With the loss to Ohio State, how far has Nebraska advanced under Scott Frost?
Let’s talk for a minute about “moral victories”.
Scott Frost doesn’t want to acknowledge moral victories, and I don’t blame him. Most competitors would rather punch their mother than celebrate a moral victory. You either win or you lose…and unfortunately this Nebraska team will end the season with more losses than wins. Nobody wants to be a part of team that leads the league in moral victories. That mindset percolates down to the fan base to the point where a moral victory has become taboo.
Personally, I don’t care if fans want to recognize or applaud a moral victory. Because no matter if it is sarcastic (“Nebraska didn't get blown out by Ohio State”) or honest (“Nebraska played well enough to beat a top ten team”), you’re really doing the same thing:
You are acknowledging the progress this team is making.
And let’s be realistic: while we all want to win – and win now – this program is not currently built for that. If you’re still hinging your satisfaction with the 2021 Huskers strictly on wins and losses you will be disappointed. Period.
But if you choose to acknowledge where this program has been – both in the last few years, and in the last few months – I suspect you can see the signs of progress. Forcing Ohio State to punt, not getting blown out on the road by a top 10 team, fighting until the very end – these are not things you could count on previous Husker teams giving you. We all want the wins, but I won’t apologize for being happy with the manner in which NU loses. I won’t judge you if you want to do the same.
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Progress.
That is the name of the game as Frost fights for a fifth season.
Is progress being made? How do you quantify progress? Is there enough progress to justify more time? And when does progress translate into wins?
For me, the biggest question is what timeframe are we using for progress? Are we looking to see progress over last season? Since the Illinois loss? Or since Frost's first season in 2018?
In some places, I see real, measurable progress. In others, I see glimpses of potential. In others, there is little more than hope and empty promises.
How far has Nebraska progressed under Scott Frost? Not as far as you might think. Here's how I know:
The top section is an almost word-for-word copy of what after Nebraska lost at Ohio State. The rest of that 2018 piece covers many things that are applicable in the 2021 game:
- A Blackshirt defense carrying their weight
- A specialist struggling mightily
- Frost opting to attempt a field goal instead of going for it on fourth down in the red zone.
- Dubious makeup calls.
- Adrian Martinez, JoJo Domann, and Austin Allen making plays.
- Special teams snafus.
The similarities to 2018 are eerie. And that is supposed to be progress?
Things I believe
The Blackshirts did everything they could. So many Husker fans expected Nebraska to get blown out by the Buckeyes, but the Blackshirts didn't allow that to happen. Instead, they played well enough for the upset.
C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba paid homage to Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards' record-setting performance from the 1998 Louisiana Tech game, but with less than 100 yards rushing for the game, the Buckeyes were a one-dimensional offense. The Blackshirts may bend, but they don't break.
The defense intercepted two passes and forced their first fumble in what felt like months. They forced an explosive offense into four field goal attempts and a punt from the Nebraska 36-yard line.
It is a shame we won't get to see what this team would look like with a functionally consistent offense and mediocre special teams. Because the defense is good enough to win the division, and has already proven what they can do against the three best teams in the East.
Nebraska's offense is a boom or bust. The typical Husker offensive drive tends to go one of three ways:
- Nebraska scores on a big play, or uses a big play to get into the red zone.
- NU gets a first down or two before a penalty or sack kills the drive.
- Nebraska goes three and out, with at least one really odd play call.
Nebraska scored 17 points Saturday. The two touchdown drives were a combined 150 yards on 7 plays. The remaining 58 plays generated three points and two missed field goals.
Once upon a time, I thought we had put the "identity" discussion to bed, but like a zombie it rises again and again as Frost and offensive coordinator Matt Lubick seemingly pick plays at random hoping something will work.
Frost should have gone for it instead of trying a field goal. Less than 10 minutes to go in the game, and Nebraska has 4th and 4 from the OSU 13, trailing by six points. Nebraska elected to try a 31-yard field goal, and missed.
Yes, I know I criticized Frost for not trying a field goal in the Michigan game, but the situations are different. Against Michigan, the decision happened on NU's first drive, with the Huskers' bowl hopes very much alive. Against Ohio State, it was almost halfway through the fourth quarter, trailing by six, and hope for a winning season was circling the drain.
For a coach who talks often about being close, wanting to get over the hump, and needing a break, Frost tends to get overly cautious in big moments. At this point, what is there to lose by taking a shot?
Things I don't know
What percentage of health is Adrian Martinez playing at? It was obvious early on that Martinez was not 100% healthy. On a 3rd down zone read play in the first quarter, a healthy Martinez could have walked into the end zone on a keeper. Instead, he gave the ball to Rahmir Johnson who never had a chance.
For most of the game, Martinez was hesitant to scramble when his protection broke down. Several times, he only took off after the crowd yelled at him to run. He came up limping after one play in the first half, and was sacked five times. On a fourth quarter scramble, Martinez slid to avoid contact. I don't remember him doing that before.
After the game, it was confirmed that Martinez has been playing with a high ankle sprain and a broken jaw. Martinez is undeniably a tough competitor. But I wonder where is he at? 90 percent? 80 percent? 60 percent?
How low does Martinez have to get before Logan Smothers plays? It is fitting that Greg Austin is still on the staff, because Martinez playing hurt reminds me of Austin's playing days as a tough offensive guard with the knees of a senior citizen. At the time, it didn't matter how slowly Austin moved, or if he could barely walk off the field at the end of a drive - he was going to be out there for the next series. And that's what we're seeing with Martinez.
Again, both Martinez and Austin before him were absolute warriors who played through a ton of pain. But the same things I said about Austin playing in 2006 apply to Martinez in 2021:
If your best option at a critical position is a guy playing at, let's say 80%, what does that say about the guy behind him on the depth chart and/or the coaches' confidence in that player?
If the staff feels like a gimpy Martinez with a wired jaw is their best option, then maybe they should not allow him to carry the ball a team-high 18 times, including a keeper on a critical 3rd & 7 just outside of the red zone.
Who replaces JoJo Domann? JoJo Domann is a freak athlete with incredible instincts and a nose for the football. From his position as a hybrid OLB/Nickel/Safety, he's great in coverage, run support, open field tackling, and probably should be doing more with NU's limited pass rush. A large chunk of the 2021 defense's rise and success can be traced back to JoJo.
He's also a super senior who will move on from Nebraska at the end of the season. So, who takes his place?
Honestly, I don't know. As I noted, the high schools and transfer portal aren't exactly crawling with guys possessing Domann's skill set. Domann rarely comes off the field, so not too many guys have gotten live reps. I suspect his ultimate replacement is currently redshirting, but I'll be curious to see who will try to fill the very large shoes Domann leaves behind.
5 things I loved
- JoJo Domann. On a field full of NFL talent, Domann may have been the most impressive player. One amazing interception, nearly a second, and a diving breakup that had jaws dropping throughout the stadium. He also had nine tackles, including a big third down stop that forced a field goal.
- Samori Toure. There has been criticism that the FCS transfer disappears in big games, and only puts up numbers against lesser opponents. Four catches for 150 yards and touchdown is a great way to answer the critics.
- Caleb Tannor. He's been relatively quiet the last month, but Tannor came to play against the Buckeyes. He had a sack, a TFL, and a QB hurry that resulted in an intentional grounding penalty. He also put a serious lick on quarterback C.J. Stroud.
- Myles Farmer. The brand-new Blackshirt celebrated with an interception and seven tackles, while working against a trio of receivers that are better than a few NFL teams.
- William Przystup. Let's ignore that 13-yard shank and focus on the positive. Overall, Przystup had a strong day punting with a 43-yard average and two kicks over 50 yards. On a day where the offense struggled to move the ball, it was nice to have a (mostly) reliable kicker there to give the defense more room to operate.
Honorable Mention: John Bullock, Ben Stille, Damion Daniels, Luke Reimer, Cam Taylor-Britt, Alante Brown returning a kickoff past the 25-yard line!
5 areas for improvement
- Third down conversions. You want to know why Nebraska lost this game? The Huskers were 2-of-13 on 3rd down, with the first successful conversion occurring with about 11 minutes to go in the fourth quarter. It is absolutely amazing they hung around that long.
- Place kicking. Two more missed field goals make it an absolute lock that - one way or another - Nebraska will have a full-time assistant focused on special teams in 2022.
- Offensive line. Yes, Ohio State presents one of the toughest challenges the line will face, but surely Nebraska can do better than 113 yards rushing, five sacks allowed, five QB hurries, while your gimpy quarterback hobbles for his life.
- No-shows. There were some big pockets of open seats throughout the stadium. And it would have been much worse if not for the thousands of Ohio State fans sprinkled throughout the stadium.
- Memorial Stadium energy. Did you know that Nebraska had a member of the Army National Guard play reveille on a bugle before kickoff? Frankly, it was needed as the crowd entered the stadium with a passive, resigned attitude fitting an 11 a.m. game where Nebraska was a big underdog.
