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Athletic CFB Mailbag: What does a successful 2021 season look like for Scott Frost at Nebraska?


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What does a successful 2021 season look like for Scott Frost at Nebraska? — Mitchell S.

I had to check with our own Mitch S. — Mitch Sherman — to make sure he didn’t plant this question. (He informs me he’s a Mitchel, not Mitchell.)

Well, Frost’s own athletic director, Bill Moos — who, as we know well by now, is not shy with his opinions — defined that himself last month when he said on the Husker Sports Network radio show: “It’d be great to get into that 8-9 wins, to start getting back into the picture of conference championships and talking about more postseason. And I think in Year 4, for Scott Frost, that’s a realistic expectation.”

Many snickered at the time how embarrassing/depressing it is that a program that a couple of decades ago won three national championships in four years is just hoping to go 8-4. But in 2021, for a program that has not even been bowl-eligible since 2016, winning eight or nine games in Frost’s fourth season would in fact be wildly successful. So much so that I’m personally setting the bar lower than Moos: Success for Nebraska in 2021 is finishing 7-5 and going to a bowl game. (I thought about just saying “bowl eligible,” but if the Huskers went 6-6 and lost the bowl, it would be yet another losing season for Frost. No one’s hanging a banner for that.)

I realize that is far short of where Nebraska envisioned it would be by now at the time of Frost’s much-ballyhooed hire. I believe I predicted multiple Big Ten Championship Game appearances. Frost’s main job was to upgrade the roster post-Mike Riley, and to this point, he’s fallen far short on that. His hand-picked franchise QB, Adrian Martinez, has not lived up to the hype, and many of his most high-profile recruits — wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, quarterback Luke McCaffrey, running back Maurice Washington and 2020 four-stars Marcus Fleming (wide receiver) and Keyshawn Greene (linebacker) — are no longer with the program.

I’ll be honest: There’s not a lot of reason of optimism that the 2021 Huskers have eight wins in them. A lot is riding on Martinez making a big jump as a senior. Nebraska does have a few potential breakout players like sophomore tackle Turner Corcoran, touted 2020 juco wide receiver Omar Manning, USC transfer running back Markese Stepp, wide receiver Samori Toure, an FCS All-American at Montana, and sophomore defensive tackle Ty Robinson. But are there enough difference-makers for Nebraska to take that leap? Also, all those transfers have put the Huskers’ depth in question. They already suffered a big loss in the spring with top tackler Will Honas’ knee injury.

All of which is why seven wins against a daunting schedule that includes Oklahoma and Ohio State should be considered a success. Really, what other choice does Nebraska have? Everyone involved realizes they have too much invested in homegrown hero Frost to send him packing after just four seasons. They desperately need him to be successful, lest this turn into a case of, “If he can’t do it, who can?” Which may require some serious patience. Showing tangible progress in Year 4 would go a long way.

 

https://theathletic.com/2598345/2021/05/19/what-does-a-successful-2021-season-look-like-for-scott-frost-at-nebraska-mandels-mailbag/?source=emp_shared_article

 

 

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At this point I'd be happy with just looking like we understand how to play four quarters of competent football. We've looked good at times and we've looked like the first week of practice at times. 

 

Just string something together resembling winning football and let the wins & losses fall where they may. 

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2 hours ago, Decked said:

7 wins beating one of Iowa or Wisconsin. 

Heck - let's beat them both and get 8 wins.   Now that would be a gift.

 

I think we got to get to at least 7 wins.  6 wins is 'kissing your sister' territory (unless you are into that sort of thing:o). 

Then get to a bowl game and win it.  Yes this season's schedule is tough but 7-8 wins should be doable with better coaching, a better defense, and respectable, consistent play by the offensive side of the team.  Any improvement in ST would be a plus.

 

By the end of Sept we should be 4-1 ---  if we play AND coach up to our potential.

October:  2-2 at worse but could be 3-1

Nov: 1-2 and it would be nice to be 2-1 - having barely lost to Iowa and Wisc last year.  But Wisc game is at Wisc - so doubtful. 

 

But the Debbie Downer part of me says - I'll believe it when I see it.

 

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People need to remember that the teams in the west are lame.  It is not that they are good teams and they beat NU it is that they are lame and NU is lamer.

 

Once NU gets back (wait for it) to even the Bo-Level, things will be "fine" and there is no reason for that to not be this season.

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43 minutes ago, teachercd said:

People need to remember that the teams in the west are lame.  It is not that they are good teams and they beat NU it is that they are lame and NU is lamer.

 

Once NU gets back (wait for it) to even the Bo-Level, things will be "fine" and there is no reason for that to not be this season.

 

The Big Ten West was the fourth toughest division in football last year by the numbers, significantly better than the Big 12, both ACC divisions and both Pac-12 divisions and only very slightly worse than the SEC East. Three of the teams in the West are on what could reasonably be considered the best 10-year stretches in their programs' histories, Minnesota and Purdue currently have coaches who are vastly better than their programs' reputations, and Illinois was recently lead by the guy who took the Bears to the Super Bowl. What?

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3 minutes ago, J-MAGIC said:

 

The Big Ten West was the fourth toughest division in football last year by the numbers, significantly better than the Big 12, both ACC divisions and both Pac-12 divisions and only very slightly worse than the SEC East. Three of the teams in the West are on what could reasonably be considered the best 10-year stretches in their programs' histories, Minnesota and Purdue currently have coaches who are vastly better than their programs' reputations, and Illinois was recently lead by the guy who took the Bears to the Super Bowl. What?

Think about that, 3 of the teams are in their best 10 year stretch and they still are lame.

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