Queen Media sneak peek: Frost's Portal Reboot and the 2026 UCF Knights
Welcome back to Queen Media, the Space Coast's premier home for sports coverage. Whether you're listening to Cody Queen break things down on the Space Coast Sports Podcast or catching our best-in-Brevard highlights, we live at the intersection of sight and sound. Today, we're taking a quick trip up the 528 to Orlando to check the radar on the UCF Knights, where a massive offseason overhaul is officially underway.
Scott Frost’s highly anticipated 2025 return to the Bounce House was ultimately a year of survival. The Knights finished 5-7 overall (2-7 in the Big 12), and it became immediately clear that the nostalgia of 2017 wasn't going to win modern conference matchups without a serious roster reset.
The Great Quarterback Exodus
If you tuned in last season, you know the quarterback room was less of a depth chart and more of a revolving door. Finding an offensive rhythm was nearly impossible. Tayven Jackson took the bulk of the snaps, throwing for 2,151 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions (while taking 16 sacks). But between Jackson, Cam Fancher (333 passing yards), Jacurri Brown, and Davi Belfort, the consistency just wasn't there.
Now? That entire QB room has been cleared out. In a massive transfer portal shift, Jackson is off to North Texas, Fancher headed to Michigan State, Brown left for Rice, and Belfort transferred to James Madison. Frost realized a clean slate was necessary.
The Bright Spot: Ground and Pound
Despite the chaotic passing game, the offense did find some pulse in the backfield. Running back Myles Montgomery was a reliable workhorse, posting career highs across the board. Montgomery tallied 705 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 143 attempts, while also flashing out of the backfield with 17 catches for 182 yards. Having him anchor the offense gives the 2026 squad a crucial foundational piece.
The 2026 Portal Cavalry Arrives
Frost knew he had to strike gold in the transfer portal to fix the offensive woes, and his recruiting haul should have Knight Nation completely energized.
Enter Alonza Barnett III. The Knights landed the 2025 Sun Belt Player of the Year from James Madison, and his stat line is electric. Barnett completed 58.4% of his passes for 2,806 yards and 23 touchdowns last season. But where he truly fits the Frost offensive scheme is his dual-threat capability: Barnett rushed 127 times for 589 yards and a staggering 15 rushing touchdowns. He brings exactly the kind of dynamic, play-extending magic that UCF desperately missed last fall.
Beefing Up the Backfield To complement Montgomery, Frost also hit the portal to bring in running back Landen Chambers from Central Arkansas. Chambers was an All-UAC First Team selection after carrying the rock 242 times for 1,273 yards and 10 touchdowns. Paired together, Barnett, Montgomery, and Chambers are poised to give UCF a devastating rushing attack.
The Bottom Line
Climbing out of the Big 12 basement is no easy feat, but the 2026 roster already looks far more lethal than the squad we watched last year. With a proven, elite dual-threat weapon under center and a revamped, heavy-hitting backfield, Frost finally has the tools to execute his vision.
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