Scott Frost says staff is focused on bowl victory
With the recruiting dead period in full effect for college football, Scott Frost was able to smile for the first time while discussing his unique head coach juggling act between UCF and Nebraska.
The departing UCF coach caught some heat from fans who were less than pleased with his dual role recruiting for the Huskers on the road while flying back to Orlando to prepare UCF for the Peach Bowl. But Frost reiterated Tuesday afternoon he and his staff are determined to help the No. 12 Knights finish the undefeated run they started in August with an upset win over No. 7 Auburn in Atlanta on New Year’s Day.
“I think people think we’re not committed to this. I was on a plane [last] Tuesday to California to recruit and got back at 6 in the morning so I could be back with these guys. A lot of the guys on the staff have been doing the same thing,” Frost said. “Auburn didn’t practice for this game until Saturday. We practiced Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with almost an entire staff.”
“…I understand some of the frustration, but I can promise you that our staff is dialed in and ready to do absolutely everything we can for these kids.”
Tuesday marked the first practice during which UCF players and coaches homed in on the game plan after spending last week knocking off the rust and getting back in game-ready shape. Frost said he felt good about UCF’s progress, with the Knights getting ahead on game planning by slipping in a few extra practices last week.
All of the earlier noise surrounding the coaching shift is old news now. Players are focused on completing what most outsiders would consider a mission impossible victory over Auburn.
“Last year, I think we were just happy to get there [to a bowl game] and get six wins after going 0-12. This year, we’re on a mission,” said UCF defensive lineman Joey Connors, acknowledging UCF’s 2016 Cure Bowl loss to Arkansas State. “We want to finish it off, we want to finish 13-0. So this year, we gotta be more focused and dialed in when we get up there.”
The promise of what a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn can do for UCF’s national reputation — and Group of 5 schools in general — is the motor driving players. Defensive tackle Jamiyus Pittman said he planned to be “dead tired” this week after every practice — leaving everything he has on the field one last time. Senior left tackle Aaron Evans even made an appearance at practice Tuesday despite having surgery last week. He was there offering pointers for Jake Brown, who made the transition from guard to tackle in Evans’ absence.
Most oddmakers consider UCF football a longshot to beat Auburn, which previously manhandled Alabama and Georgia this season while the schools the Tide and Bulldogs were both ranked No. 1.
But the Knights are confident their speed and skill can give them an edge.
UCF’s linemen on both sides of the ball understand how critical it will be to win the fight in the trenches. Connors said he likes how the Knights’ defensive line matches up against Auburn’s offensive line, which has an average weight of 308 pounds.