Balance that notion with Frost’s comments last week to USA TODAY, in which the coach pulled no punches about what Nebraska players experienced under previous head coach Mike Riley.
“I have some optimism because they had an awful culture (last season),” Frost said. “They weren’t strong. They weren’t in shape. The schemes were bad last year and they still went into the fourth quarter tied with Wisconsin. They should’ve won two or three more games.
“But we’re nowhere near where we should be.”
Massive change in the program? Consider our Parker Gabriel’s story last week in which he put into perspective Nebraska’s dramatic roster turnover since Frost took over Dec. 3. A whopping 51 players have joined the program. Couple that with the fact NU has an entirely new coaching staff and, well, shocking the world might just mean going 9-3 — a record that got two Husker head coaches fired.
No wonder Frost speaks of Riley’s program in such harsh terms. His criticism is reflective of Frost’s passion for the Husker program. He’s part of the state’s fabric, a former gridiron star at Wood River High who later poured sweat and blood into the program. He has mentors and close friends who did the same. He then watched NU spiral to depths many of us never imagined possible.
Yeah, it pisses him off. It should do that.