First big test for Scott Frost’s UCF Knights, and they passed with distinction. Bill Belichick’s North Carolina Tar Heels got crushed during a 34-9 loss. Under Scott, UCF extended its streak to 16 straight wins, after he led the Knights to a perfect 13-0 season in 2017 before heading to Nebraska. September 20’s victory must have been special for Scott, who handed Belichick a loss, under whom he played in the NFL. When asked to comment on that chapter, the North Carolina head coach cleared his feelings. 

Right after the game, the Tar Heel Tribune posted a clip of Belichick’s post-game presser. That’s when a reporter asked him to reflect on his memories from Frost’s days as a player. The Tar Heels head coach said, “Played defensive back for me at the Jets. So, look, Scott’s a smart guy.” Frost played for Belichick for two years with the New York Jets, from 1998 to 1999. The now-UCF head coach was a third-round pick in the 1998 draft.

Belichick continued heaping praise on his former player and now rival, “He works hard. He played quarterback in Nebraska, then he played special teams and defense at the Jets. So, he played in all three phases of the game within a very short period of time at a very high level, which I think says a lot for him, not both physically… but understand the game, assignments, and all that. So, you know, that’s what I know about him.” 

With the Jets, in 1998 Frost came up with six total tackles and a fumble, and seven total tackles in 1999. With Belichick leaving the Jets in 2000, Frost racked up 44 total tackles (two for a loss) with a broken up pass, an interception, and a sack. Not just as a player, Frost owes a debt to Belichick as a coach. Having spent two seasons alongside the eight-time Super Bowl winner, the Knights’ head coach gained firsthand insight into Belichick’s football brilliance. 

Earlier this week, Frost paid his due respect by talking highly about Belichick. “Yeah, I was with Bill for two years. You know, I can’t say enough about how intelligent he is, and how much football he knows. And that was before he went on a run as a head coach. So a tremendous amount of respect for what he’s accomplished in the game,” said the UCF head coach. Belichick, too, joined the praising game, but made a blunder.   

Scott Frost’s blunt response after Bill Belichick’s slip-up 

Well, Belichick might be new in the college football landscape. But nobody expected the former New England Patriots head coach to make such an offhand comment. During the September 15 pre-game presser, Belichick ended up referring to the University of Central Florida as “Central” – a name that UCF fans really, really don’t appreciate.

“We’ll just go through the preparations for Central. I know that’s a good football team. I know Scott (Frost, the head coach) does a good job down there…” said Belichick. And after feeling ‘disrespected’ due to the comment, it was Frost’s turn to break the silence. After defeating his former mentor’s team, it was a perfect ‘we proved it’ moment. The Knights’ head coach sounded confident but used Belichick’s words as bulletin board material inside his locker room.

“You know, this is only my third season coaching at UCF, but I’ve been around Coach Beckton a lot, and Travis Fisher a lot, and that kind of seems like the M.O. for UCF, going a long way back. A little disrespected, you know, we’re not Central Florida, we’re UCF,” came Frost’s blunt message. Looks like he might have become tired of how outsiders have low expectations for UCF, picking them last in rankings and doubting the coaching staff’s abilities.

Ari Temkin raised his eyebrows after Scott Frost’s return. The analyst said, “I’m going to allow Frost some time here, a little bit of grace. Because he’s just taken over, but 40 new players on the roster. You expect that with a new coach coming in, and I just don’t know what we’re going off of from past successes beyond what he did at UCF, which was a lifetime ago.” And just like that, the doubters got zipped.