Matt Irwin’s path to UCF has taken him a long way from home, and it brings a little something different to the Knights’ secondary. He’s the only Idahoan on the roster this season, and he arrives in Orlando after at least six years of football with teams based in his native Idaho.
Irwin got his start as a three-year starting quarterback at Owyhee High School before staying in western Idaho for college. He spent his first two seasons with the Idaho Vandals, and as a true freshman he started one of the eight games he played in.
Last season, Irwin was on the field for all 12 of Idaho’s games and started three times. He finished with 45 tackles, including 29 solo stops, along with a tackle for loss and two pass breakups.
At UCF, Irwin joins a defensive back group that already has plenty of bodies and experience. He is one of three transfer portal additions to a room that includes returners Braeden Marshall, Antoine Jackson, Jayden Bellamy, Demari Henderson, DJ Bell and Jayden Williams, plus fellow FCS transfers Ty Bartrum and Jailen Duffie. That means the battle for snaps is going to be crowded.
Irwin does bring some experience that can help him in that fight. He’s got game reps from his time at Idaho, even if he still has to push past several returning defenders to earn a role.
He is entering his junior year, and with the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility, he could still have two more seasons of college football after 2026. Even if his role this fall is limited, the Knights can use this season to build toward what comes next in that secondary.
In Other News...
Phillip Dunnam Could Give UCF A Huge Secondary Boost In 2025
A recent court injunction has opened the door for 2022 graduates to gain another year of eligibility, and that has put Phillip Dunnam squarely in the middle of one of the more intriguing offseason questions for UCF. The Knights safety was a Second-Team All-Big 12 pick last season and was one of the most productive players in the back end of the defense, including a three-interception game against Houston that showed just how disruptive he can be.
Dunnam has already acknowledged the ruling on social media, and the possibility of bringing him back would be a major boost for a secondary that would welcome his experience and playmaking. There is still uncertainty around whether he will actually be available for 2025, and one of the sticking points is how the ruling applies to his previous roster situation, leaving UCF with a tempting possibility but no firm answer yet. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]