So ... for 4 years I've held this back, and really never brought it up. But now that Frost literally stated it, 'Discipline and Accountability,' I'm going to bring it up.
Recruits Loved Gus: His Biggest Liability
You've probably heard me say, Gus is very much loved by Recruits and their Parents, and he's going to do what they want for their careers, hoping they remember that. It's worked out well at times, like with JRP. But it also has reared its ugly head. I felt it was slipping with Heupel, especially after the incident with a female officer and defensive players. But I feared it happened under Gus too. because ...
The #2 knock on Gus, after his play calling, I got from Auburn fans up here in central and northern Alabama back in 2020-2021 ... was the lack of discipline at Auburn. Stars got away with things. Everyone liked Gus, but almost too much like that 'high school football coach' that doesn't exactly 'recruit kids' (yeah, I know, kids/families move, but ... college is everyone, not just a few). Gus wasn't the best man for college, 'preparing kids for their lives,' whether as a college graduate, or potential NFL talnet.
"Really nice guy, great family man, loved by his kids, but ... beyond playcalling being suspect, he's not a disciplinarian." I think it's great that Gus is going back to being an OC. And I think he might be like Coach K when he gets older, back to high school. Not because Gus 'couldn't hack it' in college, but because of what he loves and prefers to do. The Malzahns are really nice folk, probably too nice. Gus reminds me a lot of Coach K, and I love both for that reason. But ...
That really reared its ugly head this year
among a few others. Maybe not JRP and some others, but ... enough. I'm sure Brandon and some others can attest more, and I really hate to be negative on players, but ... when superstars get away with things, and the heart of the team, the ones at practice and doing their jobs, even if not starters, get tired of it ...
The Right Culture: We've Lost It
Well, it's a cultural problem. And some players who have been associated with Gus
are a cultural problem for college football in general, and definitely programs. That first game this year ... ugh, it bothered me. I thought back to GOL, and remembered him benching Kevin Smith for violation of team rules, even against the Cows. But I gave Gus the benefit of the doubt.
No, Gus was wrong, and I realized that by Florida, but had a hint during TCU. I think Brandon said it best about the TCU comeback being the best/worst thing when it came to Gus and our QB situation. But since then, I always said it was on him. The one thing I'll give Gus credit for is that he didn't 'out' the player and all his issues, and that's why I love him, just like Coach K. But people around the program knew it. And in this day'n age with money, oh yeah ... it's going to be a cultural problem.
I'm not saying we should get back to a GOL-type program. But I do think Frost was one of the best coaches when it came to culture that we've had. He put the names back on the uniforms, but he also kept everyone hungry, fighting. And he's clearly sick of transfers too, and wants to build up and develop the team with recruits that are local and more longer term.
It might be a tough thing to do in the age of NIL and the new $20M+ direct program funding, but if there is a man that I think that can do it the best for us, it's Frost. It's not going to be retty. In fact, I'm thinking Frost might kick some kids off-the-team, much like GOL did, and even Charlie Strong did at the Cows late in 2018 (too little, too late to do so ... he did the same at Texas).
I honestly think Frost is NOT going to hit the portal 'just to get guys.' I think he'd rather grab some 2-stars as walk-ons or get some transfers in early 2025 instead of just going for big stars with big money. Which brings me to my final point.
The Right Way: It's Frost's Program
One thing that impressed me about Frost is how he made that point over and over, and as you could see people asking questions more and more into the press conference, he got 'more specific' without too many details. But one thing I picked up on is the thing Frost said about 'Band Back Together.' If I could 'read between the lines,' I think Frost regretted taking everyone to Nebraska out of 'loyalty.'
I think Frost also has issues with some of the people he's worked with, and ... they're not coming back with him. I don't know who all they are. But we're going to find out. Maybe I'm 'reading too much,' but that's how I 'heard' it, especially after Biachi's comment-question. I think Frost has grown, more tremendously, in ways I didn't realize before. It's probably also good he had 'exposure' to the NFL, and the Rams organization, even if briefly. In fact ...
I'm now thinking if Frost eventually 'doesn't feel it' here at UCF, he'll leave like Gus did ... only he'll go to the NFL. It really sounds like Frost has that attitude of 'UCF or [College] Bust.' In 2015, I wanted Frost from Oregon because I wanted an innovative offense, if we were going to go fast-tempo. But after 2017, and definitely the debacles of Heupel in 2020 and Gus' QB 'practice issues' and 'simplyfing the offense' in 2024, I think we're gonna get Frost, the leader, the player-coach, but -- when required -- the first-person disciplinarian.
"I've played the game, and I've coached the game at both highs and lows ... and if you aren't going to play for how we feel you fit, you should consider elsewhere."
Frost is almost like Coach K as a player, including being a QB at both college and professional levels, but more like GOL in pushing for discipline and accounatability, while GOL spent only 2 years on the practice squad at Rhode Island (never lettered). Gus ... was a different type of player (WR), more like Deion, but never got close to Pro (I won't go any farther there). He's like the best of each of them.
TL;DR Version
I didn't use 'Spoilers' here, because I think it's important to take all that in. But, here's the TL;DR version ...
I'm extremely impressed with Frost, more so than I was before the press conference. I just hope everyone is going to not care about the record in 2025 and 2026, and will only focus on the results by 2027 of how Frost is going to build the program. Because if Frost starts letting kids go, and doesn't go for seemingly 'great transfers,' it's because he knows what he's doing. Even if it might be painful until 2027 or so.
Same with his staff, when people disagree why he didn't bring someone back, or went for an assistant people didn't like. I was mixed on Gus, but thought he might retire from us and might be our new GOL. I was wrong. Frost is our new GOL. And if he fails, he's not staying with college. UCF is college football to him. Orlando is his college town now.
I hope we get to build him a statue. And if not, I wish him success if he does eventually leave us for the NFL, because he feels the current college environment is untennable for him as a coach.
Recruits Loved Gus: His Biggest Liability
You've probably heard me say, Gus is very much loved by Recruits and their Parents, and he's going to do what they want for their careers, hoping they remember that. It's worked out well at times, like with JRP. But it also has reared its ugly head. I felt it was slipping with Heupel, especially after the incident with a female officer and defensive players. But I feared it happened under Gus too. because ...
The #2 knock on Gus, after his play calling, I got from Auburn fans up here in central and northern Alabama back in 2020-2021 ... was the lack of discipline at Auburn. Stars got away with things. Everyone liked Gus, but almost too much like that 'high school football coach' that doesn't exactly 'recruit kids' (yeah, I know, kids/families move, but ... college is everyone, not just a few). Gus wasn't the best man for college, 'preparing kids for their lives,' whether as a college graduate, or potential NFL talnet.
"Really nice guy, great family man, loved by his kids, but ... beyond playcalling being suspect, he's not a disciplinarian." I think it's great that Gus is going back to being an OC. And I think he might be like Coach K when he gets older, back to high school. Not because Gus 'couldn't hack it' in college, but because of what he loves and prefers to do. The Malzahns are really nice folk, probably too nice. Gus reminds me a lot of Coach K, and I love both for that reason. But ...
That really reared its ugly head this year
with KJ, like Schneider with Coach K, and I understood it was a problem with Big Kat the first year too,
The Right Culture: We've Lost It
Well, it's a cultural problem. And some players who have been associated with Gus
Cam Newton
No, Gus was wrong, and I realized that by Florida, but had a hint during TCU. I think Brandon said it best about the TCU comeback being the best/worst thing when it came to Gus and our QB situation. But since then, I always said it was on him. The one thing I'll give Gus credit for is that he didn't 'out' the player and all his issues, and that's why I love him, just like Coach K. But people around the program knew it. And in this day'n age with money, oh yeah ... it's going to be a cultural problem.
I'm not saying we should get back to a GOL-type program. But I do think Frost was one of the best coaches when it came to culture that we've had. He put the names back on the uniforms, but he also kept everyone hungry, fighting. And he's clearly sick of transfers too, and wants to build up and develop the team with recruits that are local and more longer term.
It might be a tough thing to do in the age of NIL and the new $20M+ direct program funding, but if there is a man that I think that can do it the best for us, it's Frost. It's not going to be retty. In fact, I'm thinking Frost might kick some kids off-the-team, much like GOL did, and even Charlie Strong did at the Cows late in 2018 (too little, too late to do so ... he did the same at Texas).
I honestly think Frost is NOT going to hit the portal 'just to get guys.' I think he'd rather grab some 2-stars as walk-ons or get some transfers in early 2025 instead of just going for big stars with big money. Which brings me to my final point.
The Right Way: It's Frost's Program
One thing that impressed me about Frost is how he made that point over and over, and as you could see people asking questions more and more into the press conference, he got 'more specific' without too many details. But one thing I picked up on is the thing Frost said about 'Band Back Together.' If I could 'read between the lines,' I think Frost regretted taking everyone to Nebraska out of 'loyalty.'
I think Frost also has issues with some of the people he's worked with, and ... they're not coming back with him. I don't know who all they are. But we're going to find out. Maybe I'm 'reading too much,' but that's how I 'heard' it, especially after Biachi's comment-question. I think Frost has grown, more tremendously, in ways I didn't realize before. It's probably also good he had 'exposure' to the NFL, and the Rams organization, even if briefly. In fact ...
I'm now thinking if Frost eventually 'doesn't feel it' here at UCF, he'll leave like Gus did ... only he'll go to the NFL. It really sounds like Frost has that attitude of 'UCF or [College] Bust.' In 2015, I wanted Frost from Oregon because I wanted an innovative offense, if we were going to go fast-tempo. But after 2017, and definitely the debacles of Heupel in 2020 and Gus' QB 'practice issues' and 'simplyfing the offense' in 2024, I think we're gonna get Frost, the leader, the player-coach, but -- when required -- the first-person disciplinarian.
"I've played the game, and I've coached the game at both highs and lows ... and if you aren't going to play for how we feel you fit, you should consider elsewhere."
Frost is almost like Coach K as a player, including being a QB at both college and professional levels, but more like GOL in pushing for discipline and accounatability, while GOL spent only 2 years on the practice squad at Rhode Island (never lettered). Gus ... was a different type of player (WR), more like Deion, but never got close to Pro (I won't go any farther there). He's like the best of each of them.
TL;DR Version
I didn't use 'Spoilers' here, because I think it's important to take all that in. But, here's the TL;DR version ...
I'm extremely impressed with Frost, more so than I was before the press conference. I just hope everyone is going to not care about the record in 2025 and 2026, and will only focus on the results by 2027 of how Frost is going to build the program. Because if Frost starts letting kids go, and doesn't go for seemingly 'great transfers,' it's because he knows what he's doing. Even if it might be painful until 2027 or so.
Same with his staff, when people disagree why he didn't bring someone back, or went for an assistant people didn't like. I was mixed on Gus, but thought he might retire from us and might be our new GOL. I was wrong. Frost is our new GOL. And if he fails, he's not staying with college. UCF is college football to him. Orlando is his college town now.
I hope we get to build him a statue. And if not, I wish him success if he does eventually leave us for the NFL, because he feels the current college environment is untennable for him as a coach.
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