Scott Frost reflects on return to UCF, family and fresh start
Scott Frost feels right at home again.
Speaking Tuesday during Big 12 Media Day at The Star in Frisco, Texas, the UCF head coach opened up about his return to Orlando, the time he spent away from coaching and how much it means to now have his family back by his side.
Frost, who coached UCF to a perfect season in 2017 before spending four-plus seasons at Nebraska, said the time off after his Lincoln tenure gave him the reset he needed, both professionally and personally.
“I really enjoyed two years off,” Frost said. “As a coach, you spend a lot of time at it. My kids are now seven, six, and three- RJ, Alli, and Capri. I got to spend a whole year with Ashley and the kids, and I’ll never get that time back, kind of during their formative years, too.
“I played more catch with my son and touched a ball in the yard with him, going to Little League and seeing my daughter do gymnastics, and helping bring up the young one, Capri.”
He spent the 2024 season in the NFL, working with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams.
“My time out in LA really helped reset me, too,” Frost said. “That’s such a special building and culture in that organization that it kind of reignited my passion for doing this.”
After accepting UCF’s head coaching job in December, Frost’s family stayed behind so the kids could finish school and they officially made the move to Orlando this summer.
“Everything feels like it’s finally normalizing,” Frost said. “I’ve got my wife and kids back around me every night and every day, and I’m a lot happier guy for it.”
Frost, the son of a coach, said he’s mindful of what a move like this means for his children. He lived in 18 different homes growing up and doesn’t want the same experience for them, if he can help it.
“It’s been a lot of change in a short amount of time, especially for my kids,” Frost said. “But my dad was a coach. I think I lived in 18 different houses from the time I was born until my senior year of high school. It’s hard sometimes, but at the same time, you’re able to be more rounded, have more experiences, see more things, and have friends all across the country in different places.
“I appreciate it now, as hard as it was at the time. Again, I hope we can be in Orlando for quite a while so we don’t have to do that again.”
Frost went viral during Big 12 Media Day following a tweet from The Athletic’s Chris Vannini. Responding to a question about what he learned from his time at Nebraska, Frost told Vannini, “Don’t take the wrong job.”
The quote quickly made the rounds on social media and drew backlash from Nebraska fans. Vannini later shared additional context to clarify Frost’s remarks.
“I said I wouldn’t leave (UCF) unless it was someplace you could win a national championship,” Frost told Vannini. “I got tugged in a direction to try to help my alma mater and didn’t really want to do it. It wasn’t a good move. I’m lucky to get back to a place where I was a lot happier.”
A short time later in a breakout interview session with reporters, Frost politely declined talking further about Nebraska.
“I really want to keep it about UCF,” Frost said. “I’m just excited to be back at UCF.”
Others pressed further, pointing out that Nebraska still lingers over his return and asking if he feels pressure to prove something.
“When you go through something that doesn’t work, you’re just ready for another chance, and I’m ready for another chance,” Frost said. “This is about the Big 12. This is about UCF. I’m excited to be back. Everybody has success in life and has failures in life for all sorts of different reasons.
“I’m excited to be back in a place where my family and I get treated well and looking forward for an opportunity to try to do what I love again.”
