UCF Quarterback Ruled Out Against Kansas

UCF quarterback Jacurri Brown was ruled out of the Knights' game against Kansas Saturday night, according to a Big 12 player availability report.

Brown is one of seven Knights players ruled out for Saturday's game, though the other six were designated as "out" earlier in the week. Those players include the likes of defensive tackle Horace Lockett, defensive back Jayden Williams and defensive back Jalen Heyward. Saturday marks Brown and Lockett's first missed games of the season, while it is the second for Williams and Heyward.

UCF coach Scott Frost said Brown suffered an AC sprain during the Knights' game against Kansas State last week. However, he was able to play through it for the first drive of the second half before being relieved by starter Tayven Jackson, who suffered the same injury earlier in the game. Jackson was not mentioned in the Knights' player availability report all week.

"Honestly, Jacurri is the one not really sure about yet, if he'd be able to go," Frost said on Wednesday night in his weekly radio interview on 96.9 The Game. "I think everybody else is up and ready."

Brown was the only one of five UCF players who stayed "questionable" for the entire week to be ruled out. This means linebacker Keli Lawson, tight end Dylan Wade, defensive end Isaiah Nixon, defensive back Isaiah Reed are available for Saturday night's game. The game marks a return to the field for Wade, Nixon and Reed, who were out for last weekend's Big 12 opener against Kansas State.

As for the Jayhawks, kicker Laith Marjan was ruled a game-time decision. The senior has logged seven field goals this season and 21 extra points so far this season. Should he be unable to play, Kansas would lean on freshman Dane Efird, who has only kicked one extra point so far this season.

Kickoff for the matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday in the Acrisure Bounce House.

Six UCF Players Ruled Out For Kansas Game

Defensive tackle Horace Lockett headlines six UCF Knights players ruled out in the first player availability report for Saturday night's matchup against Kansas.

However, quarterback Jacurri Brown and Tayven Jackson are not among them. Both quarterbacks suffered AC sprains during last weekend's game against Kansas State, coach Scott Frost said.

Jackson was not mentioned in the report, while Brown was listed as questionable. This is consistent with what Frost said about the status of his quarterbacks during his weekly radio interview Wednesday evening on 96.9 The Game.

"Honestly, Jacurri is the one not really sure about yet, if he'd be able to go," Frost said. "I think everybody else is up and ready."

Saturday marks Lockett's first missed game of the season. He has recorded 13 tackles, eight of them solo, three tackles for loss, one sack and two pass break-ups up to this point. 

Three defensive backs are joining Lockett on the sideline: Jayden Williams, missing his second straight game, Jaylen Heyward, missing his first game of the season, and Jakob Gude.

The questionable designation, aside from Brown, mostly consists of players who were ruled out of last weekend's game against Kansas State: tight end Dylan Wade, defensive end Isaiah Nixon and defensive back Isaiah Reed. However, they are joined by linebacker Keli Lawson, who has recorded nine tackles, a pass break-up and a quarterback hurry to this point in the season.

Meanwhile, on Kansas' side, the Jayhawks have ruled out nine players. 

Two offensive contributors, running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. and tight end DeShawn Hanika, were both ruled out, making Saturday their second straight missed games after both were out for last weekend's contest with Cincinnati. Hanika has caught 10 passes for 97 yards and three touchdowns, while Hishaw has run 35 times for 178 yards and one touchdown.

On defense, safety Mason Ellis was ruled out, making this his third straight missed game. Linebacker Bangally Kamara was also given an "out" designation, but only for the first half to serve his suspension after he was ejected in the second half of last weekend's game for targeting. 

Meanwhile, a new addition to the Jayhawks' report this week is kicker Laith Marjan, listed as questionable. The senior South Alabama transfer has been perfect thus far this season on 21 extra points and seven field goals, with a 47-yarder being his long so far this season.

The Knights and Jayhawks' next player availability report releases at 10 p.m. EDT on Thursday.