How Isaiah Bowser Returning to UCF for 2022 Season Impacts the Knights

Isaiah Bowser’s return will further bolster UCF’s offense.

Author:
Jack Edwards
Publish date:
Jan 7, 2022 6:00 AM EST

Isaiah Bowser announced via Twitter on Wednesday that he will use his final year of eligibility to return to play for UCF in 2022. It was initially unclear whether or not Bowser would declare for the NFL Draft this offseason.

Bowser’s return will provide an immediate boost for the UCF offense, and will allow the Knights’ running back depth to continue to be one of the team’s biggest strengths. One of the likely reasons that Bowser is returning is that he has struggled with injuries throughout his career.

Excluding his freshman year in 2018, he has suffered an injury that caused him to miss some games in every season he has played. He will need to prove to NFL scouts that he is capable of putting together an injury-free season.

Bowser will almost certainly be the lead running back for the Knights next season, as he has been a cornerstone of the UCF offense since transferring from Northwestern. A downhill runner, Bowser fights tooth and nail for that extra yard or two on every carry. This is an elite skill that aggravates every opposing defensive coordinator.

The Knights will have some uncertainty at the quarterback position heading into next season. Mikey Keene had a less-than-remarkable freshman season, but was able to lead the Knights to some key wins. Quarterback Thomas Castellanos, a 2022 recruit, will join the team next season, and the Knights possibly landing a QB transfer cannot be ruled out either. No matter who is under center, though, Bowser is a guy that will take an immense amount of pressure off of them.

Even with his longest run of the season being 36 yards, Bowser made critical runs, blocks and catches during every game he played in. He also helps the other running backs because he’s such a complement.

Fellow running back Johnny Richardson was UCF’s main big play weapon in 2021. However, Bowser’s 4.5 yards per carry in 2021 allowed UCF to consistently find themselves in second or third-and-short situations, which in turn allowed many of UCF’s offensive possessions to be methodical and efficient. There was a noticeable negative impact to the offense when Bowser was sidelined with injury.

In eight games with the Knights, Bowser managed 779 scrimmage yards, including nine touchdowns on the year. He played a major part in UCF’s wins over Boise State and Florida, rushing for 172 and 155 yards in those games respectively.

Now going into his fifth collegiate season, Bowser was one of multiple transfers to make a huge impact for the Knights in 2021. Guys like him, Big Kat Bryant, Mark-Antony Richards, Brandon Johnson, Ricky Barber, among others, have delivered big-time in their short tenure as Knights. The transfer portal success Gus Malzahn and his staff have had could make UCF a desirable transfer portal destination in the eyes of many student athletes.

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