A new eligibility ruling has UCF watching the defensive backfield with interest, and Phillip Dunnam may be the next Knight to benefit.
After the court injunction opened the door for 2022 graduates to gain an extra year of eligibility, Dunnam surfaced on social media with a pointed question about how the ruling might apply. He asked via X, "So if our previous school doesn’t have a roster opening for us we reap no benefits of the ruling? Correct?"
Nothing is settled yet, but if Dunnam does get another season, UCF would have a strong case to bring him back. He was one of the team’s most productive defenders last year and one of the better safeties in the Big 12.
According to PFSN College, Dunnam graded out at 86.3, which placed him inside the top six safeties in the conference. He also ranked 10th in passer rating when targeted, allowing a 60.5 mark when opposing quarterbacks went his way.
The season ended with Dunnam earning Second-Team All-Big 12 Safety honors from the same publication. He also posted a career-high 44 solo tackles and 16 assisted tackles, while extending his streak to three straight seasons with three interceptions.
His biggest night came in early November against Houston, when he turned the game into a showcase of ball skills and instincts. Dunnam intercepted a slant route near the end of the first quarter on a fourth-and-short play, knocking Houston out of field goal range and helping UCF hold a 3-0 lead.
He wasn’t done there. Right before halftime, Dunnam picked off Weigman again and took it back for a touchdown, stretching the Knights’ advantage to 24-14. In the second half, he came up with his third interception of the game.
Those three takeaways covered 81 return yards and consistently flipped field position in UCF’s favor, giving the offense extra chances in plus territory. The Knights still didn’t finish the job that day, but Dunnam’s performance stood out anyway.
Afterward, junior defensive tackle RJ Jackson Jr. called it a special outing.
"That was an unbelievable day," Jackson Jr. said. "When you know you got guys like that playing in the back end, it makes your job of front like that much easier."
In Other News...
Houston May Have Found A Needed Piece But One Hurdle Remains
A federal judge in Colorado has thrown a fresh twist into the NCAAs new five-for-five eligibility rule, granting a fifth year to all Class of 2022 student-athletes and potentially changing the outlook for players across the sport. For Central Florida, that includes linebacker Cole Kozlowski, whose path back for another season suddenly looks a lot more plausible as the ruling reverberates through college athletics and across the Big 12 landscape.
Houston also has a stake in the case, with former Texas basketball player Chendell Weaver now committed to the Cougars and potentially in line for an extra season as well. But the legal fight is far from settled, because the NCAA is trying to overturn the preliminary injunction and the case remains ongoing, leaving both teams waiting to see whether the new ruling actually sticks. [Read more 🡒]
Former UCF Star Keyshawn Hall Faces A Legacy-Defining Choice
Keyshawn Halls college path has already taken him from UCF to Auburn, and now the former Knights star is staring at one more decision that could shape how he is remembered. The senior guard was one of the Big 12s most prolific scorers two seasons ago and has piled up the kind of production that makes him a familiar name for fans who followed his rise in Orlando.
Hall is still eligible to return to college basketball for a fifth year, giving him a rare chance to extend a career that has already crossed multiple high-major stops. With interest coming from Kentucky and St. Johns, the next step carries real weight for a player whose blend of scoring and rebounding has made him one of the more intriguing late-offseason names still in play. [Read more 🡒]