It’s 7:41 p.m. on Dec. 8. The lights of FBC Mortgage Stadium illuminate the field as Scott Frost steps out of the tunnel for the first time since the last time…

… The 2017 American Athletic Conference Championship game when he knew he was on borrowed time and just wanted to celebrate with his guys.

Today is a homecoming moment just for him and his wife, Ashley, as they check off their final task (a five-minute photoshoot) of this momentous day.

He loosens his tie. It’s been four straight hours of hugs and smiles and shaking hands and speeches and interviews and tours and pompoms and standing ovations and fight songs.

He soaks in the silence.

He glances up at the 2017 National Championship signage. UCF Chief Branding Officer Jimmy Skiles ’06 paints a picture of what has sustained in 2024 from the game day atmosphere Frost’s 2016-17 teams helped mold.

“You know what I’m looking forward to as much as almost anything?” Frost says. “Wawa. I wanted to say that in the press conference, but I didn’t think it was appropriate.”

A chuckle. Skiles replies: “They’re a sponsor. They would have loved that.”

“I’ll say it at the next one,” Frost says with a smile.

Familiar comforts.

This place.

He’s home.

You Can Go Home Again

In nine years, a month hasn’t passed without Sean Beckton ’93 speaking to Frost.

The pair did not know each other before Frost arrived on campus in 2015 to replace retiring head coach George O’Leary following a 0-12 season.

Fans, former players and donors were all in Beckton’s corner — a star wide receiver for the Knights from 1987-90 and UCF Athletics Hall of Famer with a combined 20 years as an assistant coach for his alma mater.

The two chatted. At the end of the meeting, Frost said he could see why he kept hearing endorsements on Beckton’s behalf. He offered a job to coach the tight ends.

“He said, ‘I know you haven’t done that before, but I know you will do a great job coaching,’ and I just thought that this was a person who believed in me,” Beckton says.

Since then, they’ve won games and championships together. They’ve also experienced the other extreme together. Through the ride, they’ve created a bond and a friendship that is fit for a lifetime.

The two were in contact through Frost’s interview and vetting process for his second tenure at UCF. And then over the weekend Beckton started hearing it was a done deal.

“I texted him, ‘Hey, I’m hearing a lot that you’ve gotten the job. Are you coming?’” Beckton says. “Frost said, ‘Yeah, get ready to go. I need your help to get rolling.’ I said, ‘Well I’m already rolling.’”

Beckton, above all, is a UCF man. After he followed Frost to Nebraska — he never gave up his UCF season tickets — he returned to the Knights’ staff for the 2024 season.

He, perhaps more than anyone, knows what makes Frost the right fit for UCF.

“His love for this place,” Beckton says without pause. “I’m going to tell you, it was hard for him after we went 13-0 to make that decision to go to Nebraska. He genuinely did not want to leave — all the way up to the championship game against Memphis that morning. In a staff meeting, he broke down and said, ‘Man, I don’t want to leave this place.’

“That’s one of the things that makes me feel that he’s going to do whatever he can to stay here for the rest of his career.”

The standout quote from Frost’s press conference Sunday has resonated with so many because it’s true: “When you’re climbing the ladder of success in life, sometimes they forget to tell you to stop when you’re happy.”

A Reset

Frost coached the Cornhuskers for a little more than four seasons. He left Lincoln in 2022 and remained off the grid and away from the game.

He moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. He and Ashley focused on their kids. They rallied around her younger brother, who was diagnosed with cancer and thankfully today is in recovery.

“We went there to be in a family bubble,” Ashley says. “The kids loved having him home. It was an awesome decision. Scott got to get a reset from everything.”

But the calling to the sport never totally faded. He just needed to wait for the right opportunity. There was only one in college he was willing to return for.

Frost dipped his toe back into football this season as a coaching consultant with the Los Angeles Rams. He was happy. His family was happy.

“In my mind, I thought this is it — NFL,” Ashley says. “When this opened up, and there was talk about coming back, I started praying. I was like, God if this is meant to be, I trust you to lead it. If it’s not, please slam the door shut. He would never take a job if he didn’t feel like he was called to be there. We learned that lesson. Truly.”

Culture Keeper

Following Gus Malzahn’s departure from the program on Dec. 1, UCF Vice President and Director of Athletics Terry Mohajir called a meeting the next morning with the football student-athletes.

He asked them to speak candidly about what characteristics they wanted to see in their next head coach. They mentioned discipline, accountability and culture among their list.

Mohajir says that gave him his marching orders. He got to work on a national search.

“No one wanted to lead our program more than Scott, and that commitment speaks volumes about his character, his dedication, but most importantly, his love for UCF,” Mohajir says. “He doesn’t just want to coach football here. He wants to be a part of the community. He wants to inspire student-athletes. He wants to carry forward the momentum that defines UCF football.”

Six days later, Mohajir was once again in front of a small group of student-athletes and others Zooming in from their homes on holiday break to introduce their new head coach.

Frost addressed the team in a concise, impactful speech. He spoke of working hard, but having fun while doing it (a staple of the 2017 undefeated team). Doing the little things right. A charge to build something and be part of something bigger than themselves. And a commitment to keep the core group of players at UCF.

Redshirt senior offensive lineman Paul Rubelt ’23 walked away “ready to run through a brick wall” for Frost.

“Everything he said in that meeting I agree with. I’m already 100% bought in,” says Rubelt, who has been a part of the program since 2020. “I’m excited for change; what’s to come. I’m thankful for coach Malzahn and the opportunities he gave me. But on the other side, I already regret only playing one year for coach Frost.”

On The Job

Within two minutes of his re-introduction to the world as the Knights’ head coach on Sunday, Frost addressed the expectations of Knight Nation.

“I hope everybody doesn’t think we’re going to go undefeated immediately,” Frost said, eliciting laughter from everyone in attendance at his press conference.

Yes, there is work to do — especially to reach the aspirations he and others have for the team and the athletic department as a whole.

Mohajir’s: “Scott’s return signals a bright future — one where we can continue to dream big and achieve even bigger,” he says. “I really believe we can be a national champion program.”

Rubelt’s: “In my final year, I want to help UCF be in the best possible spot. The best possible spot would be to go to the College Football Playoff. In 20 years, I want to look back and say, look where this place has gone to and I was part of that.”

Beckton’s: “For me, on the back end of my career and being associated with the program, I want to see it to continue to grow for not only football, but all the sports. We have some elite programs, and we want to continue to win championships and really show the country where this place is headed. I want us to be in a situation where, five, six, seven years from now we’re saying that UCF is playing for the national championship — not only in football, but basketball and some of the other sports also.”

Everyone is betting on UCF with Frost at the helm.

And Frost is betting on himself.

“I know what I’m capable of and I know what we can get done here,” Frost says. “UCF can become great if we do things the right way. There’s a little bit of me that wants to prove the type of coach that I think I am. I’m going to get the chance to do that in a special place.”

Alongside his family, who he is eager to share this experience with. He’s looking forward to his children seeing their dad coach on the sideline and building their own relationships with his players. He’s eager to coach football again at a high level and impact the lives of young people. He’s happy to be putting down roots with Ashley in a place they love to live.

“Living here was probably one of my favorite times of life, and I’m happy to be back,” Ashley says. “I just want happiness for the players and coaches. I want success. And culture in the midst of NIL. I think it can be done. Especially here.”

His first days on the job he’s doing everything, everywhere all at once. Assembling a coaching staff. Player meetings. Navigating the transfer portal, which opened this week. Acclimating to the evolution of NIL. Figuring out moving his family across the country. He’s announcing the return of McKenzie Milton ’19 ’22MA as his quarterbacks coach. Embracing Shaquem Griffin ’16 in the parking lot. Talking bass fishing and kids with Michael Colubiale ’17.

And sitting there, among the chaos, is a gray, plastic Wawa takeout bag on the desk outside his office doors.

This place.

He’s home.