Football coach Scott Frost rang in the new year in a big way by leading Central Florida to a win over No. 7 Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Frost, 42, has even more excitement in store for 2018, as he begins his tenure at Nebraska, his alma mater.
Beyond coaching, Frost has made an indelible mark on his players over the years, which is why FCA honored Frost on Monday with the 2017 Grant Teaff Coach of the Year Award at the 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 Shane Williamson, FCA’s president and CEO. “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.”
Named after Grant Teaff, Baylor’s former coach, AFCA executive director and Trustee Emeritus of the FCA Board of Trustees, the award 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 South Dakota State’s John Stiegelmeier (2016), UNC’s Larry Fedora (2015) and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney (2014).
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 John Evans, 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.”
After UCF’s win in the American Athletic Conference championship on Dec. 2, which gave the Knights a 12-0 regular season record, Frost announced he would serve as the coach for Nebraska, where he, as a quarterback, helped lead the Cornhuskers to a share of the national championship in 1997. Frost is leaving UCF on a high note, with the Knights being the only undefeated NCAA team in the Division I FBS.
Frost was named the 10th coach in UCF’s history Dec. 1, 2015. He quickly led the Knights back to their winning ways, taking over a team that went 0-12 in 2015 and leading them to a 12-0 season and AAC championship in just two seasons.
After this season, Frost also earned the Home Depot College Coach of the Year award, AFCA’s Coach of the Year award and AAC’s Coach of the Year award.
In Frost’s first season, UCF went 6-7 and earned a bid to the 2016 AutoNation Cure Bowl in Orlando. With Frost at the helm, UCF made one of the best defensive turnarounds in the nation in 2016. The Knights led the AAC in five defensive statistical categories, ranked second in the nation in red zone defense and third in the nation with five defensive touchdowns.
Frost came 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. Frost, the offensive coordinator when quarterback Marcus Mariota won the Heisman Trophy following his stellar 2014 season at Oregon, began his coaching career 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 returned home to play for Nebraska and coach Tom Osborne. After sitting out the 1995 campaign, where the program went 12-0 en route to the national title, Frost took over in 1996 as the Cornhuskers’ starting quarterback. That season, Frost was selected as the Big 12 offensive newcomer of the year, throwing for 1,440 yards with 13 touchdowns. 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 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’s NFL career includes stints with the New York Jets, the Cleveland Browns, the Green Bay Packers, the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He and his wife, Ashley, reside in Frost’s hometown of Wood River.
Click here to watch FCA's video in 2014 about Frost while he was coaching at Oregon.
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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 Larry Fedora (2015), Clemson’s Dabo Swinney (2014), Hugh Freeze (2013), Tommy Bowden, Tommy Tuberville and Jerry Kill.
Past Winners:
- 1998 – Tom Osborn, University of Nebraska
- 1999 – Fisher DeBerry, U.S. Air Force Academy
- 2000 – Ken Sparks, Carson-Newman College
- 2001 – Bobby Bowden, Florida State University
- 2002 – Larry Coker, University of Miami
- 2003 – Mark Richt, University of Georgia
- 2004 – Tommy Tuberville, Auburn University
- 2005 – Tommy Bowden, Clemson University
- 2006 – Jim Tressel, Ohio State University
- 2007 – Sylvester Croom, Mississippi State University
- 2008 – Phil Jones, Shorter (Ga.) College
- 2009 – Houston Nutt, University of Mississippi
- 2010 - Jerry Kill, Northern Illinois University
- 2011 – Mike London, University of Virginia
- 2012 – Mike McIntyre, San Jose State University
- 2013 - Hugh Freeze, University of Mississippi
- 2014 − Dabo Swinney, Clemson University
- 2015 − Larry Fedora, University of North Carolina
- 2016 − John Stiegelmeier, North Dakota State University