UCF HC Scott Frost Shares Why He’s Thankful to Gus Malzahn
· Yahoo Sports
The UCF Knights pulled off an upset to start Big 12 play, knocking off the TCU Horned Frogs. Without starting quarterback Alonza Barnett, UCF was forced to rely on several unheralded players in a total team effort.
Visit afrikasportnews.co.za for more information.
Following the game, UCF head coach Scott Frost was asked about players like Taevion Swint, Caden Piening, Demari Henderson, and Braeden Marshall. For him, it was actually a credit to previous head coach, Gus Malzahn.
“I thank Gus for recruiting those guys,” Frost said.
Frost and the UCF staff have leaned heavily on the transfer portal in their recruiting. That doesn’t mean they haven’t kept anyone from the previous staff, though. Retaining the right players is just as important as bringing in new talent in the modern era.
“We certainly turned over a lot of the roster,” Frost said. “But there are guys on the roster — Demari Henderson’s another one, Braeden Marshall’s another one — I didn’t recruit those guys. I inherited those guys. I appreciate the work Gus did, and we’re glad we have those guys. Football’s changed. If somebody shows a lot of promise, we’re going to do everything we can to keep them. Kids love it here in Orlando and love this university, so hopefully our retention’s good. I think those guys are loving being a part of this, and hopefully we can keep them for a long time.”
The results fizzled out on the field under Malzahn for UCF. However, he did also bring them from the AAC to the Big 12, helping to modernize as a Power Four program. He also found some success in recruiting, which Frost now gets to benefit from.
The UCF Knights, Scott Frost Have Plenty to Clean Up
The win over TCU was a massive one for UCF. However, that doesn’t make them a contender in the Big 12 overnight.
There was plenty of good. Backup quarterback Keyone Jenkins completed 19 of 20 passes for 160 yards and a touchdown. Multiple different running backs had rushing touchdowns. Then, on defense, it was a by committee effort to make up for injuries.
The defense was a strong point, in particular, for UCF. Only giving up 13 points, UCF forced 4 sacks and 4 turnovers. That was while playing a clean game, only committing four penalties.
At the same time, there was plenty for UCF to work on. Jenkins fumbled the ball twice, both times seeing the ball go over to TCU. The Knights also struggled on third down, only converting 3 out of 10 times. On top of that, the UCF defense also gave up a couple of deep balls, which Frost is hoping to see the Knights improve on.
“I said that earlier,” Frost said. “I’ve seen our corners make plays on those balls since spring ball, so I know they can and they will. Those are 50-50 balls.”
What’s Next for UCF?
Big 12 play continues next week for UCF. It’s going to be a pretty major step up in competition, though.
The Knights are set to take on the Houston Cougars, a former AAC foe. However, where UCF is battling to get back to being a bowl team, Houston is considered a contender in the Big 12 this season, with the Cougars currently ranked in the AP Top 25.
This will be a road test for UCF. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EST on Saturday, October 3rd.
The schedule won’t get easier from there, either. UCF’s next three opponents are all currently ranked in the Top 25.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
The post UCF HC Scott Frost Shares Why He’s Thankful to Gus Malzahn appeared first on HEAVY.