From Nebraska back to Orlando: UCF assistant coaches return with Frost

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — One of the most important attributes for a football team to have is trust, which starts with the head coach. 

Scott Frost is the man in charge for the UCF Knights, and when he was filling out his coaching staff, he said he needed guys that were like family. 

“I really like the mix of guys we have — starting with coach (Sean) Beckton (Sr.),” Frost said. “He’s kind of ‘Mr. UCF.’ When I got here the first time in 2016, I got about 300 calls and texts to keep coach Beckton. I’m sure glad I did. He’s as good of a guy as I’ve been around and as good as an all-around coach as I’ve been around.”

Since 1987, Sean Beckton Sr. has been a part of the UCF football team. 

He started as wide receiver for the Knights when they were an independent team at the Division II level and ended his playing career with what was then the most receiving yards and receptions in school history — 196 receptions and 2,493 receiving yards. That still is among the leaders in UCF history, and he is now in the UCF Hall of Fame.

Beckton said the game of football is still the same. 

“The guys are bigger, faster, stronger. The game hasn’t changed,” he said. “I played in an offense back in my days, when I caught 40 passes as a freshman.”

Beckton was also on Frost’s coaching staff at UCF during the 2016-17 seasons and then followed Frost to coach in Nebraska.

He said it was no-brainer when he received the phone call from Frost to be the Knights’ associate head coach and wide receivers coach.

“It was a very good moment for me and my family,” Beckton said. “I thought it would be an easy transition from coach Malzahn’s staff to coach Frost.”

Beckton isn’t the only tenured Knight on staff. UCF run game coordinator Mike Dawson also had the same journey of coaching with Frost for UCF and Nebraska. 

He’s happy to be back at UCF. 

“I was very flattered and excited when coach called me and told me he’s going to take the job. He asked if I was interested in coming. I couldn’t say yes fast enough,” Dawson said. “He called me boring because I didn’t try to negotiate some crazy contract or something. I was just excited to get back with him.”