Nebraska, Moos, Hire Scott Frost

On December 3, 2017, the entire state of Nebraska rejoiced, when Nebraska AD Bill Moos introduced Scott Frost as the 30th head football coach at the University of Nebraska. The former star quarterback for the Huskers has a 19-7 FBS head coaching record in two years with UCF.  

At UCF, Frost lead one of the most remarkable turnarounds in recent coaching memory at any level. When Frost came to Orlando prior to the 2016-17 campaign, the Knights former staff left him a team that went 0-12 and had numerous off the field issues as well. Frost recruited well, and brought in Mackenzie Milton and designated him as his starting quarterback. In that 2016-17 season, the Knights miraculously made a bowl game and finished 6-7. The program certainly had some momentum heading into to the 2017-18, but even Frost himself could not have imagined what would occur in the coming months.  

UCF started 11-0 and won 10 of those games by double digits, and nine of those games by at least 25 points. Then UCF won three straight thrillers against South Florida, Memphis, and Auburn to finish 13-0. Frost developed Milton from an un herd of prospect from Hawaii, into the 8th place finisher in this years’ Heisman voting. Frost also won numerous coach of the year awards, and had a compelling case to be put in the College Football Playoff, instead of eventual National Champion Alabama. As the dust settled on this season, Frosts’ Knights finished #6 in the final AP poll and four writers believed they were the best team in college football, UCF received four first place votes.  

Prior to his time at UCF, Frost spent 7 years as an assistant at Oregon. Chip Kelly hired him as wide receivers coach in 2009, and he was elevated to offensive coordinator with the Ducks in 2013 when Kelly left to the NFL. In the two years Frost spent as OC, his quarterback, Marcus Mariota, won a Heisman Trophy, and Oregon made it to the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship Game, falling to Ohio State 42-20.  

Before his stint in Eugene, Frost spent time as an assistant at Northern Iowa, and was a graduate assistant at Kansas State and Nebraska before that. When Frost was playing football for Wood River High School in Wood River, NE, he was one of the best high school prospects in the nation. Bill Parcells of Stanford and Tom Osborne of Nebraska both recruited him to their respective schools. Frost chose Stanford and played under Parcells in 1993 and 1994. Frost struggled in the Cardinal’s system and eventually transferred to Nebraska in 1995. Following a Redshirt season in 1995, Frost lead the Big Red in 1996 and 1997. During the 1996 campaign, he lead Nebraska to an 11-2 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Virginia Tech. In 1997, Nebraska went 13-0 and split a National Championship with Michigan, the school’s fifth national title. 

Frost certainly has some talent he can work with in 2018. Senior wideout Stanley Morgan Jr. and sophomore J.D. Spielman are players that will fit really well into Frost’s new system. Nebraska also as depth at quarterback with Patrick O’Brien, Tristen Gebbia, and Adrian Martinez all available. The secondary and linebackers may need a little work, but the defensive line looks solid with the Davis twins, Mick Stoltenburg, and Freedom Akinmoladun all returning. The 2018 slate is brutal with trips to Ann Arbor, Madison, Columbus and Iowa City, as well as a home date against Michigan State. Only one thing is guaranteed come the fall, September 1st, 2018 will be a significant date in the history of Nebraska Football.