Nebraska Cornhuskers Football Offseason Preview

Scott Frost gets one more chance. The star football player at Nebraska, who led UCF to an unbeaten season in 2017 and was then hired by the Cornhuskers in a proud return to his alma mater, has not been able to make a single bowl game since becoming Nebraska’s head coach. In four seasons, Frost has never won more than five games in a single year. Frost is 15-29 in 44 games as Nebraska’s coach. He went 3-9 last year, and it was easy to think he would be fired. However, athletic director Trev Alberts, who used to play football at Nebraska as well, decided to retain Frost for the 2022 season. Everyone in Nebraska wants Frost to succeed, but the big question is how much patience he will be given. This year might be his last if he can’t get to a bowl game. Fans have reached the point of no return and will want results now. The wait needs to end in Lincoln.

Key Personnel Lost

Quarterback Adrian Martinez had been with the program several years, but he transferred to Kansas State. Nebraska’s offense underperformed and a change was made at offensive coordinator under embattled head coach Scott Frost, who had to reshuffle his staff and demand accountability. This team struggled a lot on offense, so the departing starters were not exactly crucial pieces of a winning operation. It will be fascinating to see what Frost comes up with at quarterback, now that Martinez is out the door after an erratic Nebraska career.

Important Incoming Freshmen

Receiver Victor Jones and offensive lineman Justin Evans-Jenkins will need to contribute to an offense which sputtered far too often last season. Nebraska wasn’t explosive enough, and its offensive line wasn’t powerful enough, to get the Huskers over the top against Big Ten competition. Some of Nebraska’s struggles were connected to Adrian Martinez’s volatility at quarterback, but there were flaws throughout the offense, and they were far too pervasive to hang the blame for the failed season at the feet of any individual player. Jones and Evans-Jenkins will enter the program knowing they need to make an instant impact, and that if they do, they will be celebrated as program-changing players.

Key Position Battles

Casey Thompson is a transfer from Texas, and Chubba Purdy is a transfer from Florida State. The two will battle it out at quarterback to take the reins of the offense from Adrian Martinez. That competition will get most of the attention, but Nebraska’s offense – which averaged fewer than 28 points per game this past season and was not a picture of consistency – also needs a lot more from its offensive line and its wide receivers. All of those position units will feature fierce competition among players who know that they can’t squander this upcoming season. Otherwise, their coach (Frost) will probably be fired.

Biggest Offseason Goal(s)

The Nebraska offense was simply not a clutch offense. The overall numbers and totals weren’t terrible, but Nebraska lost eight games by one score (eight points or fewer) last season. Scott Frost needs to enter the season knowing he has reliable offensive players at numerous position groups.