Scott Frost's UCF Coaching Record: A Tale of Two Stints

Scott Andrew Frost, born on January 4, 1975, is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Frost previously served as the head football coach at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln from 2018 to 2022, and before that, he held the same position at UCF from 2016 to 2017. His career has been marked by highs and lows, most notably his undefeated season with UCF in 2017.

Early Life and Playing Career

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska, Frost's journey in football began early. He attended Wood River High School, where he excelled as the team's starting quarterback for four years, amassing 6,859 passing yards and 67 touchdowns, along with 4,278 rushing yards and 72 touchdowns. His athletic prowess extended to track and field, where he won a state championship in the shot put.

Frost's collegiate career started at Stanford in 1993, where he played for two seasons before transferring to Nebraska in 1995 to play for Tom Osborne. His senior season in 1997 saw him lead the Cornhuskers to a shared national championship, famously executing the "Flea Kicker" play against Missouri. He graduated from Nebraska with a B.A. and was later featured as the cover athlete for the NCAA GameBreaker 99 video game.

After college, Frost played professionally for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL) as a safety.

Early Coaching Career

Before becoming a head coach, Frost honed his skills as an assistant coach at various universities. In December 2002, while on the Green Bay Packers' injured reserve list, he served as a temporary graduate assistant at his alma mater. He later worked as a graduate assistant at Kansas State in 2006. In 2007, he joined Northern Iowa as the linebackers coach and was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2008. His defense finished the 2008 season tied for third in the FCS in takeaways (40) and ninth in scoring defense (17.7 points per game).

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In 2009, Frost joined the coaching staff at Oregon as the wide receivers coach, working under head coach Chip Kelly and offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich. Following Kelly's departure to the NFL, Oregon promoted Helfrich to head coach, and Frost was announced as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on January 31, 2013. In 2014, Frost was a finalist for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant coach. As the quarterbacks coach, he mentored Marcus Mariota, who won the Heisman Trophy, en route to a berth in the National Championship game.

First Stint at UCF (2016-2017)

Frost's first head coaching job came at the University of Central Florida, where he was hired on December 1, 2015. He replaced long-time head coach George O'Leary and interim head coach Danny Barrett, who took over the Knights following an 0-8 start. The Knights finished 0-12 that year, marking their lowest point.

2016 Season: Laying the Foundation

Frost immediately turned UCF around. In his first season (2016), he led the Knights to a 6-7 record, a significant improvement from the previous year's winless season. This turnaround was historic, making Frost the only first-year coach in FBS history to take a team to a bowl game after a winless season. Frost recruited McKenzie Milton to Orlando, and the quarterback started 10 games as a true freshman, throwing for 10 touchdowns and 1,983 yards. Defensively, Shaquem Griffin broke out, leading the American Athletic Conference in sacks (11½) and capturing the league's defensive player of the year award.

The Knights were 4-4 in the AAC, notching wins over East Carolina, UConn, Tulane, and Cincinnati. At 6-6, UCF made the Cure Bowl, where they fell to Arkansas State 31-13. Despite the loss, the foundation for future success was set.

2017 Season: Undefeated Glory

The 2017 season was a year to remember for UCF and Scott Frost. The Knights stormed through the regular season, finishing 11-0 and winning the American Athletic Conference (AAC) championship against Memphis in double overtime for their 12th consecutive win. Frost led the Knights into the 2018 Peach Bowl, where they defeated 7th-ranked Auburn, completing the first undefeated and untied season in school history.

With Milton at the helm, UCF averaged 48.2 points per game, leading the FBS. Milton threw for 4,037 passing yards and 37 touchdowns, while Adrian Killins led the rushing attack with 790 yards. Tre'Quan Smith hauled in 59 receptions for 1,171 yards and 13 scores.

UCF's perfect season, however, was not without controversy. Despite being the only undefeated team in the country, the Knights were left out of the College Football Playoff in favor of Clemson, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Alabama. Frost expressed his frustration, stating that UCF "deserved more credit from the committee than what they got."

Following the snub, UCF claimed a national title after the Colley Matrix determined they were the No. 1 team following the CFP championship game on Jan. 9, 2018. The school's accomplishment is recognized in the official NCAA record books.

UCF Coaching Record (2016-2017)

2016: 6-7
2017: 13-0

Tenure at Nebraska (2018-2022)

Following the firing of Mike Riley at Nebraska, Frost was hired as their head coach on Dec. 2, 2017. His return to his alma mater was highly anticipated, given his success at UCF and his history as the quarterback of the team's last national championship in 1997.

However, Frost's tenure at Nebraska did not live up to expectations. Across four full seasons and part of a fifth, he went 16-31, failing to make a bowl game. His best season was 5-7 in 2019.

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Frost entered the 2022 season on the hot seat and was eventually dismissed on Sept. 11, 2022, following an upset loss to Georgia Southern. He concluded his Nebraska tenure with a 16-31 record and a 10-26 mark in the Big Ten.

Nebraska Coaching Record (2018-2022)

2018: 4-8
2019: 5-7
2020: 3-5
2021: 3-9
2022: 1-2

Return to UCF (2025-)

After his unsuccessful stint at Nebraska, Frost made a return to UCF. By the time Frost coaches another game for UCF, it will have been more than seven years since the last. It will be almost three years since his final contest at Nebraska. Frost and UCF have wins over Jacksonville State (17-10) and North Carolina A&T (68-7) to begin the 2025 season.

UCF Coaching Record (2025-)

2025: 2-0

Overall Coaching Record

As of the beginning of the 2025 season, Scott Frost's career record stands at 37-38.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his coaching career, Frost has received several awards and honors, including:

AP Coach of the Year (2017)
American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year (2017)
Home Depot Coach of the Year Award
Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year Award
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award
American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year (2017)

NFL Players Coached

During his time at UCF and Oregon, Frost coached several players who went on to play in the NFL, including:

Jordan Akins
Otis Anderson Jr.
Nevelle Clarke
Gabe Davis
Kalia Davis
Jordan Franks
Richie Grant
Shaquill Griffin
Shaquem Griffin
Jacob Harris
Trysten Hill
Mike Hughes
D. J. Killings
Marcus Mariota

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