McKenzie Milton reflects on coaching, quarterbacks and family life
UCF quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton joined Marc Daniels on Knight Talk this week, offering an inside look at the Knights’ quarterback room, his transition from player to coach, and life as a father balancing family and football.
Halloween with a young family
Marc opened with a question about Halloween plans at home.
“We are not ready for Halloween,” Milton admitted. “My wife’s super picky about what our kids eat, food dyes, ingredients, all that stuff. I didn’t care about any of that until I became a dad.”
The young father of two said family life has changed his priorities, even during the grind of football season.
“You start re-evaluating every decision you’ve ever made,” Milton said. “You don’t want your kids making some of the same mistakes you made. They’re a blessing from God. Football is great, but being a husband and father is way more important in my life.”
QB health updates
The bye week came at a perfect time for UCF’s quarterbacks, who have battled a string of injuries through the first seven games.
“Man, I wish we had two bye weeks back when I was playing,” Milton said. “These guys are lucky, dude.”
Milton praised Cam Fancher, who started at Cincinnati despite playing with broken ribs.
“I don’t know how, I’ve never played with broken ribs, but he was fighting throughout the Cincinnati game,” Milton said. “There were times I thought he wasn’t going to be able to get up, and each time he did. It just shows the heart that young man has. I’ve got nothing but respect for him.”
He said Tayven Jackson and Jacurri Brown are both progressing after shoulder injuries, while freshman Davi Belfort remains fully healthy.
“Tay’s getting back healthy, he banged up his shoulder early and’s been nursing it all year,” Milton said. “JB hurt it against K-State, but Davi’s 19 and running around like he’s never been hit in his life. So he’s good.”
Coaching reunion with Scott Frost
Returning to UCF under Frost, his former head coach during the Knights’ 2017 undefeated season, has been both nostalgic and enlightening.
“It’s been awesome,” Milton said. “Getting back with Coach Frost, soaking in all the knowledge he’s gained from the last seven years — being with the Rams last year, getting exposed to Sean McVay’s stuff — and learning from our OC Steve Cooper, one of the smartest guys I’ve been around. It’s been a great learning experience.”
Milton said the chance to work closely with longtime UCF assistant Sean Beckton, now back with the program, has also been valuable.
“Getting behind the scenes with Coach Beckton and getting to know him on that level has been really cool,” he said. “I’m learning more and more every day.”
From player to coach: Managing the room
Milton said one of the biggest adjustments has been learning the “tech” and logistical side of coaching, from film prep to efficiency.
“The main thing is just the tech aspect,” he said. “Learning how to operate efficiently and manage time. And then just managing different personalities in a room, that’s different as a coach. You do it as a player, but there are different layers when you’re leading guys who’ve all played before.”
He takes pride in the way the group has bonded despite adversity.
“Our room has each other’s backs no matter who’s out there,” Milton said. “That’s something I take pride in.”
Teaching competitiveness
Known for his grit as a player, Milton was asked if “heart” and “competitiveness” can be coached.
“Yeah, you have to,” he said. “It’s how you embody yourself every day. Some guys are innately wired that way, they’re winners, and some, you’ve got to draw it out.”
He said he constantly reminds his players that the real battle is internal.
“In football, there are two battles, the man across from you and the man inside you,” Milton explained. “Once you handle the man inside you, the one across from you doesn’t matter. I tell the guys it’s not Cam versus Tayven or Tayven versus Jacurri, it’s Cam versus Cam, Tayven versus Tayven.”
That mindset mirrors Frost’s “nameless, faceless opponent” philosophy.
“It’s UCF versus Baylor,” Milton said, “but every Saturday, it’s the Knights versus the Knights.”
Adjusting to coaching on the headset
Milton laughed when describing the challenge of watching plays unfold as a coach rather than as the quarterback himself.
“It’s a challenge to go from player to coach, but it’s fun,” he said. “When those guys get the ‘aha’ moments, when their feet and eyes time up right on a play, it’s like, ‘That’s what it needs to look like.’”
He compared the ups and downs of UCF’s current quarterbacks to his own freshman season.
“I’m sure people remember my first year in this system, a lot of highs and lows,” Milton said. “That’s part of learning to play the hardest position in sports. Our guys have had some great moments and some not-so-great ones, but that’s how you grow.”
Offensive growth and buying into the process
Despite the revolving door at quarterback, Milton said he’s been encouraged by the offense’s weekly improvement.
“What I’ve been most pleased with is how our guys have bought into the process,” he said. “You don’t just show up on Saturdays and it happens. They understand what it takes to get there.”
He said maturity and preparation have been key themes for a roster that includes more than 70 newcomers.
“Some older teams can get away with having an average practice,” Milton explained. “But when you’re young, you can’t. You’ve got to be in the right alignment, right assignment, and know your job. That’s how you play confident.”
He shared one of his favorite coaching lines:
“Pressure is what you feel when you don’t know what you’re doing,” Milton said. “I don’t feel pressure because I know what I’m doing. The only time you feel pressure out there is when you’re not confident in your job.”
That, he said, is what has driven the Knights’ steady growth offensively.
“The way our guys have approached each week, gotten better and more confident, that’s what’s pleased me the most.”
Back where it all began
Milton said returning to Orlando, the city where his playing legend was born, has felt like coming home.
“It’s awesome,” he said. “This is where my wife and I met years back. Moving from Hawaii, this is home away from home — actually, it’s home now. We’ve got two little boys, and I love it here. I always will.”
Though the season keeps him busy, he treasures every moment with his family.
“Fatherhood is the best hood, man,” Milton smiled. “This time of year is hard, I only get to see them maybe one or two days a week. It’s crazy how fast they’re growing. Every time I see them, they’re doing something new. I don’t take those moments for granted.”
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