Watch: UCF Coaching Search Focused on Two Candidates

Originally posted on Mike Farrell Sports
By Mark Pszonak | Last updated Dec 7, 2024 8:21 AM ET

Plenty of names have been tossed around during this week’s UCF head coaching search, but now it seems as though the Knights are focused on two candidates. And if things go right this weekend, it may soon come to an end.

This insight comes from John Brice, a writer for FootballScoop.com, who joined Daren Stoltzfus of Central Florida’s WESH 2 News for a video interview yesterday.

Football Scoop says #UCF is down to two candidates#UNLV’s Barry Odom or former #UCF head coach Scott Frost pic.twitter.com/z2lNF6yaq5
— Daren Stoltzfus WESH (@DarenStoltzfus) December 6, 2024

This brings even more confirmation that Scott Frost’s return to Orlando is a very viable option for the Knights. While he only coached for two seasons during his first stint, his undefeated 2017 season is something that nobody around UCF will ever forget.

However, Barry Odom makes more sense. And it would also explain why the Knights may have been waiting to make a final decision. Coach Odom was busy preparing UNLV for the Mountain West Championship game, which they lost to Boise State last night. Now with that behind him, a move to UCF may progress quickly.

Sep 13, 2024; Kansas City, Kansas, USA; UNLV Rebels head coach Barry Odom reacts during the second half against the Kansas Jayhawks at Children's Mercy Park. © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Frost, who struggled at Nebraska after his departure from UCF, would be a nostalgic hire. Odom would be the logical hire. He finished 25-25 at Missouri from 2016 to 2019 during his first FBS head coaching job and now has the Rebels at 19-8 in two seasons. This is the same UNLV program that hadn’t won more than eight games in a season since 1984 prior to his arrival.

It will be interesting to see if the Knights follow nostalgia or logic this weekend.

This article first appeared on Mike Farrell Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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