There are a lot of reasons that Scott Frost probably should not have been brought back after this season. After having a season with the best Blackshirts defense in a decade, a fourth year starting quarterback and what we thought would be a rebuilt special teams unit, Nebraska has underachieved this season. This is the fourth season in a row that Nebraska will have failed to finish above .500 under Frost and failed to make bowl game. It’s the worst start to a career at Nebraska in the last 50 years for a head football coach. That’s really difficult to stomach.
So why would Athletic Director Trev Alberts keep Scott Frost after all of that?
I think a lot of it has to do with how Nebraska has played this year. They are 1-6 overall in conference play, but they have still outscored their opponents in those 7 games. That’s remarkable. They have played every ranked team outside of Ohio State within a touchdown. Even that game was close throughout. Special teams have likely cost Nebraska at a minimum two more wins and probably more than that.
Adrian Martinez has had to do too much on his own. And while the Blackshirts have played lights out a lot of the season, they haven’t been able to get to the quarterback enough against lesser teams to create the turnovers needed to cruise in games they should have won.
You can argue that there are still holes in the overall roster that need to be addressed and maybe they can with more time.
In the end, I think that Trev Alberts sees the landscape of college football and how much it is changing. With the new transfer rules, recruiting will become a different beast than it has been in our lifetime. Name and Image Likeness (NIL) rules have changed what Universities can offer outside of full scholarships. Large buyouts and recycling a new coach every three to four years has proven to be a futile exercise in most cases. Many schools considered Blue Blood football powerhouses are out wandering the wilderness. Florida State, Florida and Miami are in the hotbed of football prospects, yet they have failed to maintain top 20 teams this last decade. Rebuilding a program may simply require small changes over big shakeups in this new world.
And that is why Alberts has zigged when others have zagged. This is going to be a crazy offseason to hire a new coach. I get the argument that it probably will be like that forever moving forward. Frost is the hometown hero and maybe it’s wise to not throw the baby out with the bath water. Eventually Alberts may be forced to decide to relieve Frost, but at this point, it was a calculated gamble to continue on this path, no matter how painful it might be to get to where Nebraska wants to go. I don’t know that I agree with it, but I support Alberts for realizing the old way may not be the best way when it comes to moving forward.
ON WITH THE REWIND…
Last game prediction was Ohio State 44 Nebraska 24. The actual score was Ohio State 26, Nebraska 17. It was the second time in the Frost tenure that he has held tight with the Buckeyes. For whatever reason, Nebraska has played ranked teams better this season than unranked teams. How does that help Nebraska to finish out this season? Who knows, but this week may not be as kind as the others.
Quick Notes:
JoJo Domann…I hit on Domann in my last blog, but since he isn’t playing another game this season, I wanted to at least pay a tribute to him for his career. He went out with a bang, playing arguably his best game ever against Ohio State. Domann has been one of the few bright spots on the defense during his career and he will leave a big gap in the Blackshirts the rest of they season. Not many players can play so many roles for a team, but Domann has been able to play defensive back, linebacker and edge rusher at a high level. If Nebraska is ever going to get back to the top of the Big Ten, they need a dozen players like Domann.
Rahmir Johnson…Johnson has proven out to be the most consistent runner in the backfield this year. He hasn’t blown up for big gains in the running game, but he has been the best at moving the offense forward behind an average run blocking line. Johnson has three more years of eligibility left. It will be interesting to see if he can continue to improve at a high level moving forward
Samari Toure…He has been a lightning bolt for Nebraska this season. He is what everyone hoped that Kanawai Noa and Wan’Dale Robinson would have been for the Huskers. Toure will likely get a look in the NFL draft this spring. His numbers would likely be even better if Nebraska was a little more accurate in the quarterback department.
Offensive Assistant Coaches…For three years, Nebraska’s offense has continued to perform well below expectations. It was just a matter of time for most of the staff to be turned over. It has cost Nebraska dearly to be inconsistent when they have played lesser opponents. Also, their inability to run the football against the titans of the Big Ten outside of the quarterback position almost cost Coach Frost his job. Whatever Frost decides moving forward, he must establish a better game at the line of scrimmage. It has been this teams Achilles heel for almost a decade.
I probably have this prediction too close. Nebraska has every reason to mail it in this weekend if they get off to a slow start. Wisconsin is playing about as well as Ohio State right now and may have the better defense. Nebraska matches up well with their offense, but on the defensive side, Nebraska likely won’t make it to three touchdowns. I’m going to say they make it, but it is probably because of a late touchdown when the game is already in hand. I will be staying warm this week watching the game. Better than freezing in Wisconsin! GBR!!
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