Scott Frost addresses team chemistry following in-flux of transfer talent

After four years with little success at Nebraska, Scott Frost took a different approach this offseason. The head coach decided to dip his toe into the NCAA transfer portal before he wound up making a huge splash. Fifteen new players are on campus for the Cornhuskers and in all three phases. Seven new offensive, five defensive, and two special teams players are now in Lincoln.

Add in 17 players via the 2022 recruiting class and Frost has a lot of fresh faces. He was asked about making sure everybody built chemistry together, especially when adding players who were on the team last season. Frost thinks his leadership group has done a great job, saying everyone wants Nebraska to have success as a team, not just individually.

“One of the biggest challenges is making sure it becomes a team,” Frost said. “I think our guys have done an unbelievable job with that. I think the leadership has spearheaded that to try to embrace the guys that come in. That happens when you have a team that wants to win and is more worried about the team’s success than maybe splitting reps with somebody because we have a new player.

“I think that speaks to the character of some of the guys leading our team right now. But it doesn’t feel like the old team and the new guys, it feels like one team right now and most of that has to do with the leadership on the team.”

Scott Frost explains process of Nebraska team bonding

Adversity is always a way a group of people can bond, not just in football. Frost decided to take that mentality and apply it to their summer workouts. He called the offseason component “tough” and thinks grinding through the program will help the Cornhuskers before kickoff in a couple of weeks.

“I think you develop trust through mutual experience,” said Frost. “Especially when you go through adversity and trial. Our summer workouts were tough so that allowed the old players and the new guys to be in the foxhole together, trying to get through those workouts out in the heat and in the weight room. That’s a good start but there has to be a little humility with the new guys coming in and a lot of acceptance of the old guys.”

Frost was able to pull some of the top names out of the portal, with quarterback Casey Thompson being the biggest. Nebraska was able to poach from programs such as Alabama, Florida State, and LSU too, meaning some real talent will be on the field.

An unusual start to the season against Northwestern in Dublin will solidify if what Frost has preached is true. The Cornhuskers will have to come together as a team right away in a critical Big Ten West showdown.