Scott Frost addresses QB health, previews Kansas as UCF looks to regroup after K-State loss
Coming off their first loss of the season, a 34-20 road defeat at Kansas State, UCF head coach Scott Frost met with the media on Monday to discuss the game, the status of injured quarterbacks Tayven Jackson and Jacurri Brown, and the challenge ahead as the Knights (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) prepare to host Kansas this Saturday at the Bounce House.
Frost shared his thoughts on execution issues, quarterback availability, the impact of Danny Hope joining the staff, and how the team is approaching what will be a physical, fast-paced matchup with the Jayhawks.
Here’s everything he had to say:
Opening statement
“Just excited to get back to work. The kids lifted this morning and I think energy was good, right Carter? (speaking to center Carter Miller in the back of the room). Energy was good.
“You know, my message to those guys has been the same, that we have a lot of room to get better and we have to keep doing it because the games are going to keep getting more challenging. We got a team that can play with hopefully anybody that we play on the schedule. We have to execute well and play fast and got to have good weeks of practice to make that happen.
“So excited to get back to work.”
On the injury status of QBs Tayven Jackson and Jacurri Brown, both of whom had shoulder sprains during the Kansas State game
“That’s kind of TBD and I’m not trying to give you the runaround. I got to see how they operate this week. You know, it’s great that we have Cam (Fancher) ready, ready to go again too. So we’ll figure that out as the week goes along.”
On the role of Cam Fancher, who entered the season as UCF’s starting QB
“We’ll see. I know he can play and he can play well. So this week’s got to help determine that based on, you know, how everybody looks in practice and who’s ready to go and who isn’t. Just like a lot of positions, we’ll play the guy that gives us the best chance to win.”
On UCF avoiding an October Big 12 losing streak, which happened the previous two seasons
“You know, sometimes when those things happen it’s because you’re just losing close games and you’re fighting and that’s football. You win some, you lose some. I think other times, when that happens to teams, you know, guys can kind of cash it in a little bit.
“I don’t expect this team to do that. You know, that doesn’t mean we’ll win the next one, doesn’t mean we won’t. This league is gonna be a battle every week but I feel great about the players we have on this team.
“We’re gonna keep fighting. We might win three in a row, we might lose three in a row, we might win one, lose one. No matter what, coaches are gonna keep coming to work and trying to give us the best chance the next week and the players got to do the same thing.”
On where the team needs to make the biggest improvement
“It’s just execution. We didn’t execute very well Saturday and a lot of that falls on me. You know, we had a lot of mitigating circumstances in that game that made it a challenge.
“Certainly thought we had our chances. Offensively, we just didn’t keep drives going and give ourselves opportunity to hit big plays often enough, didn’t protect well enough and made some bad decisions.
“Our plan going in was to try to keep the defense off the field and it completely went the other way on us, and the defense played well for a long stretch of that game. We just left them on the field too long and gave them opportunities that we didn’t have, but all that comes down to a little better execution on offense and we keep some drives going and give ourselves chances to call more plays that eventually hit.
“It’s the detail, and usually when you’re not real experienced that detail can be lacking so we got to fast track that.”
On the delay of game penalties vs. K-State
“We felt like we got the play calls in early enough. We just got to get in and out of huddles better. That starts in practice and we got to be more clear and concise in the huddle to make sure everybody has it.
“I also thought we got worn out. You know, we got in a position where we had to go super fast which we’re capable of doing and guys are gonna have to play eight, ten, twelve plays in a row and I think sometimes fatigue gets us and then we’re not as fast into the huddle, we’re not as fast breaking the huddle.
“So we have to be better in those situations than we were and again, I’m not pointing the finger at anyone. That’s just something we all need to work on.”
On defending running QBs like Kansas QB Jalon Daniels
“Well, he’s really good. Watching him on tape, he can throw at an elite level, he can run at an elite level. I think they do a great job scheme-wise with him.
“So they’re probably gonna get theirs to some degree and we got to try to limit that. We definitely need to be better on offense. It’s hard to take everything away from a player of that caliber, so we got to do the best we can to contain it.”
On Danny Hope, who joined the staff to assist with the OL
“Yeah, Coach Hope and Coach (Shawn) Clark were really close and I know it affected him too, and part of the reason he wants to be here is to kind of honor the work that Shawn was doing. You know, it takes you a while to get up to speed on scheme and vocabulary and terminology and it’s probably a good question for Carter (Miller). He’s in the room with him.
“I think as the year goes on he’ll be able to help us more and more, but it’s kind of across the board so there’s technique things and just fundamental things that we need to execute at a higher level. We didn’t pick up twists very well last week. We’re gonna work the heck out of that. So there’s some things he can help us with and I think as time goes along he’ll be able to help us more and more.”
On the WRs getting fatigued at K-State
“Kind of what he was talking about. I think the extended drives got to us and part of that is, you know, we need to probably keep bringing some young guys along, give them more opportunities to play and keep guys fresher toward the end of the game. We got some young guys with a lot of talent, so we need them to step up a little but we also got to give them that opportunity.”
On the similarities between K-State QB Avery Johnson and Kansas QB Jalon Daniels
“The defense is going to be our defense, and at times Saturday we smothered what they were doing. At other times it leaked and when you give a good athlete space they’re going to take advantage of it. So we were good at times, we need to be good more often this week if we’re going to contain him.”
On whether any players have opted out to redshirt after four games
“I have not yet. You know, I love the culture of this team and the attitude of this team. Those are decisions that need to be made.
“There’s all sorts of talk about eventually having a five-for-five rule, which I think makes a lot of sense. If guys have five years to play five, just so you don’t have these things happening. Especially with limited roster numbers, if you have one or two it can really blow up the position and that would take the decision out of this.
“That being said, we’re going to be smart with some guys too if they’re not playing a major role and trying to save their year for them. But I don’t think we have too many of those.”
On limiting the transfer portal to a single winter window
“Yeah, I mean more than anything it just helps my sanity. It was maddening to think you spent all the time building the team and you coach them through spring ball and then they aren’t on your team. What a waste of effort. I think that makes a lot of sense and I think coaches all around the country were pushing for it.
“You know, the one that I wish would get some attention is our salary cap number, quote unquote salary cap. I hope it’s a salary cap. It’s not right now, but I hope they get it there. The break for that is in July. So when you think about it, our season really goes from end of transfer portal to end of season.
“And you’d like to think that the salary cap pertains to the team that year, but since the break for the finances is in July, you end up spending half your year’s money on one team and half your year’s money on the next team and that can be manipulated.
“I hope that’s the next step, that there’s a clean break. And if we can get to a cap that it starts and ends at the end of the transfer portal.”
On the inconsistency in officiating when it comes to holding calls, which was evident by several non-calls in the K-State game
“Yeah, I’m not going to say much about that other than I had a really good talk with the head of officials yesterday and I really appreciate what he had to say to me and we’ll keep working through that. You know, simply put, if some of those calls that could have been made weren’t holding, then I probably need to teach our offense to do things a little bit different. And that’s what I’m curious about more than anything.”
After Tayven Jackson went out, on what went into the decision to play Jacurri Brown instead of Cam Fancher
“It was just, I think, more reps in practice during the week. We went all week with Cam getting a few reps, but mostly with Tay and Jacurri as Cam was still getting back to 100% and shaking the rust off. And, you know, I just felt more comfortable playing the guys that had taken the reps during the week.”
On the importance of establishing the run
“Yeah. If you point to anything in the game Saturday, we didn’t earn first downs early in the game. And when you earn first downs, the tide starts to go with you. We knew we had some chances to create some runs in the game and we did once we started controlling the ball a little bit and giving ourselves more chances.
“But our offensive line run blocked pretty well Saturday and we created some big plays. We just didn’t have enough opportunities to do that in the first half, especially the first quarter.
“So we got to make the plays and execute on things that will move the chains so we get more chances to snap the ball and have opportunity to make big plays.”
On whether he would consider playing multiple QBs in the same set
“Yeah, I mean, we definitely have talent at the quarterback spot. So we’ve talked about those things. Right now, I’m worried about who’s healthy and who’s not.”
On the injury status of tight end Dylan Wade, safety Jayden Williams and edge rusher Isaiah Nixon
“Yeah, we’re waiting to kind of hear. I haven’t met with the trainers yet. I feel really good about those guys and their status for this week, but I’m kind of waiting to get an injury report.”
On QB reps in practice this week
“I’ll have a pretty good idea tonight who’s got a good chance to go and who isn’t. I think after tonight, we install everything and then really the practices are on Tuesday and Wednesday. So by tomorrow morning, we’ve got to make that determination. I don’t know the answer yet.”
On kicker Noe Ruelas, who made two FGs at K-State including a 53-yarder
“Yeah, it’s always comfort when you have a kicker that you believe in. Pete Alamar has done a great job with special teams and it’s good to have a guy that can hit those kind of kicks. We’ve got to be better and make sure that we don’t take negative plays when we get in their side of the field.
“We did that on a couple drives with a fumble and some penalties and a couple sacks. Credit to them again. We made that field goal harder than we needed to, but it’s good to have somebody that can hit it.”
On facing Kansas
“I had watched them some going into this game and I thought defensively they were playing really well. Cincinnati got them on a few things, but (defensive coordinator) DK McDonald done a really good job with them. They’re multiple and they run and hit well.
“Offensively, I think they’re creative and they put their quarterback in position to make plays. I think they did a good job in the transfer portal and they have some guys that can really play. I think they’re a better team than they were last year.
“We’ve got our hands full, but it’s good to be at home.”
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