ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – For the final Frost Bytes of the season, we've got head coach Scott Frost's remarks from the Cure Bowl Press Conference. Coach Frost met with the media Thursday at Loews Royal Pacific Hotel.
As for Saturday's game against Arkansas State, Frost said he sees a lot of the same characteristics shared between the Knights and Red Wolves.
"I think our football team and their football team are similar," Frost said. "Taking nothing away from the rest of their (Arkansas State) team I think the strength of their team is their defense. Their defense and our defense are -- I think -- the two most improved in the country coming off last year. They run around, pursue, run to the football, hit. It's an impressive group. This is exciting game for me for both teams I think both teams have some similarities."
While the team has only been on site for about 24 hours, Frost has already seen some real benefits to playing in the Cure Bowl.
"This bowl game is different than ones I've been to for a few reasons," Frost said. "It's in our hometown. That made travel really easy. We had a 20-minute bus ride, which is great. We had a two-minute bus ride to get to our practice site this morning, which is the shortest I've ever had. I think it's great that we have an opportunity for our fans right here in town to come see us. I love the cause that this bowl game supports. All those things are positive."
To hear all of Coach Frost's comments from Thursday, click the Soundcloud player below.
Bonus Bytes
In addition to Coach Frost, senior linebacker Mark Rucker, junior linebacker Shaquem Griffin and junior offensive lineman Aaron Evans were also on the podium. Below are a few quick highlights of the student-athletes' comments to the media.
Griffin: "Our whole thing was not only just going to a bowl game. Coming off last season, our whole thing was just to win. You have to start somewhere … as a team … let's get this first win out of the way. The goal was to take it game by game. We won the first game and went to Michigan. You could see some of the spurts and you could see the changes helped us benfefit. You could see the guys who weren't afraid to hit, who weren't afraid to make mistakes, who's going fast. That's what Coach Frost brought to us. It's OK to go fast, it's ok to make mistakes. As long as you're going 110 percent, you're never wrong. Take it day by day and game by game."
Rucker: "My aunt Tena Harp, she has breast cancer, as we speak. She's a strong woman. But what affected me the most was when she lost her hair and seeing her struggle a little bit. This game, pretty much I'm dedicating to her and my other aunt as well. She has breast cancer also. It's a good feeling to have this bowl game to help people who have cancer."
Evans: "At first, obviously there was some hesitation to accepting a new coach and seeing what he's all about. It's a trust aspect that you're building. But he's made a huge effort to establish a relationship with each and every one of us. I think it's translated to the play this year and translated into how the team is growing and becoming one. It's been fun. He's laid back, but he's very dedicated and diligent. He pursues excellence all the time. He's a great coach and it's been a really fun experience playing for him. I've had a blast playing."
To hear the full student-athlete portion of the press conference, click the Soundcloud player below.
