For UCF’s Newest Linebacker, It’s All About A Strong Final Chapter

New transfer linebacker Keli Lawson talks about what he is looking forward to in his first season in Orlando. He also talks about what his mentality is being a veteran in the locker room.

Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

Usually, college football teams bring long-serving players or team captains to their media days. However, that wasn't exactly the case with the UCF Knights. Among coach Scott Frost’s selection of players was Virginia Tech transfer linebacker Keli Lawson, who has one year of eligibility remaining. Now that he has joined an up-and-coming defense, Lawson is seen as the veteran presence in the locker room headed into the season. 

“I’m real team-oriented right now. If my group succeeds, and does what we need to do, individual success is going to follow. So I am at the point in my career where there's no need to set goals. I have expectations for the season, but I don’t have any set goals,” Lawson said. “I realize that going out there and approaching every day like it’s your last day, that that’s the ultimate goal, the ultimate recipe to success. There’s no point in even trying to set a goal because you might set yourself up for failure. We are just going to do us.”

Lawson spent three seasons at Virginia Tech plus a redshirt season in 2021. In the 36 games, he racked up 144 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, three interceptions (one pick-six), 11 pass deflections, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. With what is likely to be an increased leadership role at UCF, Lawson could break out in his final college football season. 

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