Nebraska Football: Scott Frost wants to return to sidelines

Former Nebraska football head coach Scott Frost gave an interview to CBSSports’ Dennis Dodd, and reflected on the time he’s been away from the game of college football. It’s safe to say he has the itch to coach again.

To say Frost’s time as head coach of the Nebraska football program was unceremonious would be an understatement. Questions about work ethic and poor on-field performance came up constantly during his tenure. He went 16-31 during his time at Nebraska from 2018-2022.

It all came to a head after the program lost to Georgia Southern by a 45-42 in September 2022. He was fired on September 11, the day after the loss, and was replaced by interim head coach Mickey Joseph. It was an unceremonious end to a tenure that was rocky, and Frost became the first Nebraska head coach since Bill Jennings to not have a winning record.

Now, Frost wants back into the game, having taken some time off. He says he belongs on the field, and not in a pressbox or TV booth. He wants to be back on the field, as he told Dodd.

“I know this, there’s some good coaches out there. I’m a good coach. I belong doing it,” Frost said. “I just don’t know for sure where that’s going to be right now. If the right head coach job comes along, I’d take it. If the right coordinator job comes, I’d take it.”

Frost needs to build his way back up

Frost may very well have to ease his way back into the head coaching ranks, if another opportunity becomes available at all. Chances are, his next gig probably won’t be at Nebraska. However, he could find himself in an offensive coordinator role of some sort.  One of his strengths when he was the Nebraska football head coach was the offensive side as it related to production and schemes.

Nebraska ranked second in yards per game in 2021 with 447.6. They ranked fourth in the Big Ten in that same category with 391.5 yards per contest. They had 415.8 yards in 2019, and 456.2 yards in 2018. 2018 saw them ranked second in the category once again.

He tried to run a high-tempo Oregon-type offense in the Big Ten. However, it just didn’t work. Nevertheless, we saw certain schemes and trick plays that were creative, and kept opposing defenses off balance. The talent was there as an offensive coordinator. The poise and professionalism as a head coach was not.

He should undoubtedly get a second chance as an offensive coordinator somewhere. The offensive mind is there. The lights were too bright for him as Nebraska head coach, and at the end of the day what’s done is done.

If anything, it was interesting to read that he wanted to return to the sidelines, especially after a $15 million buyout, where he can undoubtedly live comfortably.

Maybe we will see him back on the sidelines one day. He has the football mind. Maybe the year and a half off gave him time to regroup. Whatever the case may be, he needs to work his way back.