Scott Frost is back, and this time, it’s a full-circle moment for the coach who once led the UCF Knights to an unforgettable 13-0 season in 2017. That team wasn’t just good; they were dominating, famously claiming the Peach Bowl over Auburn and cementing their status as college football’s ultimate underdog. Now, Frost isn’t merely aiming for a repeat of past glory; he’s building a program for the long haul, strategically stacking his 2026 class. The best part? A promising 3-star quarterback is already singing his praises, hinting at the strong foundation Frost is laying, brick by brick.

This time, Scott Frost is leaving nothing to chance. His initial stint at UCF ended in a bumpy return to Nebraska, where immense pressure and little patience led to his mid-season firing in 2022 after losing a nation-leading 22 one-score games. Now, he’s building a strong foundation at UCF, boasting a 2025 class with 14 commits and 37 transfers, while aggressively recruiting for 2026, having already secured 11 commitments.

Leading the charge in that 2026 group is his newest and loudest addition, Dante Carr, a 6’3″, 200-pound quarterback out of Minersville. Carr has quickly connected with the program, especially after Scott Frost and quarterback coach McKenzie Milton made a significant push to land him.

On the Charge On podcast, Carr revealed, “The main thing they said to me is they love my athleticism. Just seeing, like, my basketball highlights or my track clips. They said they love how I could make plays when a play breaks down, like using my legs. But they said the main thing is they just love how much upside I have.”

What worked in Scott Frost’s favor was their trust in Dante Carr’s potential as a quarterback, particularly when other schools were eyeing him as a tight end or an all-around athlete. Carr admitted, “A lot of schools started going away from me as a quarterback and started looking at me as a tight end, as an athlete. And they just—they want me to develop. So that was a huge part for me and my family. I’m far from being a fully developed quarterback, and we wanted a program that could really develop me. So when they said that, I just knew that was the coaching staff I wanted to play for.”

As a freshman, Dante Carr impressed, completing 57 of 127 passes for 1,173 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions, adding 317 rushing yards and 5 scores. His sophomore year saw him lead his team to a district title, completing 69 of 157 passes for 1,139 yards, 14 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions, while rushing for an impressive 640 yards and 10 touchdowns. Then, his junior year, Carr truly exploded. He completed 98 of 180 passes for 1,757 yards, 22 touchdowns while rushing for a phenomenal 1,182 yards and 23 touchdowns. This breakout performance earned him a spot on the Pennsylvania 2A All-State Team. But is he truly locked in with Scott Frost’s program for the long haul?

Dante Carr’s future plans

In a college football era where loyalty feels like a fleeting concept, Dante Carr shows its lasting power. While other top recruits chase lucrative deals, Carr is going all-in with Scott Frost’s team. When the Charge On host Sean Green pressed him, asking, “How committed are you? Are you going to be taking any more visits in the next coming months? Are you still keeping your options open, or are you kind of really shutting this down?” Carr didn’t hesitate.

He made it crystal clear that UCF is his singular destination. “It’s completely shut down, I’m a thousand percent locked in. I had some official visits lined up; I canceled all those, but I’m fully locked in. And like I said before, I think Coach Frost and Coach McKenzie are the two best people that could develop me into being a quarterback. And me and my family, we’re totally committed to UCF.”

Indeed, Dante Carr has officially shut down his recruitment, canceling even a planned trip to Rutgers. This makes him the ninth commitment for the Knights’ 2026 class, providing Scott Frost’s staff with good momentum as they build their first full recruiting cycle. Carr is now the second-highest-rated recruit in the class, trailing only four-star wide receiver Tyren “Ty” Wortham.

The best part? Dante Carr has his enrollment date set for January, aiming to join the Knights early and make an immediate impact. He’s already planning to take some trips to campus during the season. “We’re looking into a game day visit. I’m hoping to go to the North Carolina game. They said that place is going to be rocking. So I’m hoping to be able to go to that with my football schedule, but I’ll definitely be there for at least one game,” Carr added. So, expect Dante Carr at Mortgage Stadium on September 20, supporting his team against Bill Belichick’s UNC.