UCF Returns Strong Defensive Pieces Amid Coaching Changes in 2025

The UCF Knights football team had a surprisingly strong defense in some areas, despite facing numerous distractions, last season.

Here was how the UCF defense ranked last season in FBS:

Points allowed per game: 26.9 (No. 82)

Rushing yards allowed per game: 120.3 (No. 29)

Passing yards allowed per game: 218.7 (No. 67)

Total yards allowed per game: 339.0 (No. 37).

The Knights have a new head coach in Scott Frost and a new defensive coordinator in Alex Grinch, who has previously coached in the Big 12. Unlike the offense, there is a bit more continuity from last season.

Here are three defensive players to keep an eye on for the UCF Knights.

DE Malachi Lawrence

The redshirt senior edge rusher has the chance to turn some heads in Grinch’s defensive system.

Last year, he finished with five sacks in 11 games (10 starts), a figure that ranked second on the team and 11th in the Big 12 Conference. Now, sacks aren’t everything, but it’s the number that sticks out. He also had six tackles for loss and four quarterback hurries.

Combine those three stats together, and he made something happen behind the line of scrimmage more than once per game on average. That’s a good start. But the Knights are going to need more if they’re going to improve against the pass. He’s the defensive end most likely to make a big jump.

NB Braeden Marshall

Marshall was part of last year’s unit, which was fourth best in total defense in the Big 12. He played the nickel last year, too, and finished with 22 tackles for the second straight season.

That’s promising, but what the new coaching staff wants Marshall to do is to level up. He has game-breaking ability. He showed on the road against Iowa State as he ran 70 yards after picking off a pass in a game the Knights nearly stole in Ames.

The new staff would love to see the interceptions go up, as well as the tackles. But consistent nickel backs are hard to find, and Marshall has emerged as one of the better ones in the Big 12.

CB Jaeden Bellamy

The Knights’ secondary is basically brand new, aside from Marshall. The rest are transfers, and Bellamy figures to be one of the starters.

UCF imported him from Syracuse, where, under Fran Brown, he had two interceptions in 10 games. He returned one for a touchdown. He was also second on the team with six pass breakups and had 37 tackles.

The Knights need more players who have a nose for the football, especially when they’re isolated in man coverage. Bellamy seems to fit that profile. Now, he needs to take a bigger step. He went from one interception in 2023 to two in 2024. Doubling that for 2025 would put him among the best corners in the conference.