Ranking the Top 4 Defenses on UCF's 2022 Football Schedule
Today is a look at the four best defenses the UCF Knights and Head Coach Gus Malzahn will go against during the 2022 football schedule. Part I and Part II are the original installments of the defensive breakdowns, with four defensive units previewed in each section just like the one below.
Here’s the best of the best the Knights will see this fall.
#4 - Oct. 1: SMU
With seven returners on defense, SMU should in fact improve from giving up 28.4 points per game last season. Some might ask why they are ranked this high for 2022? Experience, as well as seven defensive transfers.
The defensive front coming back is experienced and solid at rushing the passer. The Mustangs sacked opposing quarterbacks 26 times last season, and defensive end DeVere Levelston and defensive tackle Elijah Chatman return to the starting lineup.
Levelston will be the player teams try to stop first after he recorded 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks. Chatman’s 40 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks make him a threat as well.
The linebacker corps is led by Jimmy Phillips. He’s a 6-foot-3, 235-pound thumper that was second on the team with 60 tackles last season. He also accounted for 5.5 tackles for loss, one pass breakup and an interception.
Turner Coxe is the other returning starter after recording 36 tackles, seven tackles for loss and five sacks. Look for him to pressure the quarterback even more this season.
Oklahoma State transfer Kamryn Farrar is also an interesting chess piece at linebacker. He’s a good blitzer and possesses the speed to be impactful in coverage.
On the backend, this is the one area that’s iffy for the Mustangs. Teams are going to throw to try and keep up with the SMU offense and how much they are going to score, so the cornerbacks and safeties need to play at a higher level. They know what’s coming.
Both rising sophomore cornerbacks return with Jahari Rogers and Bryce McMorris, but they were beaten often last season. They did combine for 12 pass breakups, but neither player intercepted a pass last season.
Safety is in a better situation with Isaiah Nwokobia and Chace Cromartie being experienced players. They combined for three interceptions and 60 tackles.
If the secondary improves, and with the experience it should, SMU has a chance to be a really good defense.
#3 - Oct. 22: @ East Carolina
The Pirates were a team that had its defensive moments last season, but gave up too many big plays. Towards the end of the season, that’s when the Pirates played their best.
In three of the last four games, they played pretty good run defense, even holding Cincinnati and its potent rushing attack to just 143 yards.
The passing defense also went through a four-game stretch where the Pirates kept opponents under the 200-yard passing mark. That’s difficult to do in the modern era. What is coming back, plus the addition of five players from the Transfer Portal, gives ECU a chance to improve and be a difficult defense to go against.
The strength of the defense is in the box, at defensive line and linebacker, which should help the Pirates be a solid to good run defense.
Immanual Hickman leads the troops up front from his defensive end position. He’s coming off a season with 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks. Playing next to Hickman is Elijah Morris and his 26 tackles, five tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks.
The linebackers are loaded, especially with edge defender Xavier Smith, Jeremy Lewis and Myles Berry all coming back as starters. That’s 146 returning tackles between the three of them. Smith also recorded four sacks, so it’s a versatile group.
The best defender returning in the secondary would be cornerback Malik Fleming. His two interceptions and nine pass breakups give the defensive staff a player that can compete with the American Athletic Conference’s best wide receivers.
Safety Jireh Wilson is a physical presence that makes plays in a myriad of ways, as evidenced by his 44 tackles, four tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one interception and four pass breakups.
#2 - Sep. 9: Louisville
The Cardinals gave up 27.3 points per game last season, but there’s a lot of returning players with significant experience First, the one starter returning to the defensive line.
YaYa Diaby is one of three starters in the front seven. Diaby collected 39 tackles, three sacks and 1.5 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-4 and 255-pound edge defender is going to be bolstered by the play of a talented sophomore on the other side of the defensive line.
Sophomore Ashton Gillotte might be the best player along the line after recording 19 tackles, eight tackles for loss and four sacks, and doing so off the bench. He’s going to increase reps and be a stalwart according to folks close to the program.
Two returning starters will be back among the linebackers, with Monty Montgomery and Yasir Abdullah. The latter was fourth in tackles last season with 60 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss and 10 sacks. He has a chance at All-American honors, and definitely a great shot to earn All-ACC and possibly even win ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Three of four members of the secondary return, and they are led by cornerback Kei’Trel Clark with his 40 tackles, three interceptions, nine pass breakups, and 3.5 tackles for loss. He's being considered for post season awards.
The Cardinals were only 61st in the nation with 38.4% of third downs being converted against them. The secondary’s experience should bring that number down.
The wildcard is all the transfers, five of which are coming to compete in that same secondary. Should be a deep unit overall.
#1 - Oct. 29: Cincinnati
First and foremost, the Bearcats have a scheme in place that the players know and understand. One player leaves the program, there’s another to replace that player and make an impact. It’s also one of the best coached and most disciplined defensive units in America.
Another factor working in Cincinnati’s favor would be experience. The Bearcats rotate a lot of players, as Head Coach Luke Fickell wants his unit to stay fresh. That means a lot of younger players breaking into the first and second units have already played significant snaps. Up front, that’s definitely the case.
Malik Vann contributed 33 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 tackles for loss, and three passes broken up. Now that he’s the primary pass rusher, look for his numbers to go up.
That’s especially going to happen for Vann if nose guard Jowon Briggs continues to improve. He’s a big man at the point of attack and one that can penetrate and make offenses pay by getting into the backfield. He had 43 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks last year as a non-starter.
The second level is full of athletes, starting with Deshawn Pace and his 95 tackles and Ty Van Fossen and his 70 tackles. This is a long and aggressive group, and the best player might end up being middle linebacker Jaheim Thomas. The 6-foot-4 235-pound linebacker could be the highest draftee from the entire defense when all is said and done.
In the secondary, two stud cornerbacks leave, but the Bearcats still have Taj Ward and Justin Harris, two talented players in their own right. Plus, nickel cornerback Arquon Bush returns to his starting spot. Bush had 41 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions, and six pass breakups.
Safety Ja’von Hicks is the leader of the back safeties. His 56 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups give credence to believing he could challenge for All-AAC honors this next season.
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