Griffin thankful to play senior season alongside his brother

Shaquill Griffin has been a part of some of the greatest wins in UCF history.

The senior cornerback was there for all the incredible moments during the Knights' two-year reign at the top of the American Athletic Conference in 2013-14, including that night in Arizona when UCF shocked the world by handily beating Baylor in the Fiesta Bowl.

But no game stands out more than this year's season opener, a 38-0 victory against South Carolina State.

"That was the first game me and my brother (Shaquem Griffin) got to play next to each other," Griffin said. "Other things stand out, but that's the biggest one I'll never forget. Just that first game. I remember him coming up to me and saying, 'Man, I'm nervous,' and I told him, 'At the end of the day, you've just got to have fun.' I'm glad he came out and had the game that he did. He needed that. The season he's having is really great. That's the moment I'll never forget, having him next to me for the first game."

Shaquill, Shaquem and their defensive teammates are having an incredible season in the first year under Scott Frost and defensive coordinator Erik Chinander. It's not just Shaquem having a breakout season - other previously underutilized players like Mark Rucker, Errol Clarke and Demeitre Brim have also shined and are a big reason why the Knights will be going bowling.

"I always felt last year our defense was good, but I felt like we just weren't in the right spots," Griffin said. "Coming into this year, moving my brother to linebacker and moving people around to different positions, I feel that's exactly where we're supposed to be. These coaches came in and mixed things up. That's something we needed. We needed something different. Something new. After that first game, I knew we had something special. From there, we just kept learning. We'd make mistakes, but we'd learn from them and each game we'd make less mistakes than the game before. I'm definitely glad I could be a part of this defense for my last year."

Few outside the program expected a bowl for a team that didn't win a game last year, but UCF proved their doubters wrong last week by winning their sixth game, securing a spot in the postseason. The Knights are hoping to keep things rolling in their last two games, Tulsa at home this Saturday and then the regular season finale at USF.

"I can't ask for nothing more," Griffin said. "Every senior wants the best season they can get, definitely a bowl game. I'm glad to be able to live out that dream, especially after last year and a lot of people expecting us not to. The seniors made sure that didn't happen. We're trying to win these last two also."

The Griffin brothers will both graduate from UCF next month. Shaquill will try his hand at the NFL, while Shaquem will return for his redshirt senior season in 2017.

"It's going to be different, but I know (Shaquem) is going to hold his own," Griffin said. "We'll definitely stay in contact. That's not going to change. We'll try to see each other as much as we can. You get to a certain age and it's time to start doing your own thing. We'll be back together soon. You don't have to worry about that."

As for a post-football career, Shaquill knows one thing. He wants to give back.

"I want to work around the community," he said. "Be a role model to kids. My brother is an inspiration to other people. Something to give back to kids. Show them a different way. Not everybody has the best route, but you have the option to choose what you want to be in life."