It’s a warm, sunny spring afternoon and a UCF student zooms by Wayne Densch Sports Center on a scooter. In the distance, construction cranes can be heard moving around as work continues on the Roth Tower expansion on the Acrisure Bounce House Stadium.
Inside, coach Scott Frost can be found in his office talking with a variety of coaches and staff members.
Advertisement
Spring football camp is just around the corner and the Knights are finishing up their winter workouts.
It’s been 15 months since Frost returned to UCF and the vibe around the football program is a much different one than when he first arrived on Dec. 7, 2024. At the time, Frost was getting a crash course in the economics of modern college athletics.
It had been three years since he had last stepped on the sidelines as a head coach and even in that short period of time, so much had changed. Unlimited transfers, name, image and likeness (NIL) and revenue sharing were front and center.
From the moment he stepped on campus, Frost found himself trying to adjust on the fly.
Advertisement
Not only did he have to hire a new coaching staff, but he also had to rebuild a roster ravaged by the transfer portal. UCF would end up bringing in 71 newcomers, many of whom were forced to step into starting roles immediately.
“I didn’t know what to expect from the transfer portal,” Frost recently told the Orlando Sentinel. “The transfer portal was already open. I did my press conference to take the job and I had two players from the previous year’s team in my office asking me for money before I even knew who they were. We didn’t have a list of names. We hadn’t watched film yet. We were starting fresh.
“I was up in the office at 6 a.m. and falling asleep at 1 a.m. with my phone on my chest.”
There was also more than a fair share of challenges for Frost when he first arrived.
Advertisement
“There were a lot of habits around here that didn’t fit how we want to approach things,” Frost said. “Some of the guys, we were able to change and improve; others we weren’t. If they didn’t seem like somebody that was going to buy into what we wanted to do, then they’re probably not here anymore.”
UCF finished with a 5-7 record, missing out on bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season.
“We probably got what we deserved,” Frost said, looking back on last season. “We easily could have won another two or three games, but we easily could have lost a couple, too. Our team culture was very average and the standards just weren’t high enough for what we expect.
“That was just nobody’s fault. It’s just that when you have 71 new players, you’re taking over from somebody else and your kids are used to doing it a different way, it just takes a while. It was a good take-off point.”
Advertisement
The Knights also dealt with heartache after offensive line coach Shawn Clark passed away on Sept. 21, following a medical episode. Clark’s death shook the team, which had little time to mourn with a road contest against Kansas State on Sept. 27.
“That was a tough thing for us to deal with during the season,” Frost recalled. “More than anything, it just drained everybody’s energy. There was so much emotion that would wear you out that I just didn’t feel the same pep from everybody. The success of our football team pales in comparison and importance of his family and his life.
“I don’t think I really processed what happened until after the season was over, because you just don’t have time. We had to get back to work.”
Orlando Sentinel 150: How Orlando willed itself into sports’ big leagues
Advertisement
Following the conclusion of their season, UCF wasted no time in preparing for the 2025-26 season.
With the help of Trent Mossbrucker, the team’s general manager of player personnel, and the recruiting staff, the Knights jumped into action when the transfer portal window opened in December, signing starting quarterback Alonza Barrett III, who led James Madison to the College Football Playoff.
Eventually, the team would welcome 47 newcomers: 31 transfers and 16 high school recruits.
“We were way more prepared. Hopefully, that’s going to make us way more accurate in our evaluation of the players that we brought in,” said Frost.
Advertisement
“College football has changed so much and there’s a learning curve to it. It’s changing constantly. You’ve got to be smart and light on your feet in order to react to changes and figure out the strategy that’s most effective for us here. And I think a year of experience and seeing things and learning is going to help us a lot.”
Frost acknowledges he made it a point to sign more mature players with an emphasis on toughness.
“We made a conscious effort to get older and more experienced, and that helps us in a lot of areas,” he said.
UCF also added several new coaches to the staff, with AJ Blazak taking over as offensive line coach and Cooper Bassett assuming the tight ends coach role from offensive coordinator Steve Cooper. The Knights are still looking for a defensive backs coach after Will Johnson left to join the Minnesota Vikings’ coaching staff.
Advertisement
As UCF wraps up offseason conditioning, the team will get some time off before the start of spring camp. The players will have a week off for spring break (March 16-21), while the coaches are also looking for some R&R.
Frost plans to spend the time with his wife and kids.
“There’s probably only been a dozen days since I took the job and I haven’t been in the office, and it’s always good to recharge your batteries by doing something else,” he said.
Please find me on X, Bluesky or Instagram @osmattmurschel. Email: mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com. Sign up for the Sentinel’s Knights Weekly newsletter for a roundup of all our UCF coverage.
