Scott Frost's return to UCF earns him a five-year contract valued at $22.1M; starting salary $3.9M

Scott Frost received a five-year, $22.1 million contract upon his return to UCF and will have it automatically extended a year if the Knights appear in a bowl this season.

An executive summary of Frost's contract was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday through an open records request.

UCF rehired Frost in December after Gus Malzahn left after four seasons to become offensive coordinator at Florida State. Frost had his first head coaching job at UCF in 2016, and the Knights went 6-7. A year later, UCF went 13-0 with a conference championship, a bowl victory over Auburn and final ranking of No. 6.

Frost took over at Nebraska in 2018 and went 16-31 at his alma mater. He was fired three games into the 2022 season. He was out of coaching in 2023 and on the Los Angeles Rams' staff in 2024.

Frost's starting salary will be $3.9 million, just under the $4 million he earned in his last year at Nebraska, and will receive annual increasing topping out at $5 million in 2029-30.

He can earn bonuses of $75,000 for reaching a conference championship game, $50,000 for winning a conference title, $100,000 for appearing in a College Football Playoff game and an additional $100,000 for winning one, with a first-round bye deemed a win.

He also will receive bonuses for his team ranking in the top 20 nationally in any of eight designated statistical categories.

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2017, file photo, UCF head coach Scott Frost works the sidelines in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, in Cincinnati. No. 10 Central Florida will by playing for a perfect season and respect for the team and its conference, when it faces No. 7 Auburn in the Peach Bowl on Monday, Jan 1, 2018. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Morez Johnson Jr. scored a career-high 29 points, including 17 in the first half, and No. 2 Michigan beat No. 24 Southern California 96-66 on Friday night.

Roddy Gayle Jr. added 12 points for the Wolverines (13-0, 3-0 Big Ten), and Will Tschetter, Trey McKenney and L.J. Cason each scored 10.

Michigan is off to its best start since it won 17 straight games to start the 2018-19 season.

Jaden Brownell scored 16 points and Erza Ausar added 15 for the Trojans (12-2, 1-2), whose only previous loss was by eight points against Washington on Dec. 6. Chad Baker-Mazara, who came into the game averaging 21 points, was hampered by early foul trouble and finished with 12 points on 3-of-11 shooting.

Michigan starting guard Nimari Burnett was helped from the court with 16:25 left after falling during a battle under the basket. He went down to the floor and appeared to be bleeding above his eyebrow and holding his ankle. He sat on the bench the rest of the night.

The Wolverines bolted out to an 11-0 lead thanks to a defense that forced six early turnovers. USC got within five points twice in the first half and Michigan responded with a 32-19 run to build a 49-31 halftime advantage.

USC got no closer the rest of the way.

USC: At No. 9 Michigan State on Monday.

Michigan: Visits Penn State on Tuesday.

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

Michigan center Aday Mara, front, drives against Southern California center Gabe Dynes, back, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)