Braeden Marshall isn’t afraid to admit he loves to mix it up on the football field. “I can be,” the UCF senior nickelback said of being a trash talker. “It depends on my mood. It kind of fuels me.” The Lake Mary product is among four starters returning to the Knights’ secondary this season, along with cornerback Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson and safety Demari Henderson. The group is at the core of a defensive unit that continues to be a strength for UCF. Related Articles
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The Knights also return defensive starters in linebacker Lewis Carter and defensive tackle R.J. Jackson, giving the group a veteran presence heading into Year 2 under coach Scott Frost and defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. “We do feel good about that group,” Grinch said of his defense. “I don’t think we’re spending a lot of time barking about effort.” That shouldn’t be a surprise, not after UCF welcomed back 22 defensive players who spent multiple seasons in the program while also signing 30 newcomers from the transfer portal and high school ranks. Many of those joining the Knights for the first time had previous playing time under their belts, with 14 transfers being upperclassmen. It’s a far cry from the previous season when UCF returned just three starters: defensive ends Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly and Henderson. The push to be a more seasoned team was done by design as the Knights believe the additional experience and depth will benefit the team as it looks to contend in an ever-challenging Big 12. “This team, it’s just a group of more mature guys. Some of us got one year left, so everybody’s trying to buy in and just win. We want to win,” said Henderson. Added Carter: “(There’s a) little bit more buy-in, a lot more maturity, a lot of guys that are experienced, played a good amount of ball and who are willing to work.” Where a year ago, the coaching staff spent much of spring camp and summer workouts teaching players how to practice, this time around, it’s a different story. “The guys have an understanding as to what we expect and that probably speaks to some of the guys that were with us a year ago. A lot of credit to the guys we brought in for immediately buying into it,” Grinch said. “That means you get a chance to actually coach a position and coach a technique or a fundamental.” One of those players who brings plenty of maturity is safety Ty Bartrum. The redshirt senior previously played at Harvard, where he was a two-year captain for the Crimson. “We have a lot of leaders on this team, a lot of different types of leaders, guys that’ll say the things we need to do and do the things we need to do,” said Bartrum. “Where it doesn’t have to come from the coaches every single day.” Cornerback Jailen Duffie, a redshirt junior, joined the Knights after spending several seasons at North Dakota State, where he helped the Bisons claim a Football Championship Subdivision National Championship in 2024. “We have a very experienced room. Everybody in that room can do very good things. We all learn from each other, give each other feedback and coach up the younger guys,” Duffie said of the secondary. That veteran leadership has paid off away from the gridiron as well. “We’re building that bond off the field, so we can be able to go crazy on the field,” said defensive edge rusher Ken Talley, who joined the Knights as a transfer from Arkansas. UCF hopes to improve on a solid season in which the Knights finished third in the Big 12 in passing defense and fourth in total defense. Grinch has liked what he’s seen so far. “We’re at least swinging at the right pitches and have handled the change in speed from walk-through tempo to full speed pretty well,” said Grinch. Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.