Oct. 11, 2010
="" alt="Knight Head" border="0" class="imported"> Read John Denton's Knights Insider | ="" alt="Twitter Logo" border="0" class="imported">Follow us on Twitter | ="" alt="Facebook Logo" border="0" class="imported">Get social with the Knights on Facebook
By John Denton
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Kemal Ishmael read his keys perfectly, followed the quarterback's movement in the pocket and ultimately to the outside and then came up for a picture-perfect tackle that jarred the ball free.
But just as the UCF free safety was about to pounce on the loose ball and give the Knights possession, fellow defensive back Josh Robinson swooped in for the recovery and raced 56 yards for a touchdown.
The play was symbolic for UCF's two standout defensive backs and best friends. While it's Robinson who normally makes the most dynamic, game-changing type of plays, Ishmael tends to fly below the radar and is universally considered UCF's steadiest player and its surest tackler.
When the two got to the sidelines last Wednesday during UCF 42-7 rout of UAB, they shared a laugh at how both naturally assumed their roles on the play that basically sealed the Knights' victory.
``Kemal was like, `Man, you stole my fumble!' He tried to dive for it, but I got there first,'' Robinson said with a chuckle. ``But he's just a great player because he's always hustling and playing hard.''
Added Ishmael: ``It can't get any better than a play like that. I'll still take the touchdown over just a recovered fumble any day.''
Ishmael may not have gotten the scoop-and-score touchdown, but his efforts last Wednesday night were honored by Conference USA when he was named the league's Defensive Player of the Week. He had seven tackles, six of which were solo stops. He also added an interception that led to UCF's first score and his forced fumble allowed Robinson to score.
UCF coach George O'Leary was delighted to see Ishmael finally honored because he felt the sophomore from Miami was UCF's most overlooked performer last season. Robinson was named a Freshmen All-American after leading all first-year players in interceptions (six), but Ishmael didn't garner much attention at all. Slowly, that's starting to change, O'Leary said.
``I've said now for three or four weeks that he's the one name that you don't hear about a lot, but he does so many things so well for us,'' O'Leary said. ``Not just in the defensive schemes, but also in coverage and special teams, where he was a major factor too. He's a good football player who has a great passion for the game.''
Ishmael is one of the leaders of a UCF defense that has been dominant heading into Wednesday's game in Huntington, W.Va., against Marshall (1-4). The Knights (3-2) rank 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). By leading C-USA in those categories, UCF is one of only three teams nationwide to lead its respective league in four out of the five major defensive categories.
``We take a lot of pride in that,'' said Ishmael, who is UCF's leading tackler with 32 total stops. ``(Defensive coordinator Dave Huxtable) tells us to go out and be great. And everybody believes in it. Obviously, we're doing it now and we just have to keep it up.''
Ishmael has certainly kept it up since breaking into UCF's starting lineup by the fourth game of last season. He studied the position under veteran Derrick Hallman and progressed so rapidly that the coaching staff was able to move Hallman back to his natural position of outside linebacker. Despite being a freshman, Ishmael was UCF's fourth-leading tackler a year ago, earning him an infinite amount of praise and trust from his coaches and teammates.
``He's our best tackler. He's just an all-around football player. When you talk about making a safety you start with Kemal Ishmael,'' Huxtable gushed. ``He's a smart player back there to make the calls, he can play the deep ball and also come up on the run. He's strong enough to play down in the box and a tremendous tackler.''
Added Hallman, who was the equivalent of an assistant coach to Ishmael: ``I'm so excited to see Kemal play every week. I love it when we're in Cover 3 and he's in the middle of the field because there are no worries at all. If there's a play to be made, he's going to make it. I have the utmost confidence in him.''
Ishmael's confidence stems, in part, from the tight bond that he has with Robinson, UCF's superstar cornerback. Both hail from South Florida and both cracked the starting lineup early in their careers. They are each other's biggest supporters and harshest critics and know that they can depend on one another in UCF's secondary.
``We have off days sometimes, but we pick each other up,'' Ishmael said. ``When we have good days we pat each other on the back. When Josh does something wrong, I'm going to get on him and if I do something wrong, he'll get on me. We just try to stay humble.''
Players are too humble when the topic turns to Ishmael's talent. Even Robinson, one of the fastest, most fluid players on the team, marvels at Ishmael's football smarts and how he seems to be a natural as the quarterback of the secondary. And senior strong safety Reggie Weems said it took him just a week of practice to see ``that the kid was going to be a big-time player here.''
``Kemal's just a great player and he really deserves everything he gets. He works so hard and does his job,'' Robinson said. ``I'm real proud of him and I'm thinking that he'll get another (defensive honor) real soon.''
=====
Click here to receive the Knights Insider via email
John Denton's Knights Insider appears on UCFAthletics.com several times a week. E-mail John at jdenton@athletics.ucf.edu.