Scott Frost
Shiny Armor?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
UCF Spring Football is underway, and the Knights have another opportunity to learn more about their reshaped roster under head coach Scott Frost as he enters his second first season in Orlando.
While expectations of another 2017-style undefeated run are unrealistic, optimism around this team is growing fast. UCF returns with a strong amount of production from last season while also adding key transfers, providing a much stronger foundation than it had a year ago.
Although the season remains months away, spring football offers the first real look at what this team could become in 2026. From position battles to scheme fits and leadership development, there is plenty to learn before kickoff arrives.
Here are the three offensive biggest questions UCF needs to answer during spring football.
How quickly can Alonza Barnett III take command of the offense? There is no question Alonzo Barnett III is the headline addition of UCF’s offseason.
Adding a projected starting quarterback who just led JMU on a run to the College Football Playoff immediately raises both the standard and the expectations for UCF entering the 2026 season.
Head coach Scott Frost and the staff believe in Barnett beyond physical tools. They view him as a proven winner, someone with the leadership, poise, and playmaking ability to elevate the players around him.
The biggest question, though, is how quickly that success can translate. Barnett spent the past four seasons at James Madison developing within one system and growing comfortable in that environment.
Now, he is being asked to step into a new offense, build chemistry with a new locker room and replicate that same production in essentially one offseason. No pressure, right?
One of the biggest focuses this spring is Frost and quarterbacks coach McKenzie Milton. They must work to build timing, chemistry and overall cohesiveness around football’s most important position on the field.
Can AJ Blazek fix UCF’s offensive line issues? The Knight’s offensive line enters spring as one of the biggest areas to monitor after difficulty and inconsistency in 2025.
The Knights endured the tragic loss of offensive line coach Shawn Clack early in the year, and even with Danny Hope stepping in to help stabilize the group, the unit never fully found its rhythm.
At times, the line showed flashes individually. Collectively they struggled, which led to costly mistakes, like penalties at the worst possible moments. Whether it was a holding call or a false start, it frequently felt like UCF’s momentum was being derailed during key second-half drives or comeback opportunities.
Now, UCF turns to new offensive line coach AJ Blazek to reshape the group.
Blazek wasted no time putting his stamp on the room, helping bring in four transfer portal additions to compete for major roles up front. While the tackle spots appear relatively stable entering spring, the biggest questions lie on the interior, where center and guard battles could play a major role in determining the offense’s ceiling.
Few position groups will be impacted more by UCF’s offensive line play than the running backs.
Who will emerge as UCF’s lead running back? The Knights brought in two experienced transfer backs in Duke Watson and Laden Chambers, both of whom are expected to compete for major roles in the offense. Each brings a different skill set, but both have the experience to help carry the load in Scott Frost’s system.
The biggest question is who will separate themselves as the true three-down back.
That battle becomes even more intriguing with Taevion Swint returning to the mix after missing last season with a meniscus injury. The former four-star recruit has worked his way back and gives UCF another talented option in the room if he is fully healthy.
Spring camp should provide the first real look at how the workload could be divided and whether one back is ready to take control of the position group.
Spring practices officially begin for the Knights on March 31st, giving UCF their first real chance to start answering these 3 questions on the field.
Rebuilding The Armor
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The 2025 season forecasts a pivotal chapter for the UCF Knights, as former head coach Scott Frost returns to Orlando aiming to reignite the magic from his undefeated 2017 campaign.
Armed with a five-year contract through 2029, Frost brings hope and history to a program that stumbled to a disappointing 4–8 finish in 2024.
Frost’s reappointment rekindles optimism among fans and players alike. His previous tenure at UCF produced a 13-0 record, and despite struggles at Nebraska, his return carries the potential of that golden era.
He fortified his staff with trusted confidants like McKenzie Milton as quarterbacks coach and associate head coach Sean Beckton, who now oversees the receiver corps.
The ground game remains the heart of UCF’s offensive identity.
In 2024, RJ Harvey rushed for 1,577 yards, ranking sixth in the FBS, before declaring for the NFL. The torch now passes to Myles Montgomery, a steady transfer from Cincinnati with a history of contribution, and Jaden Nixon from Western Michigan.
Although neither may replicate Harvey’s dominance, their physicality and versatility offer hope for improvement.
The offensive line will be key. New O-line coach Shawn Clark, known for molding NFL linemen, arrives with only one player, Paul Rubelt, as a returning starter. Building cohesion early will be vital for protecting quarterbacks and halfbacks.
UCF’s aerial attack averaged under 200 passing yards per game in 2024, a low point in recent memory. To improve, Frost needs production from a revamped receiving corps—Marcus Burke, DJ Black, and Duane Thomas Jr.—who are touted as fast and intriguing targets.
At quarterback, the competition includes transfers Tayven Jackson (Indiana), Cam Fancher (Marshall/FAU), and returner Jacurri Brown. Tayven Jackson brings starting experience and high efficiency.
On defense, turnover creation was scarce in 2024—only 11 in 12 games, ranking near the bottom nationally.
Frost has hired Brandon Harris to revitalize the secondary, blending experience with speedy, hungry returnees like the Henderson twins and Braeden Marshall, along with an impressive slate of transfers.
The linebacker corps has reason for optimism, led by Keli Lawson (Virginia Tech transfer), Jayden McDonald, and TJ Bullard, supported by newcomers Lewis Carter and others.
The D-tackles, represent continuity and grit—forged by veteran staffer Kenny Martin and bolstered by experienced returnees like John Walker. Newcomers like Horace Lockett and R.J. Jackson will be great additions.
Externally, expectations are modest. RJ Young’s “Ultimate 136” ranks UCF 74th nationally, down from 54th last year, projecting a win total slightly over 5.5. PFF gives a similar outlook, projecting around 6.3 wins for the season.
Meanwhile, the Big 12 preseason media polls (via aggregated outlets) place UCF between 15th–16th in the conference.
UCF opens at home against Jacksonville State (Aug 28), then hosts North Carolina A&T before a challenging test at North Carolina (Sept 20) and at Kansas State (Sept 27).
A strong start could build momentum, while losses would underscore the rebuild ahead.
2025 is a season of reset and cautious hope for the Knights. Frost’s return brings familiarity and a blueprint for success, but roster turnover and inexperience at key positions pose real challenges.
If the offensive line gels, the running backs provide consistency, the quarterbacks mature, and the defense creates turnovers, UCF could surprise.
A 5–7 or 6–6 record, flirting with bowl eligibility, seems like a fair forecast—and a solid step toward reintroducing the Knights’ winning identity.
