Meet The 2026 UCF Knights: Countdown To Kickoff - No. 12 Keyone Jenkins and Aymeric Koumba
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Welcome to UCF Knights on SI's countdown to kickoff!
In this series, we are going to introduce you to every single player on the 2026 UCF football roster so that you can know what to expect from them or even pinpoint the ones you want to follow throughout the coming season. We are going to go through the Knights' roster in reverse jersey-number order, with the day each player's entry is published corresponding to the number of days remaining until UCF's season-opener on Sep. 3 at 7 p.m. against Bethune-Cookman.
For this entry, we have two players with the same jersey number. So, with 12 days to go, let's meet UCF quarterback Keyone Jenkins and EDGE Aymeric Koumba:
- Who is Keyone Jenkins?
- What did Jenkins do last season?
- What role is Jenkins going to have in 2026?
- Who is Aymeric Koumba?
- What did Koumba do last season?
- What role is Koumba going to have in 2026?
1. Who is Keyone Jenkins?
Position: Quarterback
Class: Senior
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0 / 200 pounds
Hometown: Opa-Locka, Florida
High School: Miami Central High School
Nicknamed "Lights Out," Keyone Jenkins made the journey north to UCF from Florida International for his senior season. Following UCF's open practice session on May 2, Jenkins said he gave it as his nickname when he was playing basketball, and then after he "went crazy" and "won MVP," it stuck and followed him to the football field.
Jenkins was the Panthers' primary starting quarterback for three seasons, starting in his freshman year, during which he earned All-CUSA Freshman team honors.
2. What did Jenkins do last season?
Jenkins started in all 10 of the games he played for Florida International in 2025. He completed 164 of his 263 passes for 1,742 yards and nine touchdowns. He also threw six interceptions and rushed 51 times for 132 yards and five touchdowns.
3. What role is Jenkins going to have in 2026?
Given Alonza Barnett III is already cemented as the Knights' starting quarterback, Jenkins' chances to see the field in 2026 are going to come thanks either to an injury or garbage time.
Both coach Scott Frost and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton have spoken positively of Jenkins, though they have not elaborated on him much specifically beyond saying he was "awesome" or "done great."
However, of the quarterbacks vying to be QB2, Jenkins easily has the most experience with three seasons as FIU's starter under his belt. Meanwhile, Kaleb Annett has yet to set foot on a college football field after two seasons and Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr are true freshmen.
Given Jenkins' experience and the quarterbacks' performance at fall camp, the former FIU Panther reads as a "safe" depth option for Frost at quarterback. While Kaleb Annett and Rocco Marriott have looked promising during fall camp, it is still unknown if that ends up translating into game situations. So, even if Jenkins loses the backup quarterback competition to start, he could still be the experienced arm waiting in the wings in the event the inexperience of the rest of the quarterback room ends up negatively impacting UCF's performance.
Of course, all of this assumes Barnett is in some way unavailable at some point during the season.
4. Who is Aymeric Koumba?
Position: EDGE
Class: Redshirt Junior
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5 / 245 pounds
Hometown: Bordeaux, France
High School: Lycèe Alfred Kastler
Mostly a rugby player during his childhood, Aymeric Koumba first picked up football around the age of 16 or 17 in France, he said, following an April 21 practice session. He credited former UMass defensive tackle Brandon Collier and his organization PPI Recruits for helping him get to "a couple of camps," where he received "a couple offers."
Koumba said the biggest thing he missed about France was the food. He highlighted African meals as his favorites, which are a part of his family thanks to his father's Gabonese heritage.
"Oh, it's great," Koumba said. "The way they cook chicken, the beef, even some exotic animals."
5. What did Koumba do last season?
In his first season in Orlando after transferring from Michigan, Koumba played in nine games, though he registered only one solo tackle. In making his UCF debut, he became the first Frenchman to play in a Knights uniform.
6. What role is Koumba going to have in 2026?
UCF's EDGE coach Mike Dawson mentioned Koumba among the returning players who already know his language and style. However, he does not have the on-field experience that returners like Isaiah Nixon and Sincere Edwards or transfers like Bruno Dall and Ken Talley have.
That experience is likely going to keep him from becoming higher than a third-stringer on the depth chart. However, given L A Jesse Harrold's injury, Alhassan Iddrissu and Patrick Ryan being true freshmen and Quentin Hatch and Anthony Coaxum not having any Division I playing experience, Koumba is primed to become the Knights' primary third-string option.
While Koumba might not have too many snaps to his name to start the season, any injuries to Nixon, Edwards, Dall, or Talley are going to most likely lead to an increase for the Frenchman.
Catch up on the rest of the list below:
No. 14 Alonza Barnett III and Kahmel Johnson
No. 15 Will Stone and Preston Hall
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Bryson Turner is a sports journalist who covers UCF Athletics. Turner has contributed to the Black and Gold Banneret, the home for UCF Athletics on SB Nation. He has called the Orlando area home since the age of 8 and received his bachelor's and master's degrees from UCF.
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