Nebraska Football 2022: What exactly are we doing here?

I’ve two younger kids – six and three – and they’re a continuing reminder that (a) I’m older than I as soon as was, and (b) that regardless of how a lot you persuade your self that your children will perceive and adjust to no matter you say, the alternative is usually true. For instance, that is – lastly – the final week of college, and for the previous nonetheless many months, we have now been waking up, preparing, and magically showing at no matter neighbor’s home we’re purported to be in entrance of for carpool. It’s an very simple routine with pretty low expectations of my kids, and but, with about two minutes to go we inevitably run right into a myriad of disastrous altercations.

Whether or not it’s a refusal to stroll out that door with out the pair of footwear she wished to put on, a meltdown about not consuming breakfast after arguing with me for the previous thirty minutes about not being hungry, or – and that is typically my favourite – simply the choice that in the present day is the day that she is me, and cussed defiance is a sport, the truth is that this easy – and actually fairly basic – activity is at the very least ten occasions harder than it must be. After all, my little one is all of six years outdated, is often pretty exhausted, and is barely incentivized by the prospect of not being in school any longer. The purpose is… properly, uh, I’ve to write down about Nebraska soccer as a result of I’m contractually obligated and the one metaphor I could make is my kids… that’s in all probability not preferrred. What precisely are we doing right here?

In regards to the 2021 Nebraska Cornhuskers Soccer Group

With 5:54 to go within the third quarter in Iowa Metropolis, it was simple to start out pondering by means of attainable outcomes by which catastrophe would strike. Certain, up to now, Nebraska had outscored Iowa 21-6, and by all accounts appeared like they’d stroll out of Memorial Stadium with at the very least one really feel good story for the season. However this was Nebraska below Scott Frost, and a blocked punt returned for a TD, a myriad of defensive and offensive blunders and 22 unanswered factors later, Nebraska misplaced.

Not in contrast to my kids – who I really like greater than something on this planet – Nebraska Soccer has a manner of being unable to study from its errors and ‘get out the door’. It’s properly documented that Nebraska was in all probability the very best 3-9 group of all time final yr, however the punchline doesn’t fairly do the absurdity justice. Misplaced punts, horrible fumbles, the worst timed interceptions, remoted defensive meltdowns, and simply typically dangerous luck all performed into it. To look at it in actual time was to principally reside sprinting again into the home to search out the homework guide because the carpool stares at you in disbelief that you just forgot one thing once more. It was a trainwreck… and hilarious… and truly fairly anticipated most days.

Now, I understand that that is saying that Nebraska Soccer is the equal of a kindergartner (and their typically drained dad) tripping over themselves to make it to highschool on time, however actually, is that a lot completely different than watching Nebraska attempt to win a rattling sport that they had been answerable for properly into the fourth quarter? Precisely. And so I ask once more, what precisely are we doing right here?

What had been the issues that prompted this? Is it teaching? Certain! Is it tradition? In all probability! Is it dangerous karma? I’m certain our quadrangle followers will certain inform you it’s. However these aren’t truly the questions I’m right here to debate. No, I’m right here for an important query of the week.

Is that this going to occur once more?

Nicely, that’s the place this will get fascinating… Ignoring, for a second, that everybody is fairly certain Scott Frost is doomed and is the worst coach of all time (not arguing that time, but it surely’s irrelevant for the second), it’s attainable that there isn’t a manner that the absurdity of 2021 can occur once more. The bounces have to start out going the opposite manner or, at minimal, issues simply blow up in an attractive cloud of Scott Frost confetti. Let’s speak by means of what I see are the three most certainly eventualities for 2022.

Situation 1: Scott Frost will get himself fired

Abstract: Regardless of what I’ll in all probability inform myself till the Dublin sport in opposition to Northwestern, I feel Nebraska has an inexpensive shot at going 3-0 to start out the season, which might equal the wins Frost has had every of the final two seasons. The hype will go loopy for the brand new look offense below simply employed OC Mark Whipple and new transfer-QB Casey Thompson, and Nebraska can be within the High 25 going into their conflict with Oklahoma in Lincoln.

Then actuality hits and Nebraska goes 2-7 the remainder of the way in which – with wins in opposition to Rutgers and Illinois – and Scott Frost is unceremoniously fired. His new coordinators, coaches, and transfers query why they spent a chilly winter in Lincoln, and I ask myself why I spent 12 weekends watching this group.

Conclusion: The enjoyable half with this situation is that this is able to additionally mark essentially the most profitable outing of the Scott Frost experiment in Nebraska and would additionally fairly actually be essentially the most infuriatingly apparent consequence. I don’t essentially assume that is the likeliest situation, however you wouldn’t should twist my arm to see it taking place.

Situation 2: Nebraska wins the Massive Ten West

Abstract: Casey Thompson in all probability steps into the Massive Ten West as one of the crucial proficient – and skilled – QBs. That’s much less about how proficient he’s and extra about the truth that this division – and actually convention – sorta has a QB drawback in the intervening time. Beneath his brilliance, Nebraska finds a technique to get to 6-3 in convention play and that wins the division by some wild tie-breaker that the luck gods swing within the Cornhuskers’ route.

The Offensive Line someway learns higher fundamentals in a single yr below new OL Coach Donovan Raiola, and the abilities place guys – led by LSU switch WR Trey Palmer – all step up and provides Thompson one thing to work with. Defensively, new TCU switch Ochaun Mathis lives as much as his hype and is a scary drive off the sting, and a deep secondary and younger and feisty DL makes the blackshirts at the very least rather less cringey for a second yr in a row.

Conclusions: The chance of this situation appears so much decrease, however this is kind of following the Michigans playbook.

Particularly, Nebraska has given Frost a do-or-die scenario by which he adopted within the footsteps of Jim Harbaugh and fired the dangerous components of his employees (principally your entire offensive employees minus actually-good-at-his-job TE Coach Sean Beckton) and crammed it with fascinating items like Bryan Applewhite from TCU and fan-favorite Mickey Joseph from LSU, plus the beforehand talked about Raiola. Oh, and he employed an actual ST coach – former ST analyst Invoice Busch – as a result of for causes past me, he didn’t beforehand imagine in that concept in any respect. This is kind of what the Wolverines did with Harbaugh and his employees final yr, and that was actually fairly profitable.

Additionally, Frost knew his expertise pool wanted to have some extra confirmed guys throughout the board and he LOADED up. I discussed it above, however there are 14 transfers coming in and they’re a very good group. I’ve already talked about Thompson, Palmer, and Mathis, however look out for Tommi Hill and former FCS Punter of the 12 months, Brian Buschini who ought to – at minimal – routinely kick the ball the route he’s informed. The perfect case situation analogue here’s what Michigan State did final yr with transfers and look, I’m speaking myself into this as we communicate.

Sadly, I don’t actually know if I purchase into this one as a lot as…

Situation 3: Nebraska does sufficient to maintain Frost, however not sufficient to be fascinating

Abstract: Nebraska wins six video games, makes a mediocre bowl in Detroit, will get murdered by a MAC Faculty, and has to do that yet again subsequent yr.

Conclusions: This feels just like the inevitable finish… and so I ask this yet one more time, “what precisely are we doing right here?”

It’s the final week of college for my daughter, and I’ll diligently stand up and push her out the door for 5 extra days. We’ll inevitably argue about one thing innocuous as we have now discovered completely nothing in regards to the routine, and it’ll frustrate each of us to no finish (and look, I need to additionally level out that almost all days she is ok so that is finish of the yr exhaustion for me greater than actuality most certainly however you all are making me come out of semi-retirement to speak about Nebraska soccer and I’m not tremendous completely happy about it). Will probably be positive and we’ll transfer on to summer time and we are going to go into subsequent yr pondering that mornings aren’t that dangerous and that we don’t must get into routines. Will probably be a catastrophe and we are going to each hate mornings.

That is my life, and properly, that is Nebraska Soccer. Welcome to Nebraska week… I suppose.