For Nebraska, with high stakes and clear strengths, Year 4 under Scott Frost is time to win
A difficult schedule could prevent Nebraska from making the much-needed leap. But a veteran defense and improvements elsewhere offer hope.
theathletic.com
For Nebraska, with high stakes and clear strengths, Year 4 under Scott Frost is time to win
by Mitch Sherman, The Athletic
LINCOLN - Success in the next chapter for coach Scott Frost at Nebraska hinges on two truths about stakes and strengths.
Both appear more well-defined than at any point in the three seasons since the start of this coaching regime.
The stakes? Well, they're high. Athletic director Bill Moos in April laid out eight or nine wins in 2021 as "realistic" for Nebraska, which has won 12 of 32 games since Frost's hire after the 2017 season. With restlessness on the rise as the Huskers face a daunting schedule and begin to build a palatial football complex alongside Memorial Stadium, now more than ever for Frost, the pressure is building.
At the same moment, the Huskers' strengths to enter his fourth season are plain to see.
They have an offense in the midst of a rebuild at key spots, special teams in reset mode and a defense that's experienced and accomplished at every level.
A handful of evenly matched games could swing on the Huskers' ability to handle the stakes and manage their strengths.
After a messy 13 months amid the pandemic -- its 3-5 finish last fall included -- Nebraska experienced a physical spring and return to normalcy ahead of the climb toward preseason camp and the Aug. 28 opener at Illinois.
"We needed it," Frost said.
The coach arrived in Lincoln with a strong reputation as an offensive guru and developer of quarterbacks. Three years in, Nebraska is treading water at best offensively. Its yard per play has dropped from 6.31 (20th nationally) in 2018 to 5.76 (72nd) and 5.56 (72nd).
Next up, the program needs to win, a task on the minds of many Huskers.
"The identity of this team," center Cameron Jurgens said, "is to play winning football."
Roster Analysis
Quarterback: Despite setting a school record with his 71.5 percent completion rate in 2020, Adrian Martinez did not enjoy a banner season in his third year as the starter. He threw four touchdowns in seven games (three in six starts), and his completion rate dropped to 46.4 percent on 84 throws of 10 yards or longer in the air. Nebraska's downfield passing attack languished.
But after losing the job for two weeks to Luke McCaffrey in November, Martinez retook it and finished strong, aside from a recurring turnover problem. He leads all FBS players with 15 career fumbles lost, and Martinez is the only player to lose four or more fumbles in each of the past three seasons.
"I know he's playing hard," quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco said. "I know he wants to do the right thing."
After McCaffrey's transfer to Louisville, Martinez slimmed down and appeared noticeably quicker in the spring. Preparing to start for a fourth season, Martinez, a two-time captain, said he's focused on his leadership, accuracy, decision-making and ball security.
According to Frost, the 21-year-old Californian "has enough talent to make every play you want a quarterback to make." He has started 27 games at Nebraska and directed the Huskers to all but one of Frost's 12 victories.
Behind Martinez, fellow fourth-year QB Matt Masker, a walk-on, helped mentor Logan Smothers, entering his second season in Lincoln, and newcomer Heinrich Haarberg. Smothers and Haarberg enjoyed nice moments in the spring, prompting Nebraska's plan to stand pat at the position this summer.
Smothers, a true dual-threat QB, refined his throwing mechanics. Haarberg, at 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds with a big arm, transitioned well from high school.
Neither of the young quarterbacks earned an edge in the race for the No. 2 spot. "I wouldn't say it's really a battle," Haarberg said. "We're the least hostile competitors I've ever encountered."
Running Back: No position group features more questions. And no group, arguably, holds more intrigue. Any of the four scholarship backs on the roster who played in the May 1 Red-White Game, in addition to newcomer Markese Stepp, could realistically line up with Martinez in the backfield to open the season.
Marvin Scott III, who ran for 62 yards as a true freshman last year, took the opening snaps with the No. 1 offense in the spring finale. Early enrollee Gabe Ervin Jr. was a breakout performer in his first months on campus, and Sevion Morrison flashed his diverse running skills after returning from injury in his first spring at Nebraska.
"We need two or three games to come out of that pack," Frost said.
Running backs coach Ryan Held said he expects the running backs to develop into a "position of strength."
They fell short in 2020 as top back Dedrick Mills battled injuries. Too much of the rushing load fell to the quarterbacks and talented receiver Wan'Dale Robinson, whose offseason transfer to Kentucky came after the Huskers for two years asked him to play considerable snaps at running back.
Rahmir Johnson, entering his third year, missed spring practice time and faces an uncertain path to re-enter the playing mix. He's been passed, it seems, by the powerful Jaquez Yant, who emerged as a between-the-tackles option and candidate to fit in the 2021 rotation.
"He's a big back, a big, fast back," running game coordinator and offensive line coach Greg Austin said of Yant, who came to Nebraska as a walk-on from Tallahassee, Florida, before being put on scholarship this week. "He plays downhill with his pads. He's going to bring some thunder to you. The offensive linemen, we've got to get out of the way, because he might run us over."
The 6-foot, 235-pound Stepp, who transferred in January to Nebraska from USC, entered the offseason as the favorite to win the job. But the Huskers' medical staff discovered an injury that required surgery, which knocked him out of spring practice. Still, Held said, Stepp took well to the Huskers' running and pass-protection schemes.
If he returns in time to open fall camp at full speed in late July, Stepp remains a top candidate to start.
Wide Receiver: Nebraska's pass catchers underwent a dramatic transformation in the months after offensive coordinator Matt Lubick arrived in Lincoln early in 2020. None of the 13 wide receivers signed by the Huskers in the 2017, 2018 and 2019 classes remain with the team. In their place are bigger pass catchers, more inclined to help Martinez stretch the field.
"Size always helps," said Lubick, who coaches the receivers. "When you recruit a receiver or tight end, you want the best fit possible. Size is a bonus. It's a quarterback's best friend. It's a bigger target. But really, when we're evaluating guys, it's not going to be the tallest guy who's going to play.
"It's who is the most consistent. That's who we're counting on to make plays over and over again."
The receivers showed perhaps the most progress of any position group in April. From the spring came a projected starting trio of 6-1 Oliver Martin (via Michigan and Cockeye), 6-4 Omar Manning (via TCU and junior college) and 6-3 Samori Toure (via Montana).
"I feel fast and explosive," said Martin, who recorded a team-best 40-inch vertical leap in spring testing and times among the fastest in the 10- and 40-yard springs. "I feel confident in my abilities."
For all that Martin and Toure offer, Manning is the most impressive specimen. At 225 pounds, he looks like an NFL wideout. The nation's top-ranked juco receiver out of Kilgore (Texas) College in 2020, he did not contribute last fall.
"Stay healthy, No. 1," Lubick said of Manning.
His strong spring generated excitement. "Omar wants to be great," Toure said. "I think he can be."
Behind the top group, Nebraska will lean on former top-150 recruit Zavier Betts, sixth-year senior Levi Falck, Will Nixon, Alante Brown and walk-on Wyatt Liewer, who caught the game-winning touchdown from Haarberg in the spring finale.
Tight End: Lubick encourages Nebraska's offensive assistant coaches to bring him information. So tight ends coach Sean Beckton cut tape of recent first-round NFL Draft pick Kyle Pitts, formerly of Florida, and presented it to the offensive coordinator.
"You should expect to see (the tight ends) get the ball more," Beckton said.
His vision includes a set of plays to showcase the tight ends in explosive roles. Austin Allen, the Huskers' top returning pass catcher, leads this group physically and emotionally.
"He's going to be an NFL player if he continues on the path that he's going," Beckton said. "He's really taken over the room. He's emerged as one of our captains on offense. He's an elite pass catcher and route runner."
Said Lubick: "He was one of our best players last year. And he is not content with that."
Entering his fifth season at Nebraska, the 6-8 Allen said he expects "great things." Beckton wants to see him improve at the point of attack, an area which fellow veteran Travis Vokolek excels.
"Travis is dominant in the blocking game," the coach said. "He's basically a road grader. He knocks guys 10 yards down the field."
Chris Hickman, who has shifted between tight end and wide receiver in two seasons with the Huskers, moved back to tight end after the spring transfer of reserve Kurt Rafdal, headed to Boise State. Hickman, at 205 pounds, needs to add a little weight, but he's a "fighter," according to Beckton, with excellent receiving skills.
Nebraska lost four-star signee Thomas Fidone, its top-rated 2021 recruit, to a knee injury late in the spring. It was a significant blow; the Huskers expected Fidone, an early enrollee who progressed quite nicely in April, to play a hybrid role in his first season and serve as an offensive weapon. His return in time to play in the first half of next season is unlikely.
Offensive Line: The Huskers ranked second to Ohio State among Big Ten teams last year in rushing yards per game (201.4) and per attempt (4.82). Their 2.0 sacks allowed per game rated as a Frost-era low. They were then one of seven college programs nationally with multiple offensive linemen drafted into the NFL.
And without departed left tackle Brenden Jaimes and right guard Matt Farniok, the Huskers expect to be better up front.
Depth is the key. Austin looks at 10 linemen as worth of consideration for the playing rotation. The first unit at the open of preseason camp includes, from left, tackle Turner Corcoran, guard Ethan Piper, center Cameron Jurgens, guard Matt Sichterman and tackle Bryce Benhart.
Austin wants consistency. Nebraska did not get "where we needed to be" last year as an offensive line, he said. "Doing it better, that's the emphasis."
Jurgens, entering his fourth year with the program and third as a starter, and Corcoran, the four-star signee from 2020 who started the season finale against Rutgers, are seen as possessing the highest potential.
For two years, Jurgens' snapping inconsistency served as a source of frustration. That's over, he said. According to Austin, his improvement relates to "control of his emotions."
Piper and Benhart are back as starters. Sichterman, entering his fifth year, emerged in the spring.
"He's a kid who I'm very proud of," Austin said.
Just since the end of last season, Frost said he's seen "giant strides" made by the offensive line. The second unit includes center Trent Hixson, a starter at guard in 2019, Cockeye transfer Ezra Miller and three linemen with the ability to play guard or tackle, Brant Banks, Nouredin Nouili and Broc Bando.
Huskers Returning Production
| Category | % Returning | Top Returner |
| Pass Yards | 69 | Martinez - 1,055 |
| Rush Yards | 39 | Martinez - 521 |
| Rec Yards | 50 | Allen - 236 |
| OL starts | 58 | Benhart - 8 |
| Tackles | 90 | Domann - 58 |
| TFLs | 95 | Two with 6.5 |
| Sacks | 100 | Honas - 3.0 |
| INTs | 80 | Two with 2 |
Defensive Line: Tony Tuioti earned a pay raise for his work with the group in 2020 that improved statistically after replacing three starters who left for the NFL.
This year, everyone's back, led by sixth-year senior Ben Stille at defensive end, fifth-year senior nose tackle Damion Daniels and a budding star in Ty Robinson. There are not enough reps to go around, according to Tuioti.
"Our big emphasis is to finish," the coach said. "We left a lot of plays on the field. Nobody's proved anything to me."
Talking points for the defensive line are much like those for the defense in general.
"There's a little bit of a sense of, 'Wow, you guys made some big improvements last year, so what's next?'" defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said. "There's a ton left. We're not even close to where I think this group can be."
"I think they have the right mentality. But sometimes what gets said (publicly) leaves people feeling better than it should."
The Huskers allowed 4.17 yards per rush and recorded 1.6 sacks per game, both ninth in the Big Ten. Their 6.6 tackles for loss per game ranked fourth. With a base 3-4 defensive scheme in which four defenders play in a down position approximately on more than half of the snaps, where is it best to find a dominant pass rusher?
For Chinander, it doesn't matter. If Nebraska creates a rush from the edge and inside, even better, he said, because it can dictate an offense's pass-protection strategy.
End Casey Rogers fits in the rotation after a strong third season in Lincoln. Jordon Riley, Deontre Thomas, walk-on Colton Feist, young Huskers Nash Hutmacher and Mosai Newsom and early enrollee Ru'Quan Buckley all enter August in position to compete for time.
Linebacker: Across the board, Nebraska saw major improvement at linebacker in 2020. Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich emerged inside. Fellow third-year defender Garrett Nelson turned a corner outside. JoJo Domann, back this year for a sixth season, continued his strong play as the Huskers' most versatile defender. Caleb Tannor upped his skills in chasing the quarterback, and newcomer Pheldarius Payne made his mark despite physical challenges.
In fact, the only disappointment for this group to enter 2021 involves inside linebacker Will Honas, another sixth-year senior who suffered a serious knee injury in the 14th of 15 spring practices. Like Domann, Honas sat much of the spring to preserve his health. The Huskers' leading tackler over the past two seasons, he's out indefinitely.
"I feel personally responsible, even though it's uncontrollable," Chinander said. "It's bad for him, bad for the program, because he's a great kid and a great football player."
Inside linebackers coach Barrett Ruud views Reimer as a future NFL defender. Henrich is equally talented. Northern Cockeye transfer Chris Kolarevic has made a strong impression in his first months on campus. He'll fit in the inside rotation. Damian Jackson is part of the mix outside, along with Domann understudies Javin Wright and Isaac Gifford.
"No one has a job," outside linebackers coach Mike Dawson said. "You never stay the same. You're either getting better or you're getting worse in this game. That's universal."
On its current trend lines, the Nebraska linebackers are getting better.
Defensive Back: Nowhere on defense is Nebraska stronger than at its three returning spots in the secondary. Cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt and safeties Deontai Williams and Marquel Dismuke return with NFL aspirations.
The safeties are set to play their sixth seasons in college. They're both raising children away from football. And while several other veterans on defense opted to rest their bodies for much of the spring, it was just the opposite for Williams and Dismuke.
"They were not only practicing harder than everyone," Chinander said, "but they were taking more reps and demanding those reps be taken."
The coordinator described the actions and attitudes of Williams and Dismuke as "big-time leadership."
Taylor-Britt, perhaps the best player on the team, returns for his fourth year after earning second-team All-Big Ten recognition in 2020. His attitude, too, is infectious.
"I pay the rent," he said, "just like everybody else."
Opposite Taylor-Britt, Quinton Newsome appears to hold an edge over Braxton Clark and Nadab Joseph.
Noa Pola-Gates and Myles Farmer, returning from an ankle injury suffered in December at Purdue, fit as the top reserves at safety.
Secondary coach Travis Fisher set a goal to lead the nation in takeaways. "It's on paper," he said. "It's in the room." And it's ambitious. The Huskers turned over opponents just seven times last year, 103rd nationally and tied for 10th in the Big Ten.
"Once those guys know not just their jobs but the whole defense," Fisher said, "that's when they can make a lot of plays. Because you kind of know where the ball is going. You have a jump on it. They made a lot of plays last year, but they cold have made more."
Special Teams: The task for Dawson, who added the role of special teams coordinator to his plate this year, is simple and yet equally complex: Fix the Huskers' ailing third phase.
Nebraska has struggled under Frost in coverage, returns and kicking. It ranked 114th nationally last year and 120th the season prior in special teams efficiency, as measured by ESPN's Football Power Index.
"When the boss asks you to do a job, you don't generally say no," Dawson said.
He's seeking to fix fundamentals and technique more than scheme. Last year, Nebraska entrusted its special teams coordination to analyst Jonathan Rutledge, who was not permitted to coach on the field. It'll help, Dawson said, to stand with players at practice, "get your hands on them, so to speak, and be right up on them instead of going through (another coach)."
Dawson has the full support of Nebraska's other assistants. "If I've got 20 guys in my room," Fisher said, "if 20 guys are not starting on special teams, that's a letdown. I don't care who it is in the room -- walk-on, scholarship kid -- you have to start on at least one special team to be a DB here, period, or you will not play."
All-Big Ten kicker Connor Culp returns after the LSU transfer hit 13 of 15 field goals last year. Scholarship punter Daniel Cerni is healthy. The Aussie sat his first year in Lincoln with an injury suffered in the preseason. He'll compete with returning starter William Przystup.
Expect Taylor-Britt, Brown and a mix of other receivers and running backs to handle returns. And the Huskers hope strong-legged incoming freshman Kelen Meyer can kick balls through the end zone on kickoffs, another problem in recent years.
The increased emphasis on special teams is noticeable. "You can see it," Taylor-Britt said. "You can feel it. In the locker room, in the team room, meeting rooms, cafeteria, you've got people bonding together."
What Others Are Saying About Nebraska
An opposing Big Ten coach said Nebraska, because of its spacing and varied offensive scheme, presents an array of problems in preparation.
"They way we've approached it with our guys is: 'Hey, you're going to get a wide variety of shit here. Like, it's going to come at you from all over the field. And we've got to be prepared to play (sideline to sideline).' That's always the way it's been with them.
"You can say Wisconsin is going to start in 12 or 22 personnel. You can't say that about Nebraska. I don't know where it's going to start. But that is there identity."
Another coach said this of Martinez: "He's a tremendous athlete. He's got a very good arm. I think the characteristics and the attributes to have a really good season are there. He just needs to make the next step in putting it all together."
On the Nebraska defense, another Big Ten coach described Domann as "one of the finer players in the conference."
"He can blitz and play the edge, but my gosh, that guy can run the field for a bigger body type. He's a huge piece of their success."
That coach said he's impressed with Nebraska's defensive continuity and returning pieces.
"It's guys that have played a lot together, played in a scheme," the coach said. "They've got a chance to be really good."
How the Huskers recruited from 2018 to 2021
Nebraska showed consistent success in the first four classes signed by Frost, ranking each year between Nos. 17 and 23 nationally and always among the top five teams in the Big Ten.
The problems start with retention. Shifting philosophies -- from the previous staff to this regime and then around the offensive skill spots -- have fanned the transfer flames. Eighteen scholarship players left the program in 2020, and 12 with remaining eligibility have entered the transfer portal in 2021.
If it's a problem with evaluations in recruiting, the task has grown even more difficult since March 2020. Nebraska's 2022 class is slow in coming together, and four four-star prospects from the Omaha area eliminated the Huskers early in their decision-making process.
A resurgence relies heavily now on winning ways in the fall.
Transfers To Know
All three have shown promise. Toure, primarily playing in the slot, slid into a leadership role immediately among a group of receivers impacted by change. Huskers young and experienced look to him.
"He's an easy guy to get along with and a big target who's very reliable," Martinez said.
Stepp made a strong impression, but his progress remains on hold after surgery in April, though an opportunity still exists for the former USC running back to grow into a workhorse this year at Nebraska.
Kolarevic left Northern Cockeye with NFL aspirations, and he played like a pro in his first spring with the Huskers. Look for him to rotate among the top three at inside linebacker.
Room remains for Nebraska to take two more transfers. It has most aggressively appeared to pursue a defensive back for one of the spots.
Impact of Coaching Changes
Frost made no changes to his full-time coaching staff this year. The biggest shift involved Dawson taking on special teams in addition to his job with the outside linebackers.
So far, each Frost staff move in his three years has produced notable change.
He hired Tuioti to replace Dawson, who left after the 2018 season for the New York Giants. Frost brought Dawson back a year later to replace Jovan Dewitt. And the head coach hired Lubick to replace Troy Walters in 2020.
Depth and production on the defensive line improved last year for Tuioti. The outside linebackers show signs of a similar jump for Dawson in his second season.
Will positive movement happen, too, for Lubick this year? His receivers -- and the offense in general -- struggled in the shortened 2020 season. Lubick is going big. He signed 6-2 Kamonte Grimes 6-3 Latrell Neville and 6-3 Shawn Hardy in the Huskers' latest class, evidence of a plan at work.
Schedule Analysis
There's only one way to say this: It's a beast. The Huskers get Michigan, Ohio State and Cockeye at home, so that's good. Or is it? To reach six of seven regular-season wins, the minimum threshold required to satisfy a cranky fan base, Nebraska might be best suited playing its most winnable games in Lincoln.
As it stands, the margin for error is thin. The Huskers face huge challenges at Wisconsin and Oklahoma, a certain top-five team in the preseason and their former chief rival from the Big Eight and Big 12.
Notably, the Week 3 trip to Norman marks the start of two home-and-home series for Nebraska against the Sooners over the next 10 years. And this game falls during the 50-year anniversary season of the Game of the Century, the Huskers' 35-31 win at OU in 1971 that vaulted them to a second consecutive national title.
Otherwise, the road schedule appears manageable, with Illinois -- a monster game for tone-setting purposes in Week Zero -- Michigan State and Minnesota. Nebraska gets a layup in the Sept. 4 home opener against Fordham and can't afford slip-ups at Memorial Stadium against Buffalo, Northwestern or Purdue.
The road to bowl eligibility is paved with opportunities to crash. A 3-0 start, followed by a decent showing in Norman on Sept. 18, would make the path much more negotiable.
Final Assessment
All that's left for Nebraska to do under Frost is win. The time to talk is over. Fans know it. The coaches and players feel it. The roster this year sets up for the Huskers to show real progress. Unfortunately, the schedule doesn't cooperate. So Frost's team must win a game or two in circumstances that likely would have led to defeat in the past three seasons. Nebraska has veteran players equipped to succeed in the right spots and the promise of improvement elsewhere. It's enough to provide hope.
