Steven Sipple: Scott Frost takes a hard-edged demeanor to Big Ten Media Days in Indy, where there will be plenty to discuss
Nebraska coach Scott Frost made a quick stop at a fan event last week at a Lincoln sports bar.
Frost took the podium and addressed the gathering briefly. He was salty. He was fired up. Had a hard edge. He was sort of a snarling dog at times as we later dined on steak and mashed potatoes. I liked his demeanor.
He’s set to enter a high-pressure season. The good news is, he has a promising roster and perhaps more important, a manageable schedule.
Hope he can have some fun amid the pressure.
That goes for all of us.
The 47-year-old Frost will be on hand Tuesday morning for Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. We have a long list of questions for the coach.
Here are several matters on my mind:
Should seven wins be minimum requirement?
Because Frost is 15-29 in four seasons at Nebraska, he probably needs his team to win no fewer than six games to keep his job. But would six be enough? I don’t think so. With this schedule, more should be expected.
One could argue that a 7-5 record should be a minimal expectation for Frost to get a sixth season, although it can become a nuanced conversation.
Frost obviously wants to see progress in his program this season. What does he need to see with his eyes that would represent clear-cut progress? Seems like a fair question.
Frost’s job evolution on people’s minds
You hear more and more talk that Frost has turned over the offense to Mark Whipple, especially when it comes to pure X’s and O’s. What does that picture look like on a day-to-day basis?
Reserve quarterback Matt Masker said earlier this summer that it’s been difficult for Frost to take a step back from the offense. We’ll try to drill down on that part of the equation.
Is Frost comfortable in more of a CEO role? He’ll surely be asked multiple questions about the evolution of his job approach.
Pondering ramifications of slow start
Given Nebraska’s schematic and personnel changes on offense, it would be reasonable to anticipate a slow start on that side of the ball. Does Frost have that mindset? In what ways can coaches work to avoid a slow start under these circumstances?
How comfortable will Nebraska be in its newfangled offense for the Aug. 27 opener in Ireland?
“I felt more comfortable every week throughout spring ball,” Husker quarterback Casey Thompson, the projected starter, told On3.com. “By the time we got to the spring game, I felt really good. I want to get as many reps and continuity with the guys as possible.
“I’m comfortable in the offense now. But by the time the season starts, I’ll be like a coach on the field.”
Thompson leads QB race, but by how much?
Listening to Thompson talk this summer, it’s easy to feel confidence in him. He’s poised. He exhibits the belief in oneself of someone who’s thrived in the limelight (think Red River Rivalry). He has the self-assuredness of a veteran player (he turns 24 on Oct. 3).
But how big of a lead does Thompson have in the quarterback race entering preseason drills, which begin July 27?
Along those lines, Chubba Purdy, a transfer from Florida State, says he doesn’t think of himself as an underdog in the QB battle, although he understands why others do.
“I’m focused on competing with Casey, Logan Smothers, whoever,” Purdy told On3.com. “Hopefully it’s a fair competition and whoever competes and does the best gets the job.”
Purdy’s comments raised eyebrows among Nebraska fans during a sleepy summer. I’m guessing Frost will tell us that it’ll certainly be a fair competition. Of course he will.
By the way, who will have final say on the starter if the race gets close – Frost or Whipple?
The head coach, right?
Will Frost discuss Nebraska’s NIL operation?
Nebraska’s success luring proven players from the transfer portal can be traced in part to its well-organized and well-heeled NIL operation.
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How much credit does Frost give Nebraska’s third-party operation, Athlete Branding & Marketing, for the Huskers’ prowess in recruiting transfers?
Kirby Smart spoke openly last week about Georgia’s third-party NIL operation, Classic City Collective, saying, “It’s built on being sustainable.”
My read is ABM is built to be sustainable. Is that Frost’s read?
He typically shies from this conversation. But we’ll ask anyway.
Trying to get read on team chemistry
It’s easy to identify at least eight transfers who could play key roles for Nebraska in 2022.
With all the new faces on the roster and in the coaching offices, how much of a concern is team chemistry, especially during times of struggle?
That must be on Frost’s mind, right?
Keeping close eye on special teams
In a CEO role, Frost should have more time to spend with special teams. You have to think he can speak more authoritatively about that part of the team.
What makes him most optimistic that special teams can make significant improvement?
I know, I know: The question gets old. But Nebraska fans will be watching that part of the game as closely as ever.
Is Nelson the new face of program?
Garrett Nelson, Nebraska’s hard-charging EDGE standout, also was on hand last week at the fan event. The junior from Scottsbluff has become one of the most physically impressive players on the team.
He had five sacks and 11 ½ tackles for loss last season. What are Frost’s expectations of Nelson in 2022?
With Adrian Martinez now the projected starter at Kansas State, Nelson makes the most sense of as the Husker player who best fits the “face of the program” role. Does Frost think of Nelson in such an exalted manner?
Gauging the coach’s level of confidence in D-line
Nebraska’s EDGE position is well-stocked with Ochaun Mathis (touted transfer from TCU), senior Caleb Tannor and some impressive young guns joining Nelson in a group with significant pass-rush potential.
However, look for opposing offensive coaches to try to neutralize Nebraska’s EDGE talent by hammering away at the Huskers’ midsection.
Along those lines, how much more comfortable does Frost feel about his interior defensive line with the additions of Stephon Wynn Jr. from Alabama and Devin Drew from Texas Tech? Is there enough talent and depth in the trenches to hold firm as the schedule gets especially rugged in November?
Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa – Nebraska’s four opponents in November – are the type of programs that will keep running right at a defense until it proves it can stop them.
You know this question is coming
You just know somebody will ask Frost about the decision to keep his position assistants from doing interviews during the regular season, a change from recent seasons.
Was it Frost’s idea?
That’s definitely my read.
We’ll also get a better read on some injuries, including tight end Thomas Fidone‘s.
We’ll have a better read on a lot of things by noon Tuesday.
