
Nathan Rourke: QB, Ohio
Kyahva Tezino: LB, San Diego State
Richie Grant: S, UCF
Spencer Brown: RB, UAB