Since the War on I-4 gave way to realignment insanity, let’s reignite the fire between USF and The What’s-Their-Name Knights somewhere near Orlando.
My friend Mike Bianchi, the provocateur sports columnist of the Orlando Sentinel, has discovered that UCF needs a head football coach since Gus Malzahn beat the Sheriff to the county line and signed on as Florida State’s offensive coordinator.
Bianchi’s choice to succeed Gone-Gone-Gus is Scott Frost.
He articulated this in his column, arguing that since Frost rescued the Knights once, he is the coach to do it again.
He wrote: "Memo to UCF Athletic Director Terry Mohajir, President Alexander Cartwright, and Board of Trustees Chairman Alex Martins: Make it happen!
"Seal the deal!
"Pull the trigger!
"Bring back Scott Frost."
To which I can only say: Yo! Do it!
That’s not because I believe Frost would resurrect the down-by-the-bow UCF program. Quite the contrary. He would likely continue the Knights what they are – a piddling Big 12 team with miles to go before recapturing the glory that Frost once brought them.
So, what does that have to do with USF?
Plenty.
The epic game of the Frost regime was the 49-42 win over USF on Thanksgiving weekend in 2017. As bitter as that was for USF, it was an incredible football game that drew extraordinary TV ratings for a pair of “no-name” teams.
Alas, USF soon went into the dumper while the Knights elevated to the P5 (now P4) Big 12.
Frost? He jumped from the program HE SWORE HE’D LOVE ALL HIS LIFE for his alma mater, Nebraska. He crashed and burned, and pretty soon, Husker Nation said basically, “We don’t care if you were a hero here before; you stink now and get thee gone.”
So, Mikey believes bringing Frost back to the fountain of magic juice would rejuvenate the Knights.
Go ahead, do it!
And when the Big 12 eventually comes to its senses and realizes what a pot of gold it wastes on matchups like Kansas-UCF instead of the War on I-4, the Bulls will be invited to the party.
When that happens, if Scott Frost hasn’t been hired and fired by UCF, the battle will be glorious.
There was much sentiment to bring back USF football founder Jim Leavitt two years ago when the Bulls were looking to recover from the Jeff Scott error. Wisely, V.P. for Athletics Michael Kelly said nope and chose Alex Golesh instead. A pair of 6-6 regular-season records won’t grab headlines, but the Bulls are building a program from the ashes – the kind of program Frost inherited, developed, and used as springboard to a job where he failed spectacularly.
The sequel – maybe aside from Star Trek II – is never as good as the original.
So, Mikey, here’s hoping the Knights do what you wish.
Hire Scott Frost. Please.
The Bulls owe you one.