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Fellowship of Christian Athletes Honors UCF Peach Bowl-Winning Coach Scott Frost with 2017 Grant Teaff Award
FCA’s Top Coaching Award Presented Today at the Annual American Football Coaches Association Convention in Charlotte
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—University of Central Florida head football coach Scott Frost rang in the new year in a big way with a win over No. 7 Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Frost has even more excitement in store for 2018, as the 42-year-old coach will make a move to his alma mater at Nebraska.
But beyond coaching, Frost has made an indelible mark on his players over the years, which is why the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA, www.fca.org) honored Frost today with the 2017 Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award at the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Convention in Charlotte.
“The Fellowship of Christian Athletes is honored to recognize Coach Scott Frost, not only for UCF’s perfect season this year, but for the way he has impacted countless players over his successful career,” said FCA President and CEO Shane Williamson. “We congratulate Coach Frost for his accomplishments on the field as well as for the way he has touched the lives of innumerable young athletes as he glorifies God through the game of football. We wish him all the best at his new post in Nebraska.”
Frost is known as a man of faith, which he lives out every day with his family, his coaching staff and his players.
“Coach Frost has allowed me extensive access to serve and encourage his players and staff in the name of Christ,” said FCA’s John Evans, who serves as the FCA UCF chaplain. “In addition to having me speak to the team for pregame devotionals, he has also supported the initiation of three weekly spiritual fellowship gatherings for the players. As a chaplain who walks the sidelines of practice daily, the dramatic turnaround of the football program is undeniably connected to Coach Frost’s love for his players and staff which comes from his personal faith.”
On Dec. 2, after UCF’s win the American Athletic Conference championship, which gave the Knights a 12-0 regular season record, Frost announced he would soon serve as the head coach for Nebraska, where he quarterbacked to a share of the national championship in 1997. Frost is leaving UCF on a high note, with the Knights being the only undefeated team in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the NCAA.
Frost was named the 10th UCF head football in UCF history on Dec. 1, 2015, and quickly led the Black and Gold back to its winning ways, taking over a team that went 0-12 in 2015 and leading them to a 12-0 season and American Athletic Conference Championship in just two seasons.
After this season, Frost also earned the Home Depot College Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year and American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, as well as a finalist for the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award and a semifinalist for the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year.
In Frost’s first season, UCF went 6-7 and earned a bid to the 2016 AutoNation Cure Bowl at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium. With Frost at the helm, UCF made one of the best defensive turnarounds in the nation in 2016. The Knights led the American Athletic Conference in five defensive statistical categories, ranked second in the nation in red zone defense and third in the nation with five defensive touchdowns.
Frost went to UCF from Oregon, where he was an assistant coach from 2009-15, ascending to offensive coordinator in 2013. In 2009, the Ducks ranked 33rd in total offense and eighth in scoring. One year later, they climbed to first in the FBS in both categories, and never dropped below sixth with Frost on staff. Oregon appeared in the national title game in 2010 and 2014 along with the Rose Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Alamo Bowl. Frost, the offensive coordinator as Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy following his stellar 2014 season with Oregon, also chalked up coaching experience at Kansas State and Northern Iowa.
A native of Wood River, Neb., Frost began his college career at Stanford under legendary coach Bill Walsh, playing at both quarterback and free safety for the Cardinal. He then returned home to suit up for Nebraska and head coach Tom Osborne. After sitting out the 1995 campaign where the program went 12-0 en route to the national title, he took over in 1996 as the Cornhuskers’ starting signal-caller. That season, Frost was selected as the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year thanks to throwing for 1,440 yards with 13 touchdowns and just three picks. He also rushed for 438 yards and nine touchdowns.
As a senior in 1997, Frost was a Johnny Unitas Award finalist, a Davey O’Brien Award semifinalist and a CoSIDA Academic All-America selection. He was voted on to the All-Big 12 Second Team, throwing for 1,237 yards and rushing for 1,096 along with 19 touchdowns on the ground. Frost’s senior season was capped off with an 13-0 record and another national championship.
Frost would later be tagged in the NFL Draft’s third round by the New York Jets, and over his NFL career also joined the rosters of the Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and his wife, Ashley, reside in Frost’s hometown of Wood River.
Click here to view an FCA video about Scott Frost while he was coaching with the Oregon Ducks.
Named after Grant Teaff, former Baylor University coach, AFCA executive director and Trustee Emeritus of the FCA Board of Trustees, the Coach of the Year Award presented by FCA recognizes a football coach who exemplifies Christian principles and who is involved in FCA. The award is also based on the success and performance of the coach’s team that season. Previous winners include SD State’s John Stiegelmeier (2016), UNC’s Larry Fedora (2015), Clemson’s Dabo Swinney (2014), Hugh Freeze (2013), Tommy Bowden, Tommy Tuberville and Jerry Kill.
Read more about Fellowship of Christian Athletes here, visit FCA’s web site at www.fca.org, its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fcafans or its Twitter feed @fcanews.
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