Once again this season, the UCF Knights have regained some players, only for another to add their name to their Big 12 Player Availability Report on Wednesday.
This week, it's the defensive back room that has officially been hit with the injury bug, as a third player from it has been ruled out for the Knights' matchup against Kansas at 3:45 p.m. on Saturday.
However, this week, UCF is not the only school in its matchup having a tough go against the injury bug, as the Jayhawks have a whopping nine players designated questionableand six ruled out.
Below is a breakdown of both teams' player availability reports and what they mean for both teams:
The Knights will be without multiple defensive backs for back-to-back weeks, with three being ruled outonWednesday.
Demari Henderson and DJ Bell are out again on Saturday, with Henderson missing his second game of the season and Bell his third. In Lawrence, Kahmel Johnson is also joining them on the sideline.
Ty Bartrum , who was designated probablein Wednesday's report, was the main benficiary of Henderson being out for the Space Game, tallying nine tackles. Caleb Flagg also saw the field, making three tackles.
With Bell once again out, Jayden Bellamy and Antione Jackson are once again faced with an increased snap share at cornerback. Though Jailen Duffi e and Rukeem Stroud are both there to back them up.
Meanwhile, Johnson is the listed backup for Braeden Marshall at nickelback. So, while his absence may not affect the Knights' starting lineup, another defensive back like Flagg, Duffie, Stroud or Matt Irwin may have to step into the nickelback role at certain points during Saturday's game.
While his name may not be on this week's player availability report, Frost said on Monday that Owen Spell , who started the season as UCF's starting right guard, is out for the regular season.
"He had one injury and then kind of compounded that with another as he was trying to come back," Frost said on Monday.
As for players on the Knights' player availability report, both Tyler Gibson and Jacob Maiava are back on it this week.
Gibson has been ruled out, making the Kansas game the fourth consecutive missed game for the backup right tackle to Preston Cushman , leaving an opportunity for Laparka Langston , Justin Royes , Cooper Terpstra or Kasiyah Charlton to step into the role.
However, Langston could already be spoken for on Saturday depending on the status of Maiava, who was ruled questionableon Wednesday. Frost said on Monday that while he did not know about his status for the Kansas game, he "avoided anything serious" with the injury he sustained during the Space Game. During the two games he was out for, Connor Meadows shifted to center while Langston started at right guard.
"O-line's a place where, you know, we're still in okay shape right now with the guys we got that have played football," Frost said on Monday.
Following Friday's Space Game, coach Scott Frost said Keyone Jenkins reaggravated an ankle injury he had been nursing for a few weeks, though he did not know how serious. He was designated questionableon Wednesday's report.
Meanwhile, Alonza Barnett III , who stepped in for Jenkins on Friday and was declared healthy by Frost on Monday, has been ruled probable.
While the possibility that Barnett makes his first start since the Knights' Sep. 12 game against Pittsburgh is still up in the air, Frost said that he felt good about "whoever's in there" under center for him in Lawrence.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Jenkins was officially ruled outfor Saturday's game in the Knights' Thursday report. Barnett is now in line for the start.
After being out of action for five straight games, all of which saw him get ruled out in the Knights' first player availability report, Lewis Carter has made it a step closer to his return to the field after getting designated as questionableon Wednesday night.
"We can't wait to get [Carter] back, whenever that happens, but the guys that have been playing have been doing a good job," Frost said on Monday.
One of those guys Frost is referring to is linebacker Jayden Jennings , who was designated as probableon Wednesday night.
The Knights are set to likely be once again all hands on deck out wide and in the backfield as both wide receiver Caleb Rollerson and running back Taevion Swint have been ruled probablefor Saturday's matchup, while Duane Thomas Jr. 's name is nowhere to be found in the report for the first time this season.
Rollerson has missed the Knights' last four games with his injury, while Swint has missed the past two.
They are joined on the probablelist by EDGE Bruno Dall . However, he is not the only injury on the defensive line, a position group set to be without RJ Jackson Jr. for a while, since he was ruled out for the regular seasonalongside Spell, Frost said on Monday.
The Knights are not the only team that has gone through quarterback injuries this season, as all three of the Jayhawks' quarterbacks that have thrown a pass this season: Isaiah Marshall, Cole Ballard and Chase Jenkins have been ruled questionablefor Saturday's game.
Ballard stepped in for an injured Marshall in the Jayhawks' last game against TCU, though he himself is now also on the player availability report.
Coach Lance Leipold said it was "too early to tell right now" who his quarterback would be on Monday, and it seems to remain that way on Wednesday.
In the event of a worst-case scenario in which all three are unable to play on Saturday, Kansas would likely need to turn to one of their trio of freshman quarterbacks: Jaylen Mason, Braylen Rooney or Connor Hanika.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Both Marshall and Jenkins were upgraded to probablein the Jayhawks' Thursday report, paving the way for Marshall to resume his starting role on Saturday. Ballard remains questionable.
Three wide receivers can be found in the Jayhawks' report. Freshmen Tyren Parker and Griffin Baker have been ruled out, though they have not caught a pass for the team this season. Meanwhile, Bryson Hayes, who has caught six passes for 111 yards so far this season, is designated questionable.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Hayes was downgraded to doubtfulin the Jayhawks' Thursday report.
While neither Jack Utz, a freshman ruled outfor Saturday's game, nor Jailen Butler, who is designated questionable, are the Jayhawks' main tight ends, it will leave them lacking some depth at the position as Leyton Cure is now going to need to step into a backup role behind starter Carson Bruhn.
Fun Fact: Utz was a teammate of UCF quarterback Rocco Marriott and tight end Brooks Hall at Platte County High School.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Butler was upgraded to probablein the Jayhawks' Thursday report.
Both of the Jayhawks' free safeties listed on their depth chart, Taylor Davis and Jaden Harris, have been designated questionable. They are joined by cornerback Sayeed Gibbs, a senior who played in nine games for the Jayhawks last season, but has not seen the field since Oct. 10 this season.
Meanwhile, prospects look better for HAWK Elijah Cannon and strong safety Mason Ellis, who were both ruled probable.
THURSDAY UPDATE: A pair of players trended in the right direction for Saturday's game on Thursday, with starting free safety Taylor Davis was upgraded to probableand reserve stroing safety Mason Ellis seeing his name removed from the report altogether, which indicates he is available to take on the Knights.
The Jayhawks' starting center Kasen Carpenter has already been ruled out, making Saturday's game his third consecutive missed game. So, similarly to the Knights, they have turned to a redshirt freshman in Anderson Kopp, who is set to make his third career start on Saturday, according to the team's depth chart.
Starting defensive end David Santiago was designated as questionable. His absence would leave Alex Bray to start in his place, according to the Jayhawks' depth chart. Meanwhile, reserve defensive tackle Grady Seyfert has been ruled out.
THURSDAY UPDATE: Two Jayhawks linebackers made their way onto their Thursday availability report, with both starter Bam Crouch and freshman Josh Galbreath both being ruled questionable.
According to Kansas' depth chart, redshirt freshman Malachi Curvey is in line to step in for Crouch should he be unable to play on Saturday. However, Quincy Davis, a redshirt junior and backup in another linebacker slot for the Jayhawks that has made 29 tackles this season, could also see an increase in snaps.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/ucf as UCF Faced With Depleted Secondary For Kansas Road Trip: Injury Report Breakdown .
