ORLANDO (UCFKnights.com) – With each victory as the Knights have opened their 2017 campaign 5-0, there have been new challenges, new potential distractions.
FIU had a new head coach. Nearly three weeks later, how would UCF react on the road at Maryland after Hurricane Irma disrupted their schedule? Memphis had its high-powered offense. How would the Knights react to being ranked for the first time when they played Cincinnati? Would Homecoming or possibly looking ahead to Navy be a distraction last week?
This week, the Knights will go into unfamiliar territory to face an unconventional offense in a very different environment. UCF will play at the United States Naval Academy for the first time ever. It's Homecoming at Navy. There will be flyovers, thousands of uniformed midshipmen in the stands, parachute teams and plenty of pomp and circumstance.
UCF head coach Scott Frost is looking forward to the atmosphere, but hoping it doesn't serve to lessen the focus of his team.
"We've talked to them about not getting distracted by helicopters flying over or a bunch of guys in service uniforms," Frost said. "I think it's going to be neat to see all that, particularly Homecoming. But we have a job to do. We can't pay much attention to that. We can talk about it after the game, but we need to be laser-focused and dialed in."
As Frost addressed the media after Thursday morning's practice, he explained exactly why his team needs that level of attention to detail.
"We've got a big challenge ahead of us," Frost said. "We're excited for it. They play as hard as anybody I've seen on tape. They're sound. They've got some good athletes. We've got to be ready to play well."
To hear Frost's entire session with the media, click the player below:
Frost also made his weekly appearance on Open Mike with Mike Bianchi and Brandon Kravitz on 96.9 The Game Thursday morning. Bianchi asked Frost about his comparison to giant pandas and option quarterbacks, as UCF will face Navy's Zach Abey-led triple-option attach. Of course, Frost has intimate knowledge of the subject having run Nebraska's triple-option attack to a national championship in 1997.
"They're almost extinct, I think," Frost said of option signal-callers. "There used to be a lot of them out there, some really fantastic football players. Now, they don't exist very many places."
Bianchi also asked about 300-plus pound defensive lineman Jamiyus Pittman getting into the end zone on a pass play last week.
"We thought the play would work," Frost said. "So we gave Pittman a chance to get in the flat and catch it and it did work. My only issue now is I have Trysten (Hill) and Tony (Guerad) coming to me asking for a play where they can try to catch one. We're going to run whatever we think will work in the game. In that particular game, it fell on Pitt. I'm glad he was able to make a play."
To hear Frost's full appearance on Open Mike, click the player below:
Listen to "UCF Head Coach Scott Frost" on Spreaker.
Saturday's game at Navy begins at 3:30 p.m. It will air on CBS Sports Network and on FM 96.9 The Game.
