Alex Grinch’s work in the secondary is getting noticed around the Big 12.
The UCF defensive coordinator was listed as the No. 8 defensive backs coach in the conference in a June 10 ranking posted by X user Matrix Analytical (CFBAnalytical), putting him behind Houston’s Marcus Trice and Oklahoma State’s Julian Wilson. It’s a fitting nod after Grinch helped guide the Knights to one of the league’s best pass defenses in 2025.
UCF finished third in the Big 12 in passing yards allowed at 185.1 per game, trailing only Utah at 177.8 and Arizona at 165.3. The Knights leaned on a four-man group of Jayden Bellamy, Braeden Marshall, Demari Henderson and Phillip Dunnam to handle the back end. Dunnam led the team with three interceptions, while Bellamy paced the defensive backs with eight passes defended.
That pass defense also helped UCF rank fourth in the conference in total yards allowed at 335.8 per game, just 2.2 yards behind BYU. Arizona was second at 308.5, and Texas Tech allowed the fewest yards in the league at 258.3.
Even with the strong numbers, Grinch made it clear the secondary still had a problem it needed to solve: takeaways. He has repeatedly pointed to turnovers as a defining piece of winning football.
"That's something that wins and loses football games," Grinch told reporters on April 2. "Unfortunately, we found out that the latter of the two, which is, you know, we lost more games last year than we won because we didn't get enough takeaways."
He also emphasized the need for better depth so players aren’t forced into too much work. With 22 players on the field, Grinch said some Knights were carrying too heavy a load.
"It's not a bad thing if you're playing 40 snaps as opposed to 80 snaps," Grinch said. "You'll get your best football, and we'll get the best version of you. So that was a major thing coming off of last year."
Now Grinch heads into fall camp with a veteran-heavy defensive back room. Bellamy, Marshall and Henderson are back as the core of the group, and UCF also added experienced help through the transfer portal.
Jailen Duffie, Ty Bartrum, Caleb Flagg and Kahmel Johnson give the Knights additional depth in the secondary, and that mix could help UCF stay near the top of the Big 12 passing defense leaderboard again next season.
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Dylan Wades 88 overall rating stands out immediately, and Alonza Barnett IIIs 86 gives the offense a clear centerpiece under center. On the other side, Jayden Bellamys 86 suggests the defense has at least one player EA sees as a steady anchor, which makes the Knights a more interesting virtual team than they were a year ago, even if fans will spend plenty of time arguing whether the numbers fully match the on-field reality. [Read more 🡒]
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The Clippers schedule gives that reunion an extra layer of intrigue, because several of those matchups come with old college connections attached. Kugel and Fulks will see opponents they crossed paths with in ranked games and tight nonconference battles, which should make each night feel a little more personal than a typical July exhibition. For a program that has built plenty of recent momentum, it is another reminder that UCFs reach is showing up on NBA summer stages too. [Read more 🡒]
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For the Knights, though, the early challenge is less about Hardys talent than the numbers in front of him. UCFs receiver room is crowded with established returners, transfers and an injured veteran working his way back, so the path to immediate snaps is not an easy one. With Hardy arriving in the fall and still needing time to settle in, a year of development without seeing the field may end up being the cleanest route for both him and the program. [Read more 🡒]