UCF focuses on eliminating penalties after struggles at ECU

UCF scored 51 points, amassed 632 yards and forced four turnovers during its rout of East Carolina Saturday, but the number 19 — as in 19 penalties for a loss of 139 yards — that stands out for Knights coach Josh Heupel.

“We’ve got to get that corrected,” Heupel said. “It’s a huge part of the football game, making the situations tougher for us offensively and defensively. The pre-snap, post-whistle penalties must stop.”

The Knights were hit with four consecutive false start penalties during their opening drive. The trend continued throughout the first quarter, with the team flagged for 10 penalties — seven false starts, a pass interference, a defensive holding and a delay of game call…