UCF's Top Defenders Against Memphis
There were many ways to look at the defensive performance of the UCF Knights against the Memphis Tigers. Resilient? Absolutely. Timely? A definitely yes! With those key defensive plays, top defenders need to be discussed.
There were many under consideration and this is in no way a list that’s obvious. In fact, it was quite difficult; part of the reason for the players selected below stemmed from critical plays. Keep that in mind. Several other UCF defensive players could have easily been awarded with being top defenders versus Memphis.
Jason Johnson - Linebacker
13 total tackles, six of which were solo, make him the defense’s most valuable player. Johnson helped to contain quarterback Seth Henigan, as well as make plays in the run game and the pass game. What a pickup from the Transfer Portal this guy has been. Johnson is a ball player!
Corey Thornton - Cornerback
Thornton is one of the more physical cornerbacks in college football. Not only does he like the challenge of man coverage, he’s a player that will come up and stick a running back or hammer a quarterback during a blitz. He did the latter to Henigan yesterday, as the photo below proves.
Being that versatile defender in the secondary helped the Knights to keep a talented Memphis offense from scoring more than it did. It was a quality performance by Thornton.
Divaad Wilson - Safety
After a pass interference penalty, Wilson did not hang his head. He kept battling. That’s what good players do. Wilson was rewarded for his efforts. Five tackles, including a tackle for loss, and the big interception.
That’s the type of leadership that UCF needs to win big games. The UCF coaching staff will take that performance any day of the week. So should UCF fans.
Justin Hodges - Nickel Corner
For whatever reason, Memphis went right at Hodges quite often. The first half saw it even more. He made some good plays on the football, made tackles, and just kept playing. Much like with Wilson, his ability to battle play after play provided a good sign for the rest of the season. Hodges finished with three tackles and a pass defended.
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