Three Biggest Questions The UCF Defense Must Answer Before Season Opener
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The UCF Knights are a week and a half out from their season opener on Aug. 28 against Jacksonville State.
With fall camp giving way to game prep, there remain a few questions that coach Scott Frost, defensive coordinator Alex Grinch and the rest of the defensive staff still have to answer.
1. Does the defense have an identity?
Following the fall scrimmage, Frost said the defense had "a ways to go" when asked about its identity. He appreciated the unit's effort, but they needed to work and improve on specific things. So, it will be those improvements in the last week and a half, and the next week and a half too, that will determine the answer to this question.
2. Will the Linebacker unit hold up?
While the defensive line is returning several key faces and the defensive backs' battle has been close enough that depth will not be an issue, the linebackers have gone a little bit under the radar.
Frost praised the "front seven" performance of the defense during scrimmage, which would include the linebackers, but the defensive line factors into it as well.
The position group is filled with transfers. Senior Kelli Lawson from Virginia Tech and junior Lewis Carter from Oklahoma have garnered praise from linebackers coach Mark D'Onofrio back before camp started, and from each other during player media day. However, beyond them, both Jayden McDonald and freshman Phil Piccioti are returning from injuries from their former schools and Kozlowski sustained a "soft tissue" injury during fall camp, according to Frost.
Similar to the passing attack on the offensive end, the Knights had to rebuild this position group from essentially scratch. So, how they hold up, both health-wise and on the field, goes a long way in the success of the defense this season.
3. Can returners from injury shake off the rust/stay healthy?
The linebackers aren't the only group with players returning from injury, though. Several of the Knights' potential defensive starters are either coming off an injury or have been hurt at some point during fall camp.
Defensive tackles John Walker and Horace Lockett were out all last season. Defensive end Malachi Lawrence and defensive backs Antione Jackson and Braeden Marshall were out with injuries during spring practice. Kozlowski and defensive back Isaiah Reed sustained "soft tissue injuries" during fall camp, according to Frost.
These players and the staff are going to have to take care not to reaggravate these issues to preserve the unit's depth.
Catch up on more UCF News below:
UCF Player Returning From Injury Provides Update On Condition During Fall Camp
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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