ORLANDO, Fla. — Scott Frost is returning to UCF, taking charge of a program that he once led to remarkable heights, two years post his dismissal from Nebraska.

Frost, who commenced his head coaching career at UCF in 2016, transformed the Knights from a 6-7 team into a phenomenal 13-0 squad just a year later. During that victorious season, they clinched a conference championship, triumphed over Auburn in a bowl game, and secured a final ranking of No. 6. Recently, UCF has struggled, finishing its first two seasons in the Big 12 with dismal records, prompting the Knights to seek Frost’s expertise to help revive the program.

“Today’s announcement is a thrilling reunion for UCF Football as we bring back Scott Frost, a coach who inspires the passion of Knight Nation,” expressed UCF athletic director Terry Mohajir in a statement.

“Scott’s dedication to his players, coupled with his leadership and enthusiasm, significantly influenced our choice to rehire him,” he further stated. “His evident passion for UCF throughout our national search reinforces my belief that no one is more eager to spearhead our program than Scott.”

The impressive turnaround Frost initiated at UCF made him a sought-after coaching prospect, which eventually led to his acceptance of Nebraska’s offer to return to his alma mater and guide the team he once quarterbacked to a shared national championship in 1997.

However, his tenure with the Cornhuskers was less than successful, culminating in his dismissal three games into the 2022 season with a disappointing 16-31 record. Since then, Frost has not taken the reins at a college level, working instead as a coaching consultant for the Los Angeles Rams during the current season.

Now, at the age of 49, Frost is replacing Guz Malzahn at UCF. Malzahn spent four seasons leading the Knights, attaining two consecutive nine-win records, but the team faltered to a 6-7 record last year and dropped to 4-8 this season.

As UCF recently wrapped up its second season in the Big 12, they had previously thrived in the American Athletic Conference. Post-Frost, Josh Heupel took over and recorded a 28-8 record over three seasons, yet the Knights struggled to recapture the magic of their remarkable 2017 season under Frost. Back then, with McKenzie Milton leading as quarterback, Frost’s team established the groundwork for future successes, leading the nation in scoring with an average of 48.2 points per game while achieving victory over three consecutively ranked opponents.

Soon after the Knights clinched their AAC championship by defeating Memphis, Nebraska announced Frost’s hiring as the replacement for Mike Riley. Frost continued coaching UCF, leading them to a 34-27 victory over Malzahn’s Auburn, marking the Knights as the nation’s sole unbeaten team—an achievement that earned him the AP National Coach of the Year accolade.

Nebraska fans had enthusiastically welcomed back the local hero, who grew up in Wood River, Nebraska, and was a record-setting high school quarterback—a journey that initially took him to Stanford under Bill Walsh before transferring to Nebraska. In 1997, Frost led the Huskers to an immaculate 13-0 record and a shared national title in his final season with the legendary coach Tom Osborne. His brief stint in the NFL preceded a series of coaching roles that ultimately led him to UCF after a successful period at Oregon.

Though his monumental hiring by Nebraska generated significant anticipation, Frost’s initial season turned out to be a disappointment with an opening of six consecutive losses. His tenure was marked by never exceeding five wins in a season and struggling in Big Ten play, where he failed to secure more than three wins.

Frost’s 2022 season began miserably with a dramatic 31-28 loss to Northwestern in Ireland, an event made infamous for his ill-fated decision to call for an onside kick while holding an 11-point lead in the third quarter. Following a home defeat to Georgia Southern, he was relieved of his duties the next day.