This has been a very interesting day as I thought it would be. I opted against going to Disney for the basketball game, just in case something happened.
Over the course of today, I've spoken to five well-connected UCF sources about the current situation. The news started to come fast and furious after the multiple reports surfaced that Florida was now targeting Dan Mullen.
In regards to UF, my sources are UCF based and not UF, so I don't have the level of detail there. I'm told Frost never engaged Florida at all, that he shut it down before it got started. That's not really the story right now though. Nebraska is.
I'm not sure if he'll get the answer he wants, but Danny White would like an answer from Frost ASAP, one way or another.
As I posted about a week ago, UCF has a contract offer on the table for Frost. Multiple people have whispered about details that may have been misinterpreted into certain salary amounts, which I've learned today isn't an accurate picture of the offer. Unless something has recently changed, the offer isn't necessarily an immediate raise (not $3M next year) but rather a back-loaded contract that would offer Frost a lump sum payment of $5M if he stays a minimum number of years. There is the immediate provision to bump up the staff salary pool though, per the FEF efforts. I'm not sure if that makes a difference right now, in all honesty.
If it's a money issue, UCF cannot compete with these other schools, at least not right now. They have to sell Frost on the long-term vision of being another Bobby Bowden or Frank Beamer, that he can make more money here in the long-run that jumping into a pressure cooker situation that may not last. Of course, for a coach confident in his abilities, just like a four or five-star recruit, that pitch doesn't always work.
Maybe it's just Frost being Frost, but with radio silence from his camp (at least to the best of people's knowledge entering the weekend), that has not been interpreted as a positive sign for UCF. Contingency plans are being made.
I'll be honest - the tone of everything I heard was fairly negative in terms of UCF's hopes of hanging on to Frost. But then I just got another message moments ago indicating Nebraska is most definitely "not a done deal yet" and UCF is doing everything they can to hold on to him.
I have a feeling I will be updating this again. I'm trying to be careful with what I put out there. But for the first time, what had been a positive vibe from these people is now skewing in the other direction.