Are you surprised at where we are at?

[brophog]

I wanted Scott Frost here as much as anyone, maybe even started a thread to that effect. I wanted him here when Riley was hired. I posted many times how fast schools with tradition turn it around when they make the correct hire. I once said, and still mean it, that I'd fire Scott Frost after year 3 if he hadn't made the kind of progress necessary to achieve our goals. That's the kind of pace these turnarounds take, and I fully realize that.

 

I will admit, I'm still surprised at the place we are at, currently, hours away from the first fall camp of Scott Frost's tenure. I say that because of how exhaustive the change has been. Sites like this one, where we've all taken a new leaf. The fans, administration, faculty, support staff...everyone is working towards making this thing work.  From what we know of the spring and the summer, the culture has changed almost overnight. Then there is the roster. Lots of new talent, and massive buy-in from returners. Players stepping up to take charge. 

 

This doesn't feel like Year 1. It's not Year 2, either, something in between. The expectations I normally would have for a Year 1 staff are much too low, though, and the players in today's press conference just reiterated that. If they had the kind of summer it sounds like they may have had, and we may have an answer for that by the time the next press conference hits, then hang onto your hats. I'm not prone to hyperbole, but I can't sleep at night. September can't get here soon enough. 

 

 

[Scratchtown]

I’m just excited to see tough nosed football. Regardless of the wins. I’m fine with 6-6 in year one as long as the players show the some testi.....mental fortitude game 1 through 12. Though I truly think NU will win 9 games.

 

No more tails between the legs and “oh no we suck again” crap

 

16 years of crappy NU football. Ready for it to change. 

[Michiganball]

This can be a good year. Frost was my top pick also. What I want to see is the early "scrimmage" games being dominated as they should. Last few years it's been much to stressful or downright ridiculous. If that goes well as I think it will, it should be a good season, certainly better then the last one.

[kozzman555]

I think this was the biggest thing that frustrated most people. It's not the style of football we saw that we disliked so much (west coast, spread, pro, whatever), but that lack of discipline and lack of mental and physical toughness. We were so used to just lining up to people and beating them up, dominating them. Sure, we didn't win every game, but it always felt like we could (talking about Osborne years here). I think that's what we are so excited about. Finally having a coach that has everyone, and I do mean everyone, on the same page and it seems like they have fully bought in. We're seeing someone finally practice what the preach, rather than giving us fans empty coach-speak. We've got a coach that is giving us these things that we've been longing to see, but also isn't just trying to imitate Coach Orsborne. Coach SF is being himself, running his own program, but doing it right. As Scratchtown said, I don't care what the win total is next year, I just want to see our guys going out and putting foot to a$$ this season and getting things figured out. 

[TonyStalloni]

I want to see 11 players (offense or defense) playing as a unit, in a scheme that is aggressive, understanding what their duties are and giving 100% on every play.  I'm excited to have coaches who are invested in the players and a head coach who doesn't have his face buried in a clip board, or remind me of Voldemort as he screams obscenities to the ref, or seem more interested in looking for a new stick of gum in his hoodie pocket.  Wins and losses will be what they are and I know most teams make the big jump with a new coach in year 2.  I'm looking forward to a fun year.

[ColoradoHusk]

I think the one thing that Frost does for most of the fan base is that he unites the fan base. Yeah, he has his detractors, but they are a small minority of the fan base.  I know it’s early in his tenure, but Frost has near unanimous approval.  The best thing about that is Frost isn’t resting on that approval rating. He’s going out to prove he’s worth the praise and approval. He was pissed off at how the program derailed and he’s here to bring it back.  Will he get all the way back to a National Championship? That’s a tough task, but it should be an exciting and fun team to watch, with players and coaches Nebraska fans can be proud of supporting. 

[teachercd]

I am surprised that we are a month away from games.  I can remember sitting at Dinkers and scarffing down an amazing burger as the news came over the screen that Frost was going to be the new coach. Now here we are and I can't wait.  It has been a long time since I have been more excited about the football than the tailgating/bars...but finally I am.  Plus it is nice to finally have (almost) all posters realize what a joke of a hire Riley was.

[Moiraine]

We're 0-0, which is exactly what I thought we'd be on August 3rd.

[NUance]

2 hours ago, Moiraine said:

We're 0-0, which is exactly what I thought we'd be on August 3rd.

 

So then we're UNDEFEATED!!   Ohhh Yeahhh!   

[Hilltop]

I'm not surprised where we are at.  I think most of us felt that Frost was the right hire and knew what he would bring to the table.  I do think that buy in was going to be fairly easy compared to the Riley change.  Riley was replacing a coach that the team was very loyal to- almost to a fault.  Frost is replacing a coach that was soft and didn't produce on the field- every competitive kid in the world wants to win and they have all been shown with past results that Scott knows how to win.  Surprised not at all- but very happy with where we are at.  Can't wait for 9/1.  

[NoLongerN]

YES!! 0-0 ... undefeated!  

 

Like others, I will be looking at how hard the team plays as a unit.  I will be looking for smart, disciplined play.  I will watch for how much of a "bulldog" we are in the trenches on both sides of the ball.  I'll be watching how we tackle and fill the gaps.

 

In terms of being surprised where we are at ... NO!  Frost & Company have been everything I imagined.

 

As we get to the season, I'll be curious if we can be .500 in the B1G.  If so, I'll be tickled.  One game better then .500 would get me excited.  Beating Iowa would be nice.  To knock of Wisky would be exceptional.  Closing strong to build recruiting momentum is necessary.

[4skers89]

It’s been over 10 months since I started hoping for and anticipating the Frost era. Quite a roller coaster watching UCF excel and Riley fail.  We had to shed a bad AD and bring in Moos to reel in Frost who had other suitors and could have easily decided to stay at UCF.  The spring game gave us a small taste of what to expect but left a lot of unanswered questions. The offseason conditioning sounds similar to previous years. Here we are and as Frost said the rubber is about to meet the road.

 

 The question I wanted to ask players talking about how the conditioning has improved their confidence and whatnot is “Imagine what it would be like if you had also done that the previous 3 years?”  That’s one of many holes that the program has been put in and can’t be fixed with one off season.

 

Hopefully the roster turnover has brought in enough difference makers to have early success which as Frost pointed out is important for building player confidence and getting them to believe they can win any game.  This has been a problem for too long.

 

I believe Frost will eventually get us back to a team that we can be proud of. Maybe not a NC but I will start watching the big games that I skipped because I knew we were going to crumble and get blown out. There will probably be a couple of ugly games this year but I’ll watch since I don’t want to miss out on the transformation. Stay tuned, Nebraska football is about to get fun again.

[Minnesota_husker]

Up to this point, everything Frost has done has helped with the hype people had prior to him taking the job.

 

I dont think he is at all like PJ Fleck where they hit you with sound bite after sound bite to trick you into thinking culture has changed. I truly think Frost has a plan and believes in what he has been doing.

 

The biggest factor in to things being far better than anticipated was the idea he brought his whole staff over. Someone on here mentioned it in a past thread how big that has been and I hadnt really thought about it. Instead of everything being new, it is mainly like having a bunch of freshman. Yes, they have to learn a new system but it is basically just Central Florida's system and all the coaches are on the same page(or at least seem to be).

 

I am trying to be fair with the expectations I personally create. This team was REALLY bad last year and I am not sold that any coach/coaches can suddenly turn that around. That being said we have some MAJOR buy in from a lot of players. There will be bumps and who knows how far Frost can take this but teams like Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State and others have proven B1G can win. We have plenty of things working in our favor.

 

I dont really care about the total number of wins/losses but more how we grow and progress. Dont get embarrassed and dont have guys looking disinterested. show improvement.

 

If we do all those things, 6-7 wins is fine with me. 

 

I do think the amount of kool aid is a bit crazy but heck, Frost has finally given us reason to hope.

[Guy Chamberlin]

There was only one thing would have united the fanbase for the 2018 season, and it happened.

 

 

[Ulty]

27 minutes ago, Minnesota_husker said:

I dont really care about the total number of wins/losses but more how we grow and progress. Dont get embarrassed and dont have guys looking disinterested. show improvement.

 

If we do all those things, 6-7 wins is fine with me. 

 

I do think the amount of kool aid is a bit crazy but heck, Frost has finally given us reason to hope.

 

I tend to think that the improved strength & conditioning, the better work ethic, the better attitudes, and more accountability alone is enough to elevate the team from 4 wins to 6 or 7 wins. I'm trying to temper my expectations, but add to those things the superior schemes and playcalling, and competent game management, and 8 or 9 wins can really happen, and can easily see double digit wins in 2019. 

 

I try to tell myself to be happy simply by being bowl eligible again and seeing more passion on the sidelines. But really, we may be ready for so much more than that, even in the first year. Pass the kool aid.