UCF represented everything Noah Vedral wanted in a school.
In many ways, it was the perfect situation for the Nebraska quarterback. The Knights are coached by Scott Frost, whose background as a former prep star in Nebraska mirrors Vedral, himself a multi-sport athlete. There are the ties to the University of Nebraska. Vedral's father and three uncles played for the home-state Huskers, a couple of whom were teammates of Frost. On top of that, Vedral had grown up a big fan of Oregon and their offense, dreaming one day he could play in that system.
That came to a realization last week when he committed to play for Frost and UCF.
Earlier this week, UCFSports.com caught up with the Wahoo (Neb.) Bishop Neumann star to talk about his decision.
First off, can you describe how you first came to know Scott Frost? I did some reading about your background and I know that you attended quite a few camps last summer, including one at Oregon. Is that when the connection first started?
"My relationship with Coach Frost first started at that Oregon camp. I had never met him before. Obviously growing up in Nebraska you hear all the crazy stories and have seen the highlights of all those games. I first met him at the Oregon camp and he was the first coach to take a real serious look at me as a Division I quarterback. He pulled me out with an elite group of kids over the lunch hour one day at camp. It was the first time I got to work with him in a one-on-one setting. We then went out and visited Eugene another time, just an unofficial visit to see him there. We learned then he may not be around Oregon too much longer because there was a good chance he'd have a head coaching opportunity."
I know you visited UCF this past March. I believe spring practice had first started. Had Frost and UCF reached out and encouraged you to take a look? How did you like it then?
"I loved the visit. The City of Orlando is just a really clean town, the roads are nice, stuff like that. Even just driving up to campus was nice. When we got on campus, with 50,000 kids going there, you know they have money to take care of the campus and keep it really nice. I love the layout. What sold me was the football. I got to see them practice and saw how Coach (Mario) Verduzco coached his guys. The tempo of it I really enjoyed. I like it and I think it would be great for me. I got to talk to Frost a little bit again, which was really helpful and fun. That visit went really well."
I believe you got your offer from UCF during the spring evaluation period in May. In Nebraska, do you have spring football? Were the coaches able to see you throw?
"We do not have regular organized spring football in Nebraska. What I would do, since these coaches need to see me throw, I would literally set up workouts any time of the day when they'd come in. It could be the middle of the school day, 7 a.m., 4 p.m. I did so many throwing workouts it wasn't even funny. I'd beg my receivers to come out and catch for me. They were more than willing. Coach Verdu came out and we set up the throwing workout and that went real well. He liked me then, said I had a really good day.
"I didn't get the offer right away. Coach Frost was on his honeymoon so Coach Verdu said don't panic if nothing happens right away. During that time I was in touch with Coach Ryan Held as well. In mid-May I think it was, Coach Verdu said, 'Hey, give me a call sometime today.' I was running around going to graduations, in the car, so I gave him a call. That's when I got the offer. I told my mom and dad and coach right away. It was pretty cool."
Did you think about committing right then? It seems like it was the offer you were waiting for, especially with the ties to Frost.
"The coolest thing about this is it really is a dream come true. As a little kid, everybody assumes you're a big Nebraska fan. I hope I don't get into trouble for saying this, but I grew up in the Oregon era. I remember when Chip Kelly got there and they started to take off. As a little kid, that caught my eye. I wanted to watch them play more than Nebraska. I wanted to play there. I wanted to play in that offense like Darron Thomas, Marcus Mariota, those guys. As soon as Coach Frost moved to UCF, I got in touch with him. They seemed very interested. As soon as I got the offer they shot to the top. It was my dream to play for Coach Frost and in that offense with that culture, the tempo and the speed. I waited a little bit to take my due diligence, weighed it all out, so when I committed I was pretty sure. I decided it was time, so I got a hold of Coach Frost and the rest is history."
You've already spoken quite a bit about your excitement to play in this offense. Have you had discussions with Frost about how he feels you fit into everything? How does it fit your skill set?
"Coach Frost has shown a lot of excitement about me in this offense. He's really excited about my size and my speed as far as running. I'm 6-2, easily tall enough to run this offense. With my speed and history of running zone read and option, it's already ingrained in my brain how to do all that stuff. My throwing is the one thing I think he's excited about. I can throw in a mobile platform on the run, mobile sprint outs. I really enjoy doing that. I think Coach Frost knows that. He was excited when I committed. He said that gives me an up on the quarterbacks that are already there. I'm going to be comfortable in an offense like this. I think it's a really good fit. I know I'll have great success at UCF."
I'm not sure how much you've studied up on the roster, but it appears the quarterback position will be wide open going into 2017 when you consider that two of the top guys this year are seniors. Was that mentioned at all during your recruitment? There could be a chance for a quarterback to start right away.
"Coach Frost was very clear about that. He said, 'We've got a senior, some upperclassmen, then some guys might leave because this offense isn't their style." He said between McKenzie Milton, Marvin Washington and myself, one of the three is probably going to have to be the guy (in 2017). They're going to need someone who can run this offense and run it effectively. I'm excited to compete for the job. He told me it's going to be wide open. I have a really good shot to come in and play early."
Tell me about how the commitment actually took place. I know you made the announcement around noon on Saturday. Were the coaches expecting it?
"I first told him on Friday night. I had been trying to get ahold of him all day, but he was busy with recruits visiting the office. I told him around 9 p.m. that Friday night and he said they just had a commitment today so why don't I wait until tomorrow to announce. So we waited. I told my family that night and we let it go the next morning.
"It was a great conversation (when I committed). I have a great relationship with Coach Frost, all the way back to the Oregon camp. Getting a chance to play under him is a dream come true. I really feel he's going to do amazing things down there. It's a positive future for UCF football. They're going to do some special things. The guys we have committed in the 2017 class and the 2016 freshmen coming in have the tools and are the types of players we need."
There are some interesting parallels between Frost and yourself being from Nebraska. Did he ever talk to you about that?
"One of the things Frost and I would talk about is he knows there's a little bit of bias against kids from Nebraska. We're not allowed to have spring ball. They say the competition level is not as good. He doesn't agree with that at all. Someone like Coach Frost would know that very accurately. Obviously he was here and played at the same level in the state. When I talk to him, he'll be like, 'Who's good back home?' and when I tell him he'd be like, 'What? They never won a game when I played.' Just funny conversations. He knows the schools I'm playing, a little bit about their history. He knows Nebraska has talent. For him to give me the opportunity, it's just really cool. I'm so excited."
Are you and your family hoping to make it back down to Orlando for another visit either this summer or perhaps in the fall for a game?
"We're definitely looking into it. I know I'll be taking my official down there sometime. We haven't planned that out. It depends on our football schedule and how things shake out. Sometimes we have Saturday walk-throughs. I do want to get back down there."
Is there a possibility you could graduate early and enroll in January? Is that something you would consider doing?
"Early enrollment is probably not a possibility. One, my school isn't set up to do that. The reason though even more is we just won a state title in basketball, the second in three years. We have a good group coming back. I'm the starting point guard and have been there three years. We're going for a three-peat. We were the first team in years to have three All-State guys on the same team. We just won a track championship this spring and we're trying to repeat there. I was the leading point scorer in track. Me leaving would sink their ship. If everything goes well, we have a chance to win a state title in football, basketball and track."
That has to be a pretty rare feat, right? Winning championships in those three sports?
"I'm not sure if it's happened, but it's certainly not common. If we win football, it'll be like a tiger swim to the other two. We're trying to get that one this fall."
I know your father played at Nebraska, I believe late 1980s and early 1990s, and I know you have a couple uncles that did as well. It looks like there may have been some overlap when Scott Frost played?
"My uncle Jon played with Frost. He was really close with him. The funny thing is my dad had two younger brothers, Jon and Mark, then my mom has a brother named Matt Turman who played at Nebraska as a walk-on. Jon and Matt were roommates while Frost was there."
Was this before or after your parents met? That seems like a crazy coincidence.
"That's how they met. My mom and dad both went to the (1995) Orange Bowl and that's when they met. I am literally here because of football."
I know you've been keeping up with UCF over the last few months and have seen the recruiting momentum building as of late with seemingly a new commitment every day. I know you're not obviously from Florida as most of the guys are, but have you been able to connect with the rest of the class yet?
"10 commits in 10 days gets you excited, especially as a quarterback. You can't do it by yourself. You need wide receivers, defense, linemen. The momentum down there right now is insane. It's unbelievable to be a part of it. I have been following it. I'm in a group chat with the commits already. It's been pretty fun to get to know the guys."
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