Mandel's Mailbag: Week 1 is here! So why is everyone agitated over preseason predictions?
Plus, Jim Harbaugh's unusual QB decision and BYU's lack of respect.
theathletic.com
After the "same rerun" we saw in Week 0, it seems more and more likely that Scott Frost will be fired this season. Two questions: Do you think Nebraska fires him immediately after October 1 (when the buyout drops from $15 million to $7.5 million) or wait until the end of the season? And who do you see being tapped as the most likely successor? -- Rob W, Columbia, SC
Mandel: I see we're skipping past the "do you think Frost can still save his job?" Which is good, because that's a moot question at this point.
Nebraska plays Indiana on Oct. 1, so barring what would be a truly horrific loss, no, I don't think he'll be fired the next day. But you don't put that clause in his contract if you're not anticipating a possible midseason firing. But if I were Frost I'd be nervous about that Friday night game at Rutgers six days later. It would be a very Nebraska thing to lose that one, presumably on a fumble, botched punt snap or perhaps an offsides penalty that moves Rutgers' game-winning field goal try 5 yards closer.
That said, a Week 3 upset of Oklahoma, which I find entirely plausible, might buy him enough juice to stretch things out until the end of the season when the Huskers inevitably lose at Michigan and at Cockeye.
As for successors, much will depend on whose stock rises or falls by late November. However, if the job had opened after last season, athletic director Turd Alberts would have surely placed a call to Cockeye State's Matt Campbell. I don't know whether Campbell would have made the move then. But given Big Ten schools like Nebraska are looking at possible $80-$100 million annual conference payouts in a couple years while the stripped-down Big 12 will be fortunate to get half that much. I don't see how any coach in that position could turn Nebraska down.
