Frost confident that QB Milton can recover
The devastating knee injury suffered by UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton has had a profound impact on his friends, family, fans and teammates, but perhaps no one has been more saddened than former UCF and current Nebraska head coach Scott Frost.
After all, it was Frost who brought Milton to UCF and helped mold him into the star quarterback he has become. Frost first met Milton when he was the offensive coordinator at Oregon and Milton was named the MVP of Oregon’s summer camp before Milton’s senior season at Mililani High School in Hawaii. Frost coached fellow Hawaiian quarterback phenom Marcus Mariota at Oregon and made Milton a recruiting priority when he was named the head coach of UCF.
Frost — who not only coached Milton but became a mentor to him and lovingly referred to his former quarterback by the nickname of “KZ” — first learned of Milton’s career-threatening injury during Nebraska’s trip back to Lincoln on Black Friday after the Cornhuskers’ season-ending loss to Iowa.
“First and foremost, KZ and his family have been in my thoughts and prayers since I found out what happened,” Frost said via email on Monday. “KZ is like a son to me. I would do anything for him. To see someone that you love go through pain like that is just gutwrenching.
“An injury like he went through is a reminder of how quickly things in life can be taken from you, and that [so] much is beyond your control. I know that KZ is a man of faith and that faith will help pull him through this tough period.”
Frost, like many others, has seen Milton overcome the odds before. There were, after all, many critics who predicted Milton couldn’t cut it as a college quarterback. He was supposed to be too small and not have a strong enough arm to become a big-time college QB.
Well, guess what? Milton has gone on to become one of college football’s most prolific quarterbacks and, despite his injury, just finished sixth in the recent Heisman Trophy balloting.
“If anyone can come back from an injury of this magnitude, my money would be on KZ,” Frost said. “I would not bet against that kid in football or in life. … Ohana!”
Fiesta Bowl gifts: The UCF football team is celebrating Christmas early.
Fiesta Bowl officials visited Orlando and the Knights’ football practice during the weekend, delivering part of their bowl gifts early.
UCF players collected PlayStation 4, part of their NCAA-sanctioned bowl gifts after earning a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, which is sponsored by PlayStation.
The Knights cheered and shouted when they first learned they were getting PlayStation 4 game consoles.
“I really appreciate it. Thank you, guys. I’m going to play Fortnite forever,” UCF defensive lineman Titus Davis said. “… I’m never going to get any sleep.”