UCF Sports Thread: 2025 Spring Football is Underway

[UCF]

Is the 75% buyout with or without cause?

Without.

With cause he’d get nothing presumably.

Thanks!

I think we’re in for another brutal year with having 21 guys in the portal. That’s a lot of culture change to expect big results. I guess anything is possible considering Arizona state’s success, but being realistic, it won’t be easy.

[Knightro]

Is the 75% buyout with or without cause?

Without.

With cause he’d get nothing presumably.

Thanks!

I think we’re in for another brutal year with having 21 guys in the portal. That’s a lot of culture change to expect big results. I guess anything is possible considering Arizona state’s success, but being realistic, it won’t be easy.

Arizona State went 3-9 in Dillingham's first season

2025 is going to be rough IMO.

My fear is that the nostalgia high will wear off completely long before the team starts winning.

[UCF]

Any leads on who frost might hire? Need to get coaches in soon.

[UCF]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=4s0LW4t5xw1hGE5WmYY7kw

Depending on the role, I’m okay with this. We need the best qualified coaches.

If we’re going with UCF Alums, Kevin Smith is top of my list for being qualified.

[UCF]

Read on Twitter

?s=46&t=4s0LW4t5xw1hGE5WmYY7kw

[MagicFan101]

Is he actually going to show up to work or is he going to pull the same **** he did in Nebraska?

Losing games was the least of his troubles in Nebraska.

[Optimus_Steel]

Is he actually going to show up to work or is he going to pull the same **** he did in Nebraska?

Losing games was the least of his troubles in Nebraska.

What did he do in Nebraska?

[Jkam31]

Is he actually going to show up to work or is he going to pull the same **** he did in Nebraska?

Losing games was the least of his troubles in Nebraska.

Probably won’t do anything he’ll half ass it in his last chance as a head coach that’s human nature

[UCFJayBird]

Is he actually going to show up to work or is he going to pull the same **** he did in Nebraska?

Losing games was the least of his troubles in Nebraska.

What did he do in Nebraska?

A lot of rumors (many well substantiated) of dealing with alcohol issues. Some also around infidelity I believe as well, but I don't want to put too much stock into those. His father's struggles with cancer and subsequent death I think had a huge impact on Frost. Combined with unrealistic expectations and pressures by the community, and him honestly not being ready for that stage, I think it all had a big impact on him.

This is why i've said before if those issues are resolved and his head is on straight I think he'll do great (assuming he can adapt to the changing college landscape).

Is he actually going to show up to work or is he going to pull the same **** he did in Nebraska?

Losing games was the least of his troubles in Nebraska.

Probably won’t do anything he’ll half ass it in his last chance as a head coach that’s human nature

Or he knows this is his last chance so he'll work his ass off.

[dsg2003mach1]

I can't imagine he was off the wagon and unreliable working for the Rams

[Knightro]

I can't imagine he was off the wagon and unreliable working for the Rams

Not that it matters that much, but Frost was only hired by the Rams in early September and he wasn’t really in a prominent/highly stressful role with them either (special teams analyst).

[Knightro]

So far the confirmed and rumor hires by Frost to fill out his staff have been rather uninspiring.

Offensive coordinator is Steve Cooper. His only experience above the FCS level is two years as an analyst and four years as a quality control coach.

McKenzie Milton is the QB coach. He has two years as an analyst and that’s it.

Sean Beckton will either be WR or TE coach (probably WR). UCF legend certainly, but his only experience above the G5 level was that ill fated run in Nebraska with Frost.

DL coach, special teams coordinator and strength coach (none announced yet) are all the same guys from Frost’s failed tenure at Nebraska.

My fingers are crossed that they spend some real money to get a high end defensive coordinator in here, but I'm not feeling optimistic whatsoever.

[UCFJayBird]

So far the confirmed and rumor hires by Frost to fill out his staff have been rather uninspiring.

Offensive coordinator is Steve Cooper. His only experience above the FCS level is two years as an analyst and four years as a quality control coach.

McKenzie Milton is the QB coach. He has two years as an analyst and that’s it.

Sean Beckton will either be WR or TE coach (probably WR). UCF legend certainly, but his only experience above the G5 level was that ill fated run in Nebraska with Frost.

DL coach, special teams coordinator and strength coach (none announced yet) are all the same guys from Frost’s failed tenure at Nebraska.

My fingers are crossed that they spend some real money to get a high end defensive coordinator in here, but I'm not feeling optimistic whatsoever.

That's my hope as well, but I do wonder if they're trying to save money for revshare? Not sure how that works with the new program or not. But hopefully if that's not the case they're trying to spend their money on DC and other defensive coaches.

The Steve Cooper hire is the only one at the moment that i'm like "really?". I assume this means Frost will be calling plays, and most likely this is Frost using it as a chance to catapult someones career that he probably really believes in. But still, very meh.

The Milton hire is a no brainer. QB Coach was going to be the next step in his career wherever it happened, I don't think it's premature, the timing actually seems fairly appropriate to me. Obviously the enthusiasm and excitement he'll bring is a bonus.

Kam Martin not being retained is a bummer, rumor is we might be bringing in Kevin Smith to be the RB Coach (currently the RB Coach at Ole Miss), which I think is a good hire as well. Retaining Martin or bringing in Smith i think would probably be as effective, but obviously Smith brings in more UCF legacy and excitement.

Not surprised by Beckton, no real issues there either.

I think the only real coaches i'm concerned with at this point are OL and DC. Would like us to get a big name or really known up and comer for DC.

[Kent]

I'm not mad at any of these hires. In fact, I'm encouraged.

I get that you may not be thrilled over the OC hire, but his track record isn't too shabby at all.

We also don't know the kind of intangibles Cooper can bring. For all we know, he may be a great recruiter and culture guy, someone guys really trust and believe in.

I prefer more hungry and innovative minds versus the experienced type anyway. Don't get me wrong, you need a balance, but it's going to be ever more important that the program — or more appropriately, organization — connects with a young student-athlete. I feel the former does that better today.

[Knightro]

I'm not mad at any of these hires. In fact, I'm encouraged.

I get that you may not be thrilled over the OC hire, but his track record isn't too shabby at all.

We also don't know the kind of intangibles Cooper can bring. For all we know, he may be a great recruiter and culture guy, someone guys really trust and believe in.

I prefer more hungry and innovative minds versus the experienced type anyway. Don't get me wrong, you need a balance, but it's going to be ever more important that the program — or more appropriately, organization — connects with a young student-athlete. I feel the former does that better today.

No disrespect intended here, but Cooper's track record is INCREDIBLY soft for a P4 offensive coordinator, even one that isn't calling plays.

His last two seasons as an offensive coordinator at the FCS level with Portland State in 2017 and with Maine in 2023, his teams went 2-20 overall and had tremendously poor offenses.

He's never even been a position coach at the FBS level, only an analyst and quality control coach. Which means he's never recruited in his career either since analysts and quality control guys don't recruit.

If anyone not named Scott Frost, who is quite obviously riding the ultimate nostalgia wave right now and can do no wrong in the eyes of 99% of UCF fans, people would be losing their minds over this staff so far.

But the elephant in the room is that Frost himself didn't deserve to be hired in the first place, so it's no surprise than an unqualified coach would bring an unqualified staff with him.

[Kent]

I'm not mad at any of these hires. In fact, I'm encouraged.

I get that you may not be thrilled over the OC hire, but his track record isn't too shabby at all.

We also don't know the kind of intangibles Cooper can bring. For all we know, he may be a great recruiter and culture guy, someone guys really trust and believe in.

I prefer more hungry and innovative minds versus the experienced type anyway. Don't get me wrong, you need a balance, but it's going to be ever more important that the program — or more appropriately, organization — connects with a young student-athlete. I feel the former does that better today.

No disrespect intended here, but Cooper's track record is INCREDIBLY soft for a P4 offensive coordinator, even one that isn't calling plays.

His last two seasons as an offensive coordinator at the FCS level with Portland State in 2017 and with Maine in 2023, his teams went 2-20 overall and had tremendously poor offenses.

He's never even been a position coach at the FBS level, only an analyst and quality control coach. Which means he's never recruited in his career either since analysts and quality control guys don't recruit.

If anyone not named Scott Frost, who is quite obviously riding the ultimate nostalgia wave right now and can do no wrong in the eyes of 99% of UCF fans, people would be losing their minds over this staff so far.

But the elephant in the room is that Frost himself didn't deserve to be hired in the first place, so it's no surprise than an unqualified coach would bring an unqualified staff with him.

I can see and respect where you're coming from. And yes, I'm choosing to look at everything as glass half full.

That said, Gus brought in experienced guys and we saw how that worked out. Not saying the opposite must be better, I'm just saying.

All of us are going to be in wait-and-see mode. At this point, I'll take the positive vibes and momentous hope these changes bring compared to where we were immediately following the Utah game.

[dsg2003mach1]

At the moment I find myself in the camp of questioning bringing in people from the failed Nebraska job. Milton and such is one thing but definitely feeling a bit underwhelmed overall.

[UCFJayBird]

UCF says season ticket waitlist is 2500+ after the Frost hiring. If nothing else they've definitely reinvigorated the fans, lol.

[MasterGMer]

UCF broke ground the Roth Tower project and will be ready 2026 football season. Thank goodness we got Orange County Tourism Tax to pay for the project. Football Gataway plus the entire football campus should be broken ground soon also. Exciting times

[Optimus_Steel]

UCF broke ground the Roth Tower project and will be ready 2026 football season. Thank goodness we got Orange County Tourism Tax to pay for the project. Football Gataway plus the entire football campus should be broken ground soon also. Exciting times

That tourist tax should be going to infrastructure and transportation projects, not the UCF stadium. I’m well aware they can’t by law but it doesn’t make sense and should not be the case.