UCF Defensive Back Returns From Injury

UCF Knights defensive back Braeden Marshall showed promise as a freshman.

Marshall played in all 13 games, starting three, got 22 total tackles, 14 solo, and an interception. However, his sophomore effort last season was hindered by an undisclosed injury, limiting him to just nine games, starting six, but he still finished with 22 tackles, 17 of them solo this time, and one interception. He also missed spring practice to recover.

"I'm just excited to be back," Marshall said after Thursday's practice.

Defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said Marshall "did a nice job hitting the ground running" in fall camp and will be a "major piece of the secondary force."

"I think he draws from the game reps that he's had, and there's a maturity about him, which is critical to have, especially in the secondary, you know, some forces can work against you in terms of having lack-of-maturity in the secondary," Grinch said following Thursday's practice.

Marshall, who played in the nickel spot for the Knights last season, joins a defensive back unit bolstered not just by the return of Demari Henderson, but also several portal additions in Antione Jackson, Phillip Dunnam, Jayden Williams and more. He called depth "big" and "key" for the UCF defense.

"I feel like there's no layoff," Marshall said. "All the positions, not just from the defensive backfield, from linebacker and the D-line, and just having a deep, deep group, I feel like we're gonna be dangerous this year."

The Knights get that year started on Thursday at 7 p.m. when they face Jacksonville State.

"I'm excited, man," Marshall said. "You know, going against the same guys every day, it's just time to play somebody else. I think everybody's excited for that one."

UCF Linebacker Speaks Out On Move to FBS Level

The UCF Knights offense is not the only unit that is "UCFast," according to linebacker Cole Kozlowski.

Transferring in from Colgate, Kozlowski said following Monday's practice that the defense's speed stood out to him.

"Everyone flies around the ball," Kozlowski said. "Everyone wants to hunt. Everyone's excited to finally get going."

While he was one of the top tacklers in the FCS with 133 tackles, 66 of them solo, plus eight tackles for losses, 3.5 sacks and six passes, Kozlowski said he's been challenged to be a "more physical" guy in Orlando.

"At Colgate, I was definitely a little bit more of a finesse guy, and with Coach [Mark] D'Onofrio here, I gotta be a lot more physical, which I like, getting more hands on lineman and things like that," Kozlowski said. "I think it's definitely helped me as a linebacker."

Kozlowski said he got flashbacks to family vacations to Orlando when he came to visit UCF while he was in the transfer portal. He ended up clicking "right off the bat" with linebacker coach Mark D'Onofrio thanks to their shared New Jersey background. D'Onofrio hails from Hoboken, right across the river from New York City, while Kozlowski is from Spring Lake, over an hour's drive south down the Atlantic coast.

Thanks to those connections, Kozlowski now finds himself on the precipice of his first season playing FBS football.

"I'm looking forward to the excitement of the Bounce House," Kozlowski said. "I know I've been talking a lot with the UCF fans with all the signing day we did the other day, which was awesome."

The Knights' season-opener is on Aug. 28 against Jacksonville State.

"Everyone's excited," Kozlowski said. "There's a lot of anticipation, especially with a new coaching staff and new, kind of new, settlement coming in here, and I'm really excited to prove to everyone how good we could really be."

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