ORLANDO — Scott Frost hopes UCF quarterback Alonza Barnett III will take part in spring practice for the first time as early as next week, he said following the team’s sixth session on April 11.
Barnett, who has been held out as a precaution for an undisclosed injury, went through stretches with the team on the opening day of camp (March 31). However, he has largely been absent from the portions of practice open to the media.
“He’s doing a lot of rehabbing right now,” Frost said. “He’s throwing some on his own, mostly working with the trainers and then getting involved in meetings and on the field taking (mental) reps. He’s getting a lot closer, and we’re being really cautious to make sure he’s 100% and ready to go before we put him out there.
“I’m not concerned. He’s played a lot of football, and he’ll catch up real fast.”
Frost declined to get into the specifics of whether Barnett underwent an offseason procedure but said, “It’s nothing major, and he’s going to be fine.”
Florida International transfer Keyone Jenkins and Boise State transfer Kaleb Annett have taken the majority of reps with the first unit through the first two weeks. Freshmen Rocco Marriott and Dante Carr round out the quarterback room.
“That’s glass-half-empty, glass-half-full. You’d love to be getting some timing and everything with the guy you expect to be your starter, but on the flipside, it’s given our backups and other quarterbacks a lot of opportunity to get comfortable,” Frost said. “I think that will pay off at some point.”
Barnett, UCF’s first announced signing of the 2026 transfer portal class, won Sun Belt Player of the Year honors as James Madison captured the conference championship and snatched an automatic bid into the College Football Playoff.
Over the last two seasons, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound Barnett has thrown for 5,404 yards with 49 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He has added 1,031 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground.
UCF returns to the practice field on April 14. The Knights still have nine days of camp left until breaking until the fall.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Alonza Barnett III could return to UCF football practice next week
Reporting by Chris Boyle, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
