The Black Friday matchup against USF could be the biggest home game in UCF history.
Everything is on the line: The American Athletic Conference East Division, staying in the hunt for a New Year's Six bowl and then of course bragging rights against your rival.
In a game like this one, Scott Frost says he doesn't need any gimmicks to get his team fired up. They know what's at stake.
Here's everything Frost had to say at his weekly Monday press conference.
On preparing for a short week vs. USF:
"Some of the assistants had looked ahead to this game a little bit. That's hard to do if you're the one calling the offensive and defensive plays, but some of the other guys got a little bit of a head start. We came in and got a bare-bones plan done Sunday. Had a short practice, walk-through, Sunday night, and finished up the majority of the game plan last night and put that to work today. We're doing the best we can on a short week. I think the guys have responded really well so far."
On resting many players in the fourth quarter vs. Temple:
"I think that's good. I think our defensive players, the guys who are going to play, played about 60 snaps. The offensive guys had about 50 snaps. That's well short of what you play if you play a four-quarter game. Any little bit of help we can get to try to get our guys juiced up and ready physically is going to help us."
On USF having extra days to prepare and UCF a shorter week:
"If this game was on Saturday, I'd have no problem with it, somebody having a couple extra days because Thursday games are going to happen in this league. I don't think it's fair for a team to have extra days and the other team to have a short week. That really puts us at a disadvantage. But our kids have responded well to disadvantages before."
On what stands out about USF:
"I think that coaching staff has done a really god job. They're a lot better on defense than they were a year ago. They've got some players making a lot of plays. They're very sound. They run around like most Florida teams do. Offensively, you're really impressed with their skill position players, especially the quarterback. The running back, you thought they were going to take a step backwards after losing Mack last year, and they haven't. They have receivers that are big and can make plays on the perimeter. I think their line is playing better than they were a year ago. This is a good team. I've said this, I don't think I have to do anything to get our guys excited about playing this one. They're ready to play."
On the sellout:
"I think we have a home-field advantage when it hasn't been sold out. If we can get it loud and rocking in there, that gives us an advantage. I'm looking forward to seeing it sold out. I know what this place has been like when it's been even close to that. It's great to see that number of tickets sold and I hope every seat in the stands is full."
More on USF QB Quinton Flowers:
"He's just got a knack. He knows what to do with the ball. He can make plays with his arm and with his legs. When he's really dangerous is when things break down. You think you're stopping those guys and then he'll make nine guys miss and go 60. He's created so many big plays in his career there. If we can stop him from making too many big plays, then I'll like where we are in the game."
On the differences with Strong's USF team vs. last year with Taggart:
"It's a lot of the same guys. Some of the same schemes. But it's different. Every team is different, even if the coaching staffs remain the same. Every team has its own identity. These guys are the same players and they're running a little bit different things. Every team including ours is different than it was a year ago. So every matchup is new."
On the magnitude of the game, top 20 matchup, winner take all for the division, national TV, etc.:
"Yeah, it is. But it's also just another game. Winning or losing this one isn't going to take away from what our kids have accomplished this year. That's the way we're going to approach it. Another opportunity for us to showcase who we are and what we've become. We're not going to add any more pressure to ourselves. I want our kids to play as light and loose as they've been playing."
On USF scoring a late touchdown last year:
"No. Again, I don't need any gimmicks or grudges to get our guys motivated. I've been ahead, as a coach, of teams a lot of times in the fourth quarter and there's a right way to handle things and a wrong way. We're going to always to handle it the right way here. Like I said, our players are going to be excited to play this game regardless of what happened this year, 10 years ago or any other time."
On USF coach Charlie Strong:
"I know Charlie. I've got a lot of respect for him and what he's accomplished in his career. He's doing a good job with those guys. This league is a tough football league. They keep winning and we keep winning, and Memphis keeps winning. That's hard to do in a league like this with so many good teams in it. They've done a heck of a job this year and our kids have done a heck of a job. It's going to be a good football game."
On playing their best football late:
"There's ebbs and flows to the season. It's almost impossible to be at your very best every single time you go out. We talked to them before that last one about being on the stretch run. We wanted to be at our best and running our fastest and clicking in the last one quarter of the season. The guys responded to it. We played a pretty good game up at Temple in kind of tough circumstances. I think we're back on the right track as far as hitting our stride here at the end."
On leadership from players:
"I have. When guys aren't going hard, Shaquem steps in and tells them. When we don't run a play right on offense, Wyatt Miller or McKenzie makes us run it again. I've said this a bunch, I can't say enough how much fun I've had coaching this year. I can stand there and watch. If the players don't fix it, the assistant coaches fix it. Everybody has a high standard that they won't let anybody go below. Even when it comes down to cleaning the locker room or picking up after themselves. Or making sure everybody shows up to meals and study halls. Guys are holding each other accountable. I'm proud of that because that shows me that we've established a pretty good culture here."
More:
"That's where you want to get. It's just hard to get there. Everybody has to buy in. They have to agree with you. Horizontal leadership is stronger than vertical leadership. When the players are policing themselves and holding each other accountable and picking each other up, that's stronger than me doing it. We've got a group of leaders on the team this year that's pretty consistently doing it."
On what this senior class has meant to him:
"I'm so thankful to this group of seniors. These are guys that I met with on my first day on this job that told me a lot about what had happened here and where they were. Guys that were hungry to prove that they could accomplish more than what they had accomplished. Last year's group too, but especially this group is the group that put their head down and went to work to change this program and get it to where it should be. That took a lot of hard work. That took a lot of selflessness and sacrifice. But this crew right here has done all that. I'm just happy for them that they get to experience a year like this before they got out of here."
Follow-up to the previous question:
"I don't think it was an 0-12 team. Sometimes when things are going really well, things seem to go right. Sometimes when you kind of get spinning in the wrong direction, a lot of things can go wrong. That's my impression of what happened that year. I don't think it was an 0-12 football team. I think the wheels kind of fell off and one thing led to another. But I can tell you that none of these seniors who are graduating felt like they were an 0-12 football team. They felt they could beat anybody in our league. It took them their second season to prove that. We've got one more to prove that we can win them all."
On Jordan Akins and whether he'll return next season:
"Jordan last year to Jordan this year is a completely different guy. He's healthy again. He understands our scheme. He's making big plays for us. He's blocking a lot better. He's another real weapon for us. There's not a lot of tight ends in the country that can run and catch like he can. We're going to sit down after the year with every one of these guys. There's three or four of them that will get a look at the next level that are underclassmen. We'll sit down and try to help them make the best decision. We're not going to be unselfish. If it's in their best interest to go give it a shot, we're going to tell them that. If it's in their best interest to stay, we're going to try to convince them of that too. Jordan is different because he's almost as old as me, so sooner or later he's going to have to give it a run. We'll talk to him after the season to figure it out."
On the coach bond aspect, which players said helped them make the turnaround after 0-12:
"Yeah. Absolutely. I hired a bunch of guys that aren't just in this to make money and win football games. I hired a bunch of assistants that care about young men. Kids are smart. They see through you right away if you don't care about them. If you do care about them, they'll do anything for you. Every single position on our football team has improved. I give credit to our staff for that, for forging those relationships and making an impact in young men's lives, making them better as individuals and that's made us a better team."
On Thanksgiving:
"We're actually going to take control of that. The leaders on the team and I talked. Rather than having everybody scatter on the day before, or two days before a big game, the team is going to stay together. We're actually going to stay at a hotel, Wednesday night and Thursday night. We're trying to recover on a short week so any extra sleep we can get is good. Making sure we don't have guys driving three and four hours each way to get home to see somebody on Thanksgiving. Football is a funny thing. You give up some things. I used to like hunting pheasants and I can't do that anymore because it's during football season. Thanksgiving always comes around. I remember having to go to a movie by himself on Long Island when I was with the Jets. There are things you have to give up. I think this team with what we have in front of us is willing to sacrifice one Thanksgiving to try to finish the job."
On what the rivalry means:
"This would be the culmination of an unbelievable season if we can make it happen. They're a good team, we're a good team. Our focus last week was trying to get to the point we're at right now. All we can do now is play the best we can in this game and let the chips fall where they may. I'm glad this game is at home. I'm glad we came out the last one healthy. I think we're in good position to play well on Saturday. The rivalry is what it is. A lot of our kids know a lot of their kids. There's friendships between the two. Certainly would be special if we could get this one. All we can do is treat this one like any other one and prepare as well as we can and see what happens."
On his personal experience with rivalry games:
"That's why I say I don't need to use a gimmick or last year's result to get our guys excited to play. This is the team right down the road. They've been good. We've been good. They've done their part to make this a big game and so have we. I know the emotion and the enthusiasm will be there. We just have to know what we're doing and go out and execute well."
On whether he sensed his players knew USF was the preseason favorite with every vote:
"I think this team has had a chip on its shoulder from the day I got here because people counted them out and didn't think they could accomplish what they thought in their minds they thought they could accomplish. I think from the first day I got here this team has gone about its business trying to prove to everybody that this could be a really good football team. They've already proven that this year regardless of this outcome. This one would be special just to finish a regular season off undefeated. Not very many people get a chance to do that and it's right in front of us."
On his best rivalry moment:
"Best rivalry moment as a player? When I was in college I played in a big game at Stanford. The Oklahoma-Nebraska was always big, but when I was playing Oklahoma was down and we tub-thumped them. Colorado was a rivalry of ours. Kansas State. Several that I coached in when I was at Oregon. Probably the neatest rivalry game I've been to is I went to a Duke-Carolina basketball game at Cameron. That was pretty special. I love rivalries. I think they're special. It adds a little bit to the game especially when it's a big game like this. Like I said, USF has done their part to win games and get to this point and making it a big game and so have we. That makes this even bigger. But again, it's a respectful rivalry. I've got a lot of respect for their players and what they've accomplished, and their coaching staff. We're fired up to play it and we'll see what happens."
On sharing his experiences with the players:
"We share things with them when we think it's relevant. I'm not sure any game that happened 20 years ago is relevant much anymore unless there's a similar experience they need to hear about. These kids are one heck of a ride right now. I know they're going to be ready to play this football game. They get to make their own history on Friday. We'll share with them thoughts on things when it's appropriate. I'm not sure this is the time. They know what's in front of them. They had a great practice this morning trying to get ready."
On the impact of turnovers:
"This team has done a great job taking care of the ball and getting it back this year. I'm not sure where we rank nationally, but I think it's pretty high. Average turnover margin. I'm sure Saturday helped us. We lost some games last year because of that. We gave Tulsa an easy touchdown and we fumbled one at USF they returned for a touchdown. Gave the ball up a bunch at Maryland last year. And Temple. This year we haven't done those things. In fact, that game Saturday was unbelievable because offensively we kept getting the ball on the six, the two and the 20. That does change a game. We need to avoid those on Friday. Our defense needs to keep doing a good job of getting it back for us. That turnover stat will play a big part in who wins the game on Friday."
On Chip Kelly:
"Chip is a good friend of mine. He gave me the job at Oregon. I probably wouldn't be standing here without that so I'm grateful to him. I think football is better with Chip in it. I always say I don't think he gets enough credit for changing the landscape of college football. We were running an early version of this offense back in the day and nobody in the country was doing anything like it and now everybody is. It was born in a few places, but it would be hard to argue that any place other than Oregon then changed it more. I know he's smart and he'll make the best decision for him. I'll be rooting for him wherever he is."
On the movie he saw on Thanksgiving many years ago:
"Oh man. I don't remember what movie it was. I remember sitting in the lobby because I got there early and I was playing some Star Wars standup arcade game. My roommate was going to meet me there, with the Jets. That's what happens on holidays when you're committed to football. I think my last year with the Jets we played on Christmas Eve in Baltimore. Took the train back to New York City and everybody kind of went their own way. I ended up staying in New York City. I could only find one friend that was still in the city. He was Jewish, so he wasn't going to go anywhere for Christmas. We hung out and then went to a little diner and had breakfast the next morning. That was my Christmas. Sometimes football gets in the way of those things, but the price we pay is worth it for what we get to do."
On his son:
"He's sleeping off and on. I appreciate you asking. He's sleeping off and on. Man, it puts everything into perspective. It's the best part of my day when I get to go home, sit there and hold him. This has been an unbelievable season for me."
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