UCF, Head Coach Josh Heupel Agree to Contract Extension Through 2024

UCF and head football coach Josh Heupel reached an agreement Friday on a contract extension to keep him with the Knights through the 2023-24 college football season.

The program announced the new deal on its official website and provided a statement from Heupel, who's guided the team to a 12-0 record during his first year in charge.

"I am truly honored to have the opportunity to lead this group of young men and represent this great university," he said. "My family and I have found an amazing community to call home. I am looking forward to the future of this program. I can't thank [athletic director] Danny White and [UCF president] Dale Whittaker enough for their support and belief in what we're doing."

Heupel took over the Knights from Scott Frost, who left UCF to take the Nebraska head coaching job after leading the team to a 13-0 mark last year, including a victory over Auburn in the Peach Bowl.

The 40-year-old former quarterback inherited a program firmly in the spotlight following an undefeated campaign that led the school to claim a national championship. The Knights failed to earn a berth in the College Football Playoff despite running the table in the regular season again.

UCF capped its latest memorable run with a 56-41 comeback victory over Memphis in the AAC Championship Game without quarterback McKenzie Milton, who suffered a serious leg injury in the team's regular-season finale and was replaced by Darriel Mack Jr.

Mack accounted for six touchdowns in the win over the Tigers and helped the Knights secure a berth in the Fiesta Bowl against LSU on New Year's Day.

White praised Heupel in the contract announcement for helping the team fight through adversity en route to another AAC title.

"We're very proud and extremely appreciative of the job Josh and his staff have done since taking over our program just a little over one year ago," he said. "What they have accomplished is nothing short of amazing. Winning one college football game is difficult, winning all 12 so far this season is unbelievable!"

The task for White, Heupel and Co. moving forward will be finding a way to schedule tougher non-conference opponents to help boost their CFP resume. UCF didn't face a team ranked better than 42nd in ESPN's Football Power Index during the 2018 campaign.

A win over LSU after beating Auburn last year would help show the Knights can hang with SEC opponents, but it may further discourage Power 5 teams from adding them to future schedules.