Evaluating UCF's Defense, How Recruiting Impacts the Future

There needs to be a thorough evaluation of UCF’s defense after yesterday’s loss, with understanding where UCF is today and where it can be in two or three years through recruiting.

Brian Smith | Nov 14, 2021

ORLANDO - It’s the day after. The day after an absolute bludgeoning. After giving up 55 points and 631 total yards of offense, there needs to be a revised sense of where UCF’s defense resides today, as well as where it will be in say two, perhaps three years.

This is a complicated mess. So many moving parts, and yes, so many possible scenarios. With that in mind, two points will be focused upon for this write up with Cincinnati and SMU utilized as examples. First, where UCF’s defense is today, and second, where it should be after a couple of year’s recruiting.

Note: There are several talented UCF defensive players on the current roster. The sections below are an overview with just a few current UCF players used as examples, and not every talented player is listed.

Where the Defense is Today

The Knights did well versus teams that have pocket passers and did not have a bunch of receiving options. It also did well against East Carolina, a team with more than one talented skill player, although not the same number of players like the Bearcats and Mustangs.

Two teams took UCF’s defense apart and that would be Cincinnati and SMU. For those that bring up Navy, that’s debatable. It’s a one-time deal with the option, and UCF will not face it again this season (thankfully). So, why did both of these teams outperform UCF’s defense, and do so fairly easily?

1) Speed: UCF flat out struggled with two teams that presented multiple players with the speed to hit big plays from the running back and wide receiver positions. This is especially true because the Knights lined up against true spread teams in Cincinnati and SMU that ran right at them after using four-wide formations with fewer defensive bodies in the middle of the field. Needing more raw talent is obviously UCF’s achilles heel. It must be remedied sooner than later, and that is covered below in the second section regarding recruiting.

2) Scheme: This is not rocket science. Cincinnati and SMU have excellent coaches. Give them credit. Further, the players executed their respective game plans.

3) Depth: UCF is woefully short on defensive depth. When teams run uptempo and/or no huddle, the Knights do not possess enough talented defenders to keep up. Cincinnati and SMU have far more talent, and to some extent, more experienced talent, at their offensive skill positions than UCF does on defense.

1) What an UCF do to fix the issues this season? The schemes that the Knights are running, those are fine. It’s more a lack of players making plays (this is commented on numerous times in the podcast below -- see it for details) than a coaching situation, as many fans believe. Talent is the primary concern, but it’s more specifically about a drop off in talent once starters leave the lineup for a breather and/or need to be replaced due to injuries. UCF just does not have enough overall top-flight talent right now.

2) Players make (or do not make) plays. UCF’s players were awful in clutch moments against Cincinnati and SMU. That’s why they were hammered more than just because of talent. Can they make more plays during the final two games and the bowl game? Of course they can. Again, it’s on the players. Effort, following details for assignments, and being ready for each play will dictate what happens during those three contests.

With all of that stated, it’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts of the situation, and that’s recruiting.

Recruiting Will Change the Defensive Fortunes

Whether it is the high school and/or junior college ranks, or the transfer portal, UCF will need to add talent across the board to reach the level of talent needed to win big at the Power Five level it will enter in 2023. Three positions will be most critical.

1) Cornerback recruiting must be strong for each recruiting class moving forward. The 2022 recruiting class already secured the commitments of Ja’Cari Henderson and Nikai Martinez, two of the top cornerbacks in the class of 2022. That’s the standard for each class, quite literally. Why? Because that’s what programs that rank in the top 10 do, and UCF Head Coach Gus Malzahn has already made it clear he wants to win a national championship at UCF sooner than later.

Ja'Cari Henderson Cornerback Sanford (Fla.) Seminole — Look for cornerback Ja'Cari Henderson to make an impact at UCF / Brian Smith, Inside The Knights

To make that happen, the Knights will need as many good cornerbacks as possible because just about every team throws the football well, and cornerbacks are in high demand. UCF is off to a great start, and now it must copy the level of cornerback talent recruited in the 2022 recruiting class and bring that same level of talent into each recruiting class thereafter.

2) Find even more defensive end talent. Like with cornerback, this is a premium position. The Knights have two good defensive end recruits, but adding a third for this recruiting class would be great. Same with every class moving forward. No college program can have enough pass rushers. It’s paramount in winning big, and the NFL Draft will show that as well (much like cornerback). Jamaal Johnson and Keahnist Thompson are a great start at defensive end.

3) Defensive tackle recruiting needs another two big-time players, at minimum, just from the 2022 class. From this list, defensive tackle recruiting is the biggest concern at the moment.

Look for the Knights to find a junior college player and/or a transfer to help the transition past where it’s at today, but there needs to be a rotation of defensive tackles with the natural skills to play in the NFL. Right now, that’s just not the case sans Ricky Barber. That also means he gets double teamed and teams stay away from running the football in his direction, which limits his talent and production.

Final Thoughts

UCF Football is a long way from where it needs to be on defense, and most of the concern stems from a lack of depth, and currently, missing the talents of Kalia Davis at defensive tackle (just cannot replace him). With that stated, a few additional recruiting points to ponder.

As long as the Knights continue to bring in speedy and versatile athletes, position changes can take place after they are on campus. Most major programs switch players around once they come to the college level, and it’s likely that UCF will do the same. In short, get the best players on the field. There’s also a need to find players that will happily play multiple roles.

A player like Bryson Armstrong, for instance, defines the quintessential modern-day linebacker. He can play inside the tackle box and he can play the ‘overhang’ position, which is a hybrid of a safety and outside linebacker.

It’s arguably the hardest position on the gridiron now because that requires skills of a defensive back, linebacker, and to some extent, a defensive end. UCF needs more players that it can move around during a game to keep opposing offenses off balance. Armstrong fits that definition now, but what about for 2022?

Right now, UCF is pretty easy to prepare for in terms of knowing which players will line up where. That must change through recruiting.

For UCF coverage and recruiting information go to: The Daily Knight podcast. It will be found on iTunes and Spotify. For more college football, UCF and recruiting information, go to Twitter: @fbscout_florida and @UCF_FanNation, as well as my YouTube Channel and Instagram page. Like and Subscribe!