Scott Frost Odds to Be Named Next UCF Head Coach: A Head Scratcher for Many

We now have coaching vacancies at Purdue and Central Florida (UCF), which you can find below.

The UCF candidates include their current offensive coordinator Tim Harris Jr., Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall and Texas State head coach GJ Kinne, among others.

It's Scott Frost at 3-1 odds who SportsBetting.ag has as the favorite however.

Some of us are old enough to remember Frost as a pariah when he was head coach of Nebraska and fired only three weeks before the coach’s contract buyout would have been cut in half just two seasons ago.

Frost was 16-31 three games into his fifth season, and his .340 winning percentage was second-worst among Nebraska coaches who lasted more than four years.

“You run a professional organization that has high standards, (and) accountability has to matter,” athletic director Trev Alberts said at the time. “Scott and I talked about this: 16-31 was not at a level that was acceptable to us.”

Husker Corner noted that "Frost is the talk of the Twittersphere" since being discussed as UCF's possible new head coach.

Scott Frost time in UCF. Simple. pic.twitter.com/sGKgHVg9hx

— Drew English (@DrewfusMcGoofus) November 30, 2024

Dan Morrison, National News Desk for On3, tweeted out:

"I don’t think hiring Scott Frost at UCF for the 2025 season is smart and think fans should chill with that."

I don’t think hiring Scott Frost at UCF for the 2025 season is smart and think fans should chill with that pic.twitter.com/rj64Eh1ey5

— Dan Morrison (@Dan_Morrison96) November 30, 2024

Before the Nebraska debacle, Frost previously served as head coach of UCF, where he orchestrated a complete turnaround of a program that went 0-12 the season prior.  He won six games in 2016, taking the Knights to the 2016 Cure Bowl, where they lost to Arkansas State.

In 2017, the Knights stormed through the regular season, finishing 11–0.  They won the AAC championship game and Frost would go on to lead the Knights into the 2018 Peach Bowl, the school's second-ever appearance in a major bowl.

Joey Knight of the Tampa Tribune writes:  "Sorry, Scott Frost. History says second acts don’t work for coaches".

"Could that success be replicated in a second act? Probably not," Knight writes. "The collegiate landscape has changed drastically (see name, image and likeness) since Frost’s departure, the Knights now play in a tougher conference (Big 12) and Milton has left the building.

"Besides, history tells us coaching sequels are often underwhelming. While a few pro and college coaches have returned for a second stint at the program where they achieved their greatest success, none have pulled off a Godfather II. Some have mailed in a Caddyshack II."

Knight goes on to cite a bunch of examples.

Nevertheless, he's the one, according to the oddsmakers. Go figure.

SportsBetting.ag also has updated CFP qualification chances for six of the fringe programs potentially on the outside looking in.

Will Alabama qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       -300

No        +240

Will Army qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       +4000

Will Miami qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       +600

No        -1200

Will Ole Miss qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       +4000

Will SMU qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       -225

No        +175

Will South Carolina qualify for CFP tournament?

Yes       +500

No        -900

Purdue Next Head Coach                     

Tyson Helton                7/2

Chip Kelly                     4/1

Jeff Monken                 9/2

Dan Mullen                   11/2

Paul Chryst                   7/1

Jon Sumrall                   8/1

Jason Candle                 10/1

Will Stein                      12/1

JaMarcus Shephard       14/1

Glenn Schumann           18/1

Tim Albin                      18/1

Jamey Chadwell            22/1

Andy Kotelnicki             33/1

Barry Odom                  33/1

Charles Huff                  33/1

Tim Lester                    33/1

Rich Rodriguez              40/1

Matt Campbell              66/1

Deion Sanders               100/1

Nick Saban                    150/1

Drew Brees                   300/1

UCF Next Head Coach              

Scott Frost                    3/1

Dan Mullen                   4/1

Jon Sumrall                   4/1

Tim Harris Jr                 5/1

Rich Rodriguez              6/1

Ryan Silverfield             8/1

Jeff Monken                 10/1

Chip Kelly                     16/1

Will Stein                      16/1

Barry Odom                  18/1

Alex Golesh                  25/1

Andy Kotelnicki             25/1

GJ Kinne                       25/1

Charles Huff                  33/1

Garrett Riley                 40/1

Jamey Chadwell            40/1

Jason Candle                 40/1

Jeff Traylor                   50/1

Deion Sanders               66/1

Matt Campbell              66/1

Nick Saban                    100/1