UCF officially announces Scott Frost returning for second stint as head coach

UCF and Scott Frost have made the reunion official, as the school announced his hire for a second stint as the head football coach. Frost previously coached the Knights during the 2016-17 season.

It was reported earlier on Saturday that Frost and the Knights could reunite. Frost comes back to UCF after spending 2024 as an analyst for the Los Angeles Rams.

“Today marks an exciting reunion for UCF Football as we welcome back Scott Frost, a coach who ignites the spirit and passion of Knight Nation,” UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir said in a release announcing the hire. “Scott’s love for his players, along with his leadership, enthusiasm and vision were pivotal in making the decision to bring him back to UCF. Throughout this national search, his passion for UCF was clear. I believe no one wanted to lead our program more than Scott.”

Frost last coached at the college level in 2022 at Nebraska, his alma mater, and was fired mid-season during his fifth campaign in Lincoln.

During his first stint at UCF from 2016-17, Frost totaled a 19-7 record over two seasons, including a 12-4 mark in American Athletic Conference play. Now, he’s preparing to return to Orlando and replace Gus Malzahn, who’s taking over as the offensive coordinator at Florida State.

Frost’s tenure at UCF included a 2017 season for the ages. The Knights went 13-0 to seal a Peach Bowl appearance, which ended with a victory over Auburn. After that, he headed to Nebraska – his alma mater – and his tenure didn’t go as well. The Cornhuskers went 16-31 under Frost’s watch and made the decision to part ways in the middle of the 2022 season.

Prior to his first stint at UCF, Frost worked his way up the coaching ranks after a brief professional career. He started out as a graduate assistant at Nebraska in 2002 and later held the same role at Kansas State in 2006. After two years on staff at FCS Northern Iowa, Frost headed to Oregon as wide receivers coach from 2009-12. He then moved up to offensive coordinator from 2013-15 before taking over at UCF in 2016.

UCF had been searching for a new coach after news broke of Malzahn’s departure for Florida State to become Mike Norvell’s offensive coordinator. He spent four years with the Knights and amassed a 28-24 record. However, the program struggled this past year, finishing 4-8 in its second season in the Big 12.

UCF’s search for Malzahn’s replacement also reportedly included an inquiry about USC coach Lincoln Riley’s availability. However, the school ultimately decided to bring Frost back to Orlando.

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.