By: Kevin Ruane
After seeing two star offensive players in Bortles and Johnson make the leap to the NFL after the 2013 BCS-bowl winning season, the seniors on the UCF defense are looking at this year as a chance to solidify their resumes as they hope to do the same.
With nine of eleven starters returning, the stout UCF defense has a chance to shut down top offenses again. After an impressive Fiesta Bowl performance containing one of the best offenses in the nation last year, the UCF defense is ready to surprise people once again.
The heart and soul of the UCF defense, Terrance Plummer, has already been added to four preseason watch lists after his 110-tackle season in 2013. Plummer is the anchor of this linebacker corps and is joined by fellow senior Troy Gray who had 62 tackles and 2 interceptions last year. Plummer is currently ranked as the no. 15 ILB by NFLdraftscout.com.
The linebackers will surely help the interior defensive line against the run this year. It will be difficult for the front four to replace E.J. Dunston at defensive tackle, but redshirt junior Thomas Niles, ranked no. 54 DE by NFLdraftscout.com, and redshirt sophomore Demetris Anderson aim to make up for lost production. Niles who led the team last year with 4 sacks last year thinks he has a shot to top that this year.
“I think I can get more [sacks] than last season, I gotta work on finishing plays and be the best that I can be,” Niles said.
Coach O’Leary has been stressing that a key for the defense to succeed this year is for the secondary to act more like ball hawks and cause turnovers. The experienced unit led by Brandon Alexander and Jordan Ozerities feels confident it can make the transition.
“We’re an experienced group so we can rely on each guy in the secondary. We can hold them accountable for doing their job,” cornerback Jordan Ozerities said. “We made a lot of turnovers last year but we can definitely duplicate that and multiply those numbers with more interceptions, more strips, more fumbles and things like that.”
If the secondary can make the proper adjustments, it can help newly named starting quarterback Pete DiNovo and the offense make a smooth transition and put some quick points up this season.
With the defense more experienced and battle tested on the biggest stages, look for them to be a dominating force that does not lack confidence this season. William Stanback and the offense should not be looked down upon with loss of their two star players, but the defense should look to be the pride of this team this season.
“We have a senior oriented defense, since day 1, I’ve seen it this preseason, they’re working their tails off trying to get stronger and faster and we’re all just looking to put everything together,” Ozerities said. “We’re all seniors and a lot of us have it on our minds to make it to the next level so we really want a great year as a defense.”
