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Defrosting Nebraska Football: The Scott Frost Problem
Nebraska deserves better. The great alumni, student body and fan base deserve to have a better product on the field. Nebraska is one of the recognizable names in college football. They are a university with a proud tradition and a history of success on the field. Last year, during week 0, Nebraska was shocked by Illinois 30-22. At that point, the Fire Scott Frost watch began. Then the Cornhuskers went 3-9 in 2021 season, yet somehow Scott Frost kept his job. Promises were made. Things would be different in 2022. Players talked about finishing the job and executing in big moments that would produce wins on the field.
Nebraska had the eyes of the nation upon them. A big game against Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland. Everyone got to see Nebraska blow an 11 point lead. It wasn’t just Northwestern outplaying Nebraska in the final quarter and a half, it was Nebraska making the same mistakes that plagued them from a year ago. Casey Thompson threw a huge interception late in the game that allowed Northwestern to flip the field. On top of it, the defense allowed 214 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns to Evan Hull and Cam Porter. While you can blame the coordinators for the scheme and players for executing, these consistent problems fall directly on the shoulders of the head coach. Scott Frost is proving that the responsibility of coaching at a program like Nebraska is just too much for him.
A great comparison for Scott Frost is Brady Hoke. Hoke was hired by Michigan to return the program to glory. And while Hoke didn’t play his college ball at Michigan, he had ties to the university as an Assistant Coach under Lloyd Carr. Hoke spent 4 years at Michigan, going 31-20. He went 11-2 his first year, winning the Sugar Bowl. The next 3 years, it was 20-18 with a 2-6 record against rivals Ohio St., Penn St. and Michigan St. This was unacceptable at a place like Michigan. Nebraska would be excited for that type of record under Scott Frost. How is 15-30 acceptable at a place like Nebraska? It’s not. Nebraska deserves better.
The question now becomes is there anything Scott Frost can do to save his job in 2022? It’s start with September 17th vs Oklahoma. Lose that game and there is no chance. It’s very convenient that the following week Nebraska has a bye. That gives the administration time to put an interim coach in place and start their coaching search. Win the game vs Oklahoma, and now it’s a waiting game. Frost must win the rest of the schedule leading into the Michigan (away), Wisconsin (home) and Iowa (away) stretch. In those three games, he must go 2-1. Ending the season with a lack of signature wins outside of Oklahoma would be a death knell. Even with those wins, it is not guaranteed Frost is back for 2023. This might be what’s truly best for the Cornhuskers.
Candidates to replace Scott Frost
Let’s say that Scott Frost is no longer the coach after the Oklahoma game. Who should be on the Cornhuskers short list to replace him? Below is a list of candidates and the probability of them accepting the Nebraska position.
Luke Fickle (HC Cincinnati Bearcats)
Coach Fickle got a raw deal at Ohio State having to serve as the interim after Jim Tressel. He wasn’t ready to be a head coach. He stuck around under Urban Meyer and after taking over at Cincinnati has proven himself to be a great coach and player developer. Fickle has midwestern roots and knows the Big 10. He would also immediately bring back the true “Black Shirt” defense. But does he really want to leave Cincinnati? They are joining the Big 12 soon and he has great job security at Cincinnati. Nebraska should give him a call, but the answer is most likely thanks, but no thanks. Chances- 5%
Matt Campbell (HC Iowa St. Cyclones)
Coach Campbell has done a fantastic job building up the Iowa St. program these last few years and has gotten some attention from the NFL. He’s shown the ability to win big games against marquee opponents while developing players. The only downside is that Iowa St. caved when the expectations were the highest in 2021. By taking the Nebraska job, he would have a year or two to fly under the radar as he got his players in his recruiting classes. Nebraska would be better under Campbell than Frost, but there may be a lower ceiling to the overall success of the program. Chance- 25%
Matt Rhule (HC Carolina Panthers)
No one is surprised that Matt Rhule is on the hot seat in Carolina. Vegas currently has him as the favorite to be the first NFL coach fired this year. This may be a blessing for Coach Rhule. He took over a Baylor Bears program that was completely in shambles. He suffered through his first season at 1-11, only to turn Baylor into the 19th best defense in the country in his third season after being ranked 114th in his first season. Coach Rhule could handle a tough situation and has Midwest ties. He might be Nebraska’s first coach but it is completely dependent on his status in the NFL. Chance- 40% (if fired by the Panthers)
Bill O’Brien (OC Alabama Crimson Tide)
Coach O’Brien is the only coordinator on this list, but he makes a lot of sense for Nebraska. Bill O’Brien does not get enough credit for the job he did at Penn State in the awake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Penn State received the closest thing to the NCAA death penalty in years losing 40 scholarships and banning them from a bowl for four years. All O’Brien did was go 15-9 and give the program respectable leadership during their darkest days. Say what you will about his time in the NFL with the Houston Texans, Bill O’Brien is a great football coach at the college level. He gave his “two-year” commitment to Nick Saban and has shown to have a fantastic offense for the Crimson Tide. The only downside is Nebraska will be battling all college and NFL head coaching openings for his services. If Nebraska wins that battle, watch out Big 10. Chance- 30%
While some people may feel bad for Scott Frost, the people who you should feel bad for is the alumni and fans of Nebraska. The fanbase is regulated to tales of yesterday on how Tommy Frazier won them National Championships. How the battles between Nebraska and Oklahoma/Texas were appointment television. Scott Frost could be a very good group of five football coach, but he is just over his head at Nebraska. It’s sad to say that about a person who is an alumnus because this job is special to him. But if he truly cares about Nebraska and returning the program to its glory, he will understand why the administration had to relieve him of his duties. It’s what the fans deserve. Nebraska deserves better.
