Scott Frost Gives Update On UCF Quarterback Battle After First Scrimmage

The UCF Knights' battle for the starting quarterback spot received a new wrinkle after their first fall scrimmage on Thursday.

Coach Scott Frost said the competition between Indiana transfer Tayven Jackson, returner Jacurri Brown and Florida Atlantic transfer Cam Fancher is still going. All three "got some good reps and did some good things," such as hitting "a couple deep balls."

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So, with no answer to the starting quarterback question through the first scrimmage, the prospect of a multi-quarterback system was raised. Frost did not dismiss the possibility.

"I'm open to whatever gives us the best chance to win," Frost said. "So, if that's one guy, we're going to ride. If we're not sure, and more than one guy deserves an opportunity to play, then I guess we'll go that way. I've never really had that situation, but if that's where we are, then that's where we are."

However, Frost has said before that he does want a starter. When camp opened, he said how the offense's design for each quarterback would be a little different and that a starter would help "develop continuity."

On Thursday, Frost said he spoke to defensive coordinator Alex Grinch, who told him that all three quarterbacks were "a lot better than they were in spring." He agreed. Though Grinch's defense is going to end up helping make the starting quarterback choice, or maintain a lack of one.

"Really, it probably is going to come down to who can make plays without turning the ball over, and who can take care of the football for us," Frost said. "They've all three had little hiccups with that, but for the most part, done a good job."

UCF's Tayven Jackson Gives Early Assessment Of Quarterback Competition

One day from their first scrimmage on Thursday, and the UCF Knights' quarterback battle remains ongoing.

"We get an opportunity to play more situational football here, coming up very soon, it's going to be tomorrow," offensive coordinator Steve Cooper said after Wednesday's practice. "So, we'll get a better idea of where those guys are at right now."

For the first time since fall camp opened, all three contenders for the job spoke with the media during UCF's Player Media Day on Monday:

1. Tayven Jackson

After playing in five games with Indiana last season, completing 23 passes for 349 yards and four touchdowns, Tayven Jackson said he chose UCF from the portal for the opportunity to be coached by Scott Frost and McKenzie Milton.

"It's been great, just picking their brain," Jackson said. "They have a lot of knowledge at the quarterback position and a lot of knowledge on winning football games in this conference."

Jackson said it has been a "healthy" and "fun" competition so far.

"I feel like I got a chip on my shoulder," Jackson said. "I've been through this process three years now, competing for a quarterback position. I played in some big-time games, in big-time conferences. I feel like I'm a really good football player, and I can put us in really good situations."

2. Jacurri Brown

Jacurri Brown is the lone returner in contention for the starting job. He played in nine games last season, starting two of them, completed 35 passes for 398 yards and one touchdown with four interceptions and rushed 53 times for 401 yards and four touchdowns. However, with a brand new coaching staff led by Frost, he said his status as a returner means nothing.

"Obviously, I want to carry myself like I'm the guy every day, and that's how I wake up and move around, but at the end of the day, I'm not gonna step on anybody's toes and try to be, you know, that guy," Brown said. "So, I give guys opportunities to lead and be that, because the end of the day, like I said, I just want to win."

Cooper said Brown has leadership traits, like all three contenders, and called him a "fun kid to be around."

"What he's shown is, obviously, there's certain things that he can do with the football in his hands," Cooper said. "When he pulls down the ball and he has some room to run, that's a really good thing, and then he's obviously making progress in other areas, getting through progressions and that kind of thing."

3. Cam Fancher

Cam Fancher is coming off a season in which he was a team captain for Florida Atlantic. He completed 126 passes for 1,528 yards and six touchdowns and ran 99 times for 365 yards and three touchdowns.

Fancher did not throw the ball during the media's observation period of Wednesday's practice, but Cooper said it is because he is an older player.

"Early in practice, we try to do some stuff that helps those guys out," Cooper said. "You know, occasionally we'll do that for each position group, depending on what the day is and what each guys need."

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