UCF Earns Big 12 Defensive Line of the Week Honors
Summary
Pick/market: UCF's defensive line was named Monday by the Big 12 Conference as the league's Defensive Line of the Week for Week Four.
UCF's defensive line was named Monday by the Big 12 Conference as the league's Defensive Line of the Week for Week Four. The Knights claimed a 21-13 win over the TCU Horned Frogs this past weekend to start their Big 12 campaign 1-0.
In the victory, UCF's defensive line held TCU's rushing attack to just 33 yards on 27 carries. In Week Four, this marked the eighth-fewest rushing yards allowed in FBS and the fifth-lowest total by a Big 12 team this season.
MORE: 247Sports Big 12 Power Rankings: Where Every Team Stands After Week 4
The Knights also totaled four sacks on the afternoon against the Horned Frogs, with eight total tackles for loss. Defensive tackle and Bethune-Cookman transfer Jeffson Lafontant posted 2.5 tackles for loss himself, including a sack, with two quarterback hurries. Defensive end Isaiah Nixon also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss with 1.5 sacks.
"The whole week we were talking about needing to get more effort up front, so we took it as a challenge," Lafontant said postgame. "Coach Martin especially was pushing us the whole week so we could get as many stops as possible."
As a unit, the UCF defense forced four turnovers, continuing defensive coordinator Alex Grinch's emphasis on generating takeaways.
"I really challenged the D-line to come off the ball," Knights head coach Scott Frost said after the win. "When you run wide zone and there's penetration, it's hard, and we knew TCU was going to run wide zone. So I think the D-line did a really good job with that. You know, we gave up some deep throws. Really, I suspect about half their yards tonight were on three just one-on-one vertical routes. And I see our guys make those plays all the time in practice. Credit to them for making those plays, but there's just a bunch of guys tonight that I thought when they had a chance to make a play, they made it."
Now 3-1 on the year, UCF's season continues Saturday, October 3 with a noon road contest against No. 20 Houston.
Monster Energy Big 12 Football Weekly Honors For Week Four
Offensive Player of the Week:
Drew Mestemaker, QB, Oklahoma State and Wayshawn Parker, RB, Utah
Defensive Player of the Week: Austin Romaine, LB, Texas Tech and Ethan Wesloski, LB, Oklahoma State
Special Teams Player of the Week: Sam Keltner, K, Oklahoma State and Palmer Williams, P, Baylor
Freshman of the Week: Caleb Smith, WR, Arizona
Offensive Line of the Week: Oklahoma State
Defensive Line of the Week: UCF
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