Armstrong heads to UCF

May 14—Bryson Armstrong has found his new home.

The most decorated player in Kennesaw State history will use his final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer to play at Central Florida.

He announced his decision with a short tweet Thursday.

"I can't wait to get down to Orlando #ChargeOn," Armstrong tweeted, paired with a graphic showing himself in a UCF uniform.

Messages left for Armstrong seeking additional comment were not returned.

Following the shortened Football Championship Subdivision season this spring, the former Kell High School standout announced his decision to leave Kennesaw State and enter the transfer portal instead of making himself eligible for the NFL draft.

Armstrong, winner of the 2017 Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in the Football Championship Subdivision, is the two-time reigning Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and two-time finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the best defensive player in the FCS.

Armstrong leaves the Owls with 13 single-game, season or career records, including the program's all-time marks in sacks (18.5), tackles (320), solo tackles (226), forced fumbles (5) and fumble recoveries (5). He was also one of only four players to be named to the all-Big South first team all four years.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound Armstrong heads to Orlando, Florida, to play for new UCF coach Gus Malzahn, who is entering his first season after spending the last eight years at Auburn.

Armstrong will bring a veteran presence to the UCF linebacker corps. After starting 48 games in his Kennesaw State career, he will join a young group with the Knights. Rising senior Eriq Gilyard has only 21 career starts and finished second on the team in tackles with 59 last season, while Tatum Bethune and Jeremiah Jean-Baptiste have a combined seven starts between them.

UCF went 6-4 last season and finished last in the American Athletic Conference in total defense, allowing 33 points and 491 yards per game.