Oct. 11, 2010
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By Leigh Torbin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - UCF sophomore safety Kemal Ishmael (Miami, Fla.) was named the Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in UCF's 42-7 rout of UAB on Wednesday night.
Ishmael made seven tackles in the game, six of them solo, while also adding an interception and forcing a fumble. The interception came on UAB's first possession of the game and led to a score that quickly put UCF on top 7-0. The forced fumble, coming on the opening drive of the second half, was returned 56 yards for a touchdown by Josh Robinson, putting UCF on top 28-0 and in complete control of the game. It also made the Plays of the Day on SportsCenter. UAB entered the game having gone over 500 yards of total offense in each of the previous two games but was held to just 269 yards by Ishmael and a UCF defense that leads C-USA and ranks in the top 10 nationally in four of the five major categories (total, scoring, passing and passing efficiency defense).
For the season, Ishmael leads the Knights with 32 tackles, 22 of which have been solos. He has been a rock in the secondary as the Knights have proven to be one of the nation's top defenses thus far in 2010. UCF ranks second nationally in passing efficiency defense (92.29 rating), fifth in passing defense (148.2 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (13.8 ppg) and ninth in total defense (265.2 ypg). Only Cal also ranks in the top 10 in each of these four categories.
By leading C-USA in each of those four disciplines, the Knights are one of only three teams nationwide to lead its respective league in four out of the five major defensive categories, joining Boise State of the WAC and TCU of the Mountain West. UCF has been stout against the run too, ranking third in C-USA and 32nd nationally at 117.0 yards per game.
The Knights have not allowed a team to rush for over 140 yards this year or to pass for over 200. That includes Kansas State and NC State. NC State quarterback Russell Wilson was held to 10-of-30 passing for 105 yards by the UCF but has averaged 339.4 yards in the Wolfpack's other five games and is considered a strong ACC Player of the Year candidate. K-State senior tailback Daniel Thomas, considered to be a possible first round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, entered the UCF game on Sept. 25 second in the nation at 184.0 rushing yards per game but was held to just 76 yards by the Knights.
This marks the second time in three games that a Knight has won the award. Darius Nall took home the weekly honor after UCF's Sept. 18 win at Buffalo when he made a career-high and team-leading nine tackles against the Bulls, including three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks, broke up a pass and was credited with a forced hurry, creating an errant pass that preseason All-American Bruce Miller intercepted and returned 30 yards for a touchdown.
UCF (3-2, 1-0 C-USA) will put its seven-game C-USA winning streak on the line on Wednesday night as it heads north to face Marshall (1-4, 0-1) at 8 p.m. live on ESPN. The Knights will then return home a week from Saturday to play host to Rice at 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 23 in its Homecoming contest. For ticket information, call (407) 823-1000 or logon to UCFAthletics.com.