Year 2 Regression Under Frost

Redux said:
So where are we?

We got our dream hire.  We got the guy most of the other top programs looking for new leadership wanted in 2017.  We got a home grown guy.  We got a guy who HAS won a natty, here in dear old Nebraska!

So two years in, we are 9-15.  We haven't sniffed a bowl game since Mike Riley was our coach.  We haven't beaten Iowa in 5 tries.  We lost our home and home to "rival" Colorado.  We aren't gaining any ground in recruiting yet.  We aren't any better off than we were when he got here.

So what does it mean?  Does it mean Riley sunk us even more than we thought possible?  Maybe a little.  Does it mean the rest of the conference is that much further ahed of us?  Maybe a few teams, definitely not most of them.  Does it mean Frost isn't as good as we thought?  Unfortunately, that might be it.

Fact of the matter is, he hasn't exactly blown any of us away yet with teally anything he's done.  Recruiting is about the same.  We barely improved record wise this year.  And so far his game management has been fairly suspect in many crucial situations in must win games.  Let's face it, he had a perfect storm at UCF.  He inherited a team with talent that wasn't well oiled.  He got them oiled quickly.  Plus he didn't have to look far for new players.  And the league he was coaching in was ripe for the picking.  When he left he had built something.  But it wasn't the Boise State story some expected.

Truth is, he is still a coach learning the ropes.  We can't forget that.  He has a total 4 seasons under his belt as a head coach now.  He will undoubtedly get better.  And this team, it's going to get better.  I expect we take that year 2 leap a year late in year 3 and a much better one in year 4.  I'm trying to be patient because I have no choice.  I'm sick of saying next year.  It makes me sick.  5 years of absolutely putrid football.  It needs to improve damned soon.
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After 2 seasons with Frost as the head coach, I think much of what you said is true.  Here are a couple things to consider...one in defense of Frost and one that may not speak as well of him.

1.  Frost inherited a Nebraska team that was 28-23 in the four years before he arrived and with one bowl win.  It was not a great stretch over a 4 year period. 

2. Frost inherited a UCF team that went 31-21 in the four seasons before he arrived including a Fiesta bowl win and a top 10 finish to the 2013 season. 

At Nebraska the culture was starting to go downhill with some of Pelinis antics and the transition to Riley was not smooth. Riley dug things into the ground all around.

Meanwhile at UCF Frost took over for a coach who had many strong seasons at the school and that resulted in fewer transitions for the players brought in the back in 2014 to 2016.  Thus he had a better culture with better talent and everything worked out magically in 2017 despite not having recruited most of the players who made an impact.

In summary, was Frosts 2017 season a true depiction of his coaching aptitude? After seeing these past 2 seasons I feel too much weight had been placed on that one season. But, he also inherited a bigger mess at Nebraska so he does deserve another season to show significant improvements in the program.

 
Frost happened upon a formula that can make a Florida kid successful, a system not really all that dissimilar to Florida under Steve Spurrier.  When he came back to Nebraska he denied his roots and stuck to the UCF plan.  His offense is consistent in that it either a drought or it pours, but lacks the steadiness of a rainy day.  His defense plays a similar all or nothing style, without the journeyman level of talent he could find in Florida.

 
madrat said:
Frost happened upon a formula that can make a Florida kid successful, a system not really all that dissimilar to Florida under Steve Spurrier.  When he came back to Nebraska he denied his roots and stuck to the UCF plan.  His offense is consistent in that it either a drought or it pours, but lacks the steadiness of a rainy day.  His defense plays a similar all or nothing style, without the journeyman level of talent he could find in Florida.
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Frost has definitely denied his roots.

His offense works better in lesser talent leagues, or it only works when you have superior talent.   It’s not a big boy offense.

If Frost wants to stick with his sideways offense he needs a killer defense and special teams.  
 

 
HuskerNation1 said:
After 2 seasons with Frost as the head coach, I think much of what you said is true.  Here are a couple things to consider...one in defense of Frost and one that may not speak as well of him.

1.  Frost inherited a Nebraska team that was 28-23 in the four years before he arrived and with one bowl win.  It was not a great stretch over a 4 year period. 

2. Frost inherited a UCF team that went 31-21 in the four seasons before he arrived including a Fiesta bowl win and a top 10 finish to the 2013 season. 

At Nebraska the culture was starting to go downhill with some of Pelinis antics and the transition to Riley was not smooth. Riley dug things into the ground all around.

Meanwhile at UCF Frost took over for a coach who had many strong seasons at the school and that resulted in fewer transitions for the players brought in the back in 2014 to 2016.  Thus he had a better culture with better talent and everything worked out magically in 2017 despite not having recruited most of the players who made an impact.

In summary, was Frosts 2017 season a true depiction of his coaching aptitude? After seeing these past 2 seasons I feel too much weight had been placed on that one season. But, he also inherited a bigger mess at Nebraska so he does deserve another season to show significant improvements in the program.
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UCF 2017 was Fools Gold and we fell for it.  

 
Redux said:
I wouldn't go that far.  He just coached the team he had.  He hasn't done that here yet.
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If you go back and watch the ending of their last 3 in 2017, they got crazy lucky.

Poor clock management and bad defense down the stretch of games, just what we are now getting without the luck.

 
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madrat said:
Frost happened upon a formula that can make a Florida kid successful, a system not really all that dissimilar to Florida under Steve Spurrier.  When he came back to Nebraska he denied his roots and stuck to the UCF plan.  His offense is consistent in that it either a drought or it pours, but lacks the steadiness of a rainy day.  His defense plays a similar all or nothing style, without the journeyman level of talent he could find in Florida.
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+1 Well said

 
Redux said:
I wouldn't go that far.  He just coached the team he had.  He hasn't done that here yet.
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I think this is a fair point,  but that really means next year is a "Put up or shut up" year as the team should consist of at least 75% of his recruits that he and his staff chose to bring in. 

 
HuskerNation1 said:
I think this is a fair point,  but that really means next year is a "Put up or shut up" year as the team should consist of at least 75% of his recruits that he and his staff chose to bring in. 
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It is.  And he HAS to know now that losing close games is not going to cut it in year 3.

 
SFW said:
We may have more draft picks this year on D than they did.  Problem is we are playing better talent each week and getting flat out....out coached.
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Draft picks mean squat as far as chemistry and buy in go.  If a unit gels it doesn't matter.  That UCF unit gelled in clutch situations.  Frost's Husker squads have not. 

 
Does everybody have their mind made up about him?  Did anybody change their mind about him as the two seasons unfolded? 

I've seen posts here that fall solidly in favor of Frost and progress some have seen.  I've seen (and written) posts here that express more than just disappointment, but dismay and dread for the future as we made bad teams look good and good teams look very good (with a few exceptions).  

I'm beginning to think he has more than I first thought.. but not by much.  I still think Scott Frost is limited and that he's a fine coach for conferences like AAC, etc, or perhaps as a position coach somewhere as before in his career.  I still think he's in over his head and that The Peter Principle applies. 

 
Huckleberry Muhammad said:
Does everybody have their mind made up about him?  Did anybody change their mind about him as the two seasons unfolded? 

I've seen posts here that fall solidly in favor of Frost and progress some have seen.  I've seen (and written) posts here that express more than just disappointment, but dismay and dread for the future as we made bad teams look good and good teams look very good (with a few exceptions).  

I'm beginning to think he has more than I first thought.. but not by much.  I still think Scott Frost is limited and that he's a fine coach for conferences like AAC, etc, or perhaps as a position coach somewhere as before in his career.  I still think he's in over his head and that The Peter Principle applies. 
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The opinions I'm most interested in are those of Jason Peter for example.  He has a good idea what goes on behind the scenes as Frost gives him access to practice.  He's a credible voice that wants the best for the football program.

While you might spend your time twisting in the wind about what's going on, there are some very credible men that believe Frost is headed in the right direction with the program.

Nearly every former player that I've read or heard has said Frost can obviously improve as a coach, but the talent level he's working with isn't there yet.

The 2019 season is done.  If you want some optimism, which you truly might not, take an occasional glance at the what's happening on the recruiting trail.

 
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