Sept. 16, 2011
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By Brian Ormiston
UCFAthletics.com
MIAMI (UCFAthletics.com) - While the current Knights are looking forward to settling in to Miami to prepare for their meeting at FIU Saturday at 6 p.m., several former UCF players are busy getting ready for Week Two of the NFL season. The Knights lead all Conference USA programs with 12 players on NFL rosters, while East Carolina, Houston and Marshall are second with eight.
In all, C-USA has 74 players from its 12 institutions with NFL teams this season.
Safety Atari Bigby (2001-04) has joined the Seattle Seahawks this year after spending six years with the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers. Still a member of the Packers, Josh Sitton (2004-07) has started every game on the offensive line since 2009, and was the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year last season.
Sitton's UCF teammate on the O-line, Patrick Brown (2005-08), appeared in his first regular-season game last weekend when he took the field for the Minnesota Vikings at San Diego. And fellow offensive lineman Jah Reid (2007-10) learned from both Sitton and Brown during his UCF career, and now stars for Baltimore after being selected by the Ravens in the 2011 NFL Draft.
Also on the offensive side of the ball, Brandon Marshall (2002-05) continues to serve as one of the top playmakers in the league. The wideout pulled in seven catches for 139 yards for the Miami Dolphins against the New England Patriots, and he has 420 receptions in his NFL career. Another go-to receiver, Mike Sims-Walker notched one reception in his first game as a St. Louis Ram in Week One prior to posting at least 43 catches in each of the previous two years with the Jacksonville Jaguars. And on special teams, Matt Prater (2002-05) converted on a pair of field goals for the Denver Broncos vs. the Oakland Raiders, and has made 78.7 percent of his field-goal attempts in an NFL uniform.
Meanwhile, receiver Jamar Newsome (2007-10) is in his first year with the Jaguars, and two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Bruce Miller (2007-10) has converted to a fullback for the San Francisco 49ers. Also a part of the 2010 UCF Liberty Bowl championship squad, Kamar Aiken (2007-10) is on the practice squad for the Buffalo Bills.
Three more Knights are enjoying life on NFL defenses. Asante Samuel (1999-02) has entered his fourth season with the Philadelphia Eagles. A two-time Super Bowl champion with the Patriots, Samuel has 42-career interceptions in the NFL.
Up front, Leger Douzable (2004-07) added a tackle and one pass break-up for the Jaguars last weekend, and Torell Troup (2006-09) appeared in 15 games in 2010 for the Bills, totaling 23 tackles.
UCF Knights on NFL Opening Day Rosters
Atari Bigby S Seattle Seahawks
Patrick Brown OT Minnesota Vikings
Leger Douzable DE Jacksonville Jaguars
Brandon Marshall WR Miami Dolphins
Bruce Miller FB San Francisco 49ers
Jamar Newsome WR Jacksonville Jaguars
Matt Prater K Denver Broncos
Jah Reid OL Baltimore Ravens
Asante Samuel CB Philadelphia Eagles
Josh Sitton G Green Bay Packers
Torell Troup DT Buffalo Bills
Mike Sims-Walker WR St. Louis Rams
*Kamar Aiken WR Buffalo Bills is on the practice squad
UCF football mini-plans can be purchased online at UCFAthletics.com or by calling the UCF Athletics Ticket Office at (407) 823-1000. Should UCF host the C-USA Championship Game for the fourth time in seven years, it would be played on Saturday, Dec. 3, and season ticket holders will receive the first shot at the best seats.