It’s decision time in Orlando, and Scott Frost enters the season with a UCF roster that looks almost nothing like the one he inherited a year ago.
The Knights officially moved into the Big 12 in 2023, and the last three seasons have brought more frustration than momentum. Between Gus Malzahn and Frost, the progress fans wanted simply hasn’t shown up, and the biggest issue has been easy to spot: quarterback play. Four different quarterbacks took snaps in Frost’s first season back, and none of them are on UCF’s depth chart heading into fall camp.
Now Frost is turning to James Madison transfer Alonza Barnett III to stabilize a room that was part of a 90th-ranked scoring offense in 2025. That’s the first step.
The bigger question is whether UCF can build something sturdier around him - an offense that can actually convert on third down, put more points on the board and finally start competing with the rest of the Big 12. So far, the Knights have just seven conference wins since entering the league.
There is a path to a bowl game, and it starts with a defense that has enough pieces to keep UCF alive while the offense sorts itself out. The Knights were close a year ago, and they had their chances in losses to Kansas and a top-25 Houston team, games where they never quite slammed the door.
Still, the defense gave them a foundation. UCF held opponents to 35% on third down last season, and much of that unit is back.
Alex Grinch’s group returns four of five starters in the secondary, with safety Demari Henderson among them. Up front, RJ Jackson and Horace Lockett bring size and power to the tackle spots.
At linebacker, senior Lewis Carter is set to lead after finishing with 92 combined tackles, two sacks and four tackles for loss in 2025.
The schedule also gives UCF some clear chances to reach six wins. Bethune-Cookman, Pittsburgh and Georgia State are on the nonconference slate, and there are Big 12 matchups where the Knights should at least be in the fight: Oklahoma State, Baylor, Kansas, Arizona State, Iowa State and Colorado.
But the floor is just as easy to see.
Frost brought in 33 transfers this offseason, nearly remaking the offensive line and touching almost every part of the offense. Duane Thomas and Waden Charles return at receiver, while ULM transfer Jonathan Bibbs is expected to help stretch the field after catching 26 passes for 383 yards and three touchdowns last season in the Sun Belt. In the backfield, the names to know are Landen Chambers, a 5-foot-11, 215-pound runner from Central Arkansas, and Duke Watson, who averaged 8.9 yards per carry at Louisville in 2024 but was limited last season because of injury.
That much turnover can work if it clicks quickly. If it doesn’t, and if injuries start piling up, the offense could spend too much time off the field and leave the defense hanging. October looks especially dangerous, with TCU, Houston and BYU all on the schedule in a four-week stretch.
Frost signed a five-year deal worth $22.1 million through the 2029 season, and the immediate standard isn’t overwhelming: five wins in 2025. But slipping below that would put UCF in a rough spot in Year 3 for a coach many believed would get the Knights moving in the right direction. His job appears safe either way, but not making a bowl would make everything around him a lot harder.
In Other News...
UCF Could Get A Veteran Linebacker Back With One Big Hurdle Left
A familiar face may be on the way back into UCFs linebacker room after a U.S. District Court judge granted a preliminary injunction that opens the door for a fifth year of eligibility for Class of 2022 athletes. Cole Kozlowski was at preseason practice and is in the process of rejoining the team, giving the Knights a potential boost in experience as they continue sorting out the depth chart under Scott Frost.
There is still some fine print to work through, though, because Kozlowskis status could shift again if future court rulings change the eligibility picture. Frost has already signaled that he is open to the return, but he also stressed that the fit has to be right within the programs culture, which leaves Kozlowski with one final hurdle before anything feels settled. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Wade Just Showed How Big He Is For UCFs Offense
Dylan Wades rise has become one of the most important developments for UCFs offense heading into 2026. The Orlando native, who transferred in from Maryland, put together a record-setting 2025 season for the Knights and has already piled up preseason recognition before a new snap is even taken, landing on multiple watch lists and honors as the summer turns toward camp.
The latest nod may be the one that best captures how far his profile has climbed. Wade was named to the 2026 John Mackey Award Preseason Watch List, putting him in line with the nations top tight ends and underscoring just how central he has become to what UCF wants to do on offense. For a program looking to build on last years momentum, his name keeps showing up for a reason, and it is only increasing the anticipation around what he might do next. [Read more 🡒]
UCF Faces A Huge Pass Rush Question Heading Into Fall Camp
The biggest question hanging over UCFs defense as fall camp nears is how it will replace the pass-rush production left behind by Malachi Lawrence and Nyjalik Kelly, both of whom are now in the NFL. Those departures leave a notable hole at EDGE, where the Knights need new contributors to emerge quickly if the front is going to keep pressure on opposing quarterbacks.
Isaiah Nixon is expected to see his workload climb, while Sincere Edwards also looms as part of the answer after missing last season with injury. The depth chart beyond them is still taking shape, with Aymeric Koumba and several transfers in the mix, which gives UCF options but also leaves the position group in a state of transition heading into camp. [Read more 🡒]