UCF Finalizes Scott Frost Contract: Bowl Game Appearance Triggers Automatic Extension
The contract details for returning UCF head football coach Scott Frost have been officially released, outlining a five-year, $22.1 million deal. This marks Frost’s return to Orlando after a tumultuous tenure at his alma mater, Nebraska, where he was fired three games into the 2022 season. Notably, the agreement includes an automatic one-year extension if the Knights reach a bowl game in the upcoming season.
UCF rehired Frost in December, succeeding Gus Malzahn, who departed after four seasons to become the offensive coordinator at Florida State. Frost previously enjoyed a successful two-year stint with the Knights in 2016 and 2017, culminating in an undefeated 13-0 season and a Peach Bowl victory over Auburn before he took the head coaching job at Nebraska. However, his success in Florida did not translate to the Cornhusker State, where he amassed a 16-31 record and never led the program to the postseason in his five years.
Frost’s new contract at UCF features a starting salary of $3.9 million, slightly less than his final-year compensation at Nebraska. Scheduled raises will increase his pay to $5 million by the 2029-30 season. The deal also includes various performance-based bonuses, such as $75,000 for appearing in the Big 12 Championship Game and an additional $50,000 for winning the conference title. Furthermore, Frost can earn a $100,000 bonus for reaching the College Football Playoff and another $100,000 for winning a playoff game, with a first-round bye counting as a victory.
The landscape at UCF has evolved significantly since Frost’s initial successful run. Now a member of the Big 12 Conference, UCF competes in a Power Five league, presenting both opportunities and challenges as Frost navigates the modern recruiting environment.
At his introductory press conference in December, Frost acknowledged the difficulty of leaving UCF in 2017 but expressed his belief that the program’s potential has only grown. He views his return as an opportunity to complete the vision he had for the Knights.
«It was emotional,» Frost said about his initial departure. «When you’re climbing the ladder of success in life, sometimes they forget to tell you to stop when you’re happy. That being said, there was a lot of pressure.» He also cited personal reasons, including spending time with his ill father and the birth of his two daughters, as factors in his career path.
Looking ahead, Frost is optimistic about replicating his previous success at UCF. «We did the right things here about pushing the right buttons and got it done. I think we can do that again, in fact, I know we can do that if we do the right things,» he stated, emphasizing the unique growth potential of the UCF program within the national college football landscape.