Why UCF’s Defense Determines 2022 Fate
With just a few days until the UCF Knights kick off their 2022 campaign, all eyes are on the offense and newly named starting quarterback John Rhys Plumlee. There’s no doubt that Plumlee’s performance will be a factor in how high the Knights fly this fall, but UCF’s season will make-or-break with their battle-tested defense.
The Knights defense starts up front with more than capable edge defenders like Josh Celiscar and Tre’mon Morris-Brash. Morris-Brash should be a key player for UCF this year. The senior had five sacks and an interception in nine games last season and looks like he’s got a strong chance to surpass that sack total in 2022.
At the second level, the Black and Gold will start just two true linebackers with Morris-Brash playing the “Buck” position. Redshirt junior Jason Johnson will fill one slot and senior Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste opposite him.
Sophomore transfer Branden Jennings is another linebacker who should see significant snaps in Week 1. Jennings played just five games for Maryland in 2021 but collected 23 tackles and forced a fumble in his limited time on the field. Now that he’s with the Knights, he plans to step up his game against AAC competition.
The UCF secondary might just be the strongest unit on this entire team. Led by veteran safeties Divaad Wilson and Quadric Bullard, the Knights will employ five defensive backs in Defensive Coordinator Travis Williams' 3-3-5.
The best of the bunch might be cornerback Davonte Brown, a junior who tallied 13 passes defended and a pick in 2021. Brown was named to Pro Football Focus's All-AAC First Team heading into the season and could be a legitimate NFL Draft prospect by season’s end. He’ll be joined by fellow junior Corey Thornton or sophomore Brandon Adams on the far side.
Junior Justin Hodges could make a name for himself this season at the “Knight” position. The Ft. Lauderdale, FL native is a proven playmaker who posted seven passes defended and an interception last fall.
It’s possible that UCF’s offense torches the AAC and puts up 40 points per game behind a dynamic rushing attack. It’s also entirely possible that the Knights offense still needs help during specific games, leaving it up to the defense to win at least a couple of games.
When that happens, they’re going to need a lot of possessions in good field position, which means this defense will have to force plenty of turnovers. That’s something they did as well as anyone in the conference last year, turning opponents over 1.5 times per game.
Where the Knights have to improve this season is keeping points off the board. The Knights gave up 24.5 points per contest in 2021 (49th in FBS), but with so much experience on the field and plenty of time to settle into the scheme here in Head Coach Gus Malzahn’s second year, that number should come down significantly this fall.
Ultimately, the secondary and linebackers are solid or better. What the Knights will need is an effective pass rush if this defense is to reach its full potential. If they can get into the backfield frequently, that should go a long way towards winning games this year.
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