Nebraska football coach Scott Frost and athletic director Trev Alberts often get lumped together as former standout Huskers who played for Tom Osborne during the 1990s, Alberts a few years before Frost.
The athletic director, though, said Monday that he and Frost, “didn’t really have a relationship,” before he took the NU department’s top post back in July.
The way both men tell it, they’ve developed a functional, trusting relationship relatively quickly.
“We have what I would consider a very, very strong relationship,” Alberts said. “I think he trusts me. In fact, he told me (Monday), 'I really appreciate that we can have these very straightforward, honest conversations,' and I’m not sure he’s had that before.
“I’m not afraid to tell him what I think, but I say it respectfully, and he does the same with me.”
Now, Frost will have to find an offensive coordinator with whom he can have a relationship that is either already in place or built in a similarly swift manner to the one he and Alberts purportedly have.
People are also reading…
Frost has four staff positions to fill after firing four offensive coaches Monday, but none will be more important than the person he hires to run the offense.
The fourth-year head coach has been a play-caller dating back to his Oregon days and he’ll have a chance to lay out his vision for a new offensive coordinator this week, but Alberts indicated that Frost is planning on taking a more global role rather than focusing so much on the play sheet.
There are challenges and also some benefits as Frost sets about looking for his next offensive coordinator.
The challenges are clear: Frost is headed into a make-or-break 2022 season, meaning the pressure is intense right from the start for a new OC. Who is going to leave a good situation to invite that uncertainty?
On top of that, Frost is looking for a third offensive coordinator in five years. There’s also his coaching tree, which is relatively modest. He’s coached mostly with people he’s familiar with for several years now. Branching out, especially in crunch time, isn’t easy.
But it’s not entirely a bad situation, either. Frost won’t be bound by the $500,000 he paid Matt Lubick to be the offensive coordinator and probably not even the $700,000 Troy Walters made before. Two years guaranteed at $1 million or more per year will attract interest.
Frost is never going to be the type to completely keep away from the offensive meeting room, but, as Alberts said Monday, “Scott’s matching wits with some of the most elite college football coaches in the history of the game in the Big Ten Conference, so it’ll be a challenge and it requires the full attention of the head coach in some of those critical, CEO areas.”
With that in mind, let’s take a trip to the offensive coordinator store.
While we’re there, let’s make some coordinating or play-calling experience a prerequisite. And, just for the heck of it, let’s focus on people that have some connection or familiarity — not necessarily years and years of history — to Frost and/or Nebraska or are going to be in the market for a job. Nobody has said that Nebraska will operate within these same boundaries but, as Alberts noted Monday, “college football is a big network.”
When Frost first arrived at NU, the two most natural coordinator candidates were Walters and Lubick. Now they've both come and gone.
Even if you stay away from some of the most talked-about figures, such as LSU offensive coordinator and O’Neill native Jake Peetz or former Oregon head coach Mark Helfrich, it's not difficult to come up with names.
Here are just a few possibilities.
Kirk Ciarrocca, West Virginia analyst
Frost is familiar with Ciarrocca, 56, for the work he’s done at other Big Ten schools, including Minnesota (2017-19) and Penn State (2020).
Ciarrocca helped P.J. Fleck build at both Western Michigan and Minnesota and oversaw that prolific 2019 Gophers offense, predicated on a powerful run-game and RPO concepts off of it that gave the Huskers fits. He jumped at the chance to join James Franklin at PSU, but then Franklin fired him to hire jettisoned Texas offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich.
Ciarrocca did what many coaches do after getting fired and is working this year as an analyst at West Virginia.
Joe Dailey, Boston College WR coach
Dailey, 37, is a little bit closer to home as a candidate, considering he played quarterback at Nebraska. He’s in his second year as the receivers coach at Boston College under offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti, but he’s also got experience as an OC. That came in 2019 at New Mexico and also from 2014-18 at Liberty under Turner Gill, one of Frost’s mentors.
Dailey’s a Husker and Frost could lean on Gill in the vetting process, but he’d also be a new voice with fresh ideas, which Frost said he needs. It also would be a big jump for Dailey.
Like Ciarrocca, Dailey has several years of experience coaching quarterbacks.
Keith Heckendorf, Arkansas State offensive coordinator
Heckendorf, 40, is in his third year coordinating the offense at ASU. One issue: The Red Wolves have had a brutal year and are 1-8 currently. The past two seasons were much prettier, as ASU finished No. 14 in total offense in 2020 and No. 26 in scoring offense in 2019 under his direction.
Heckendorf spent 2005-07 at Nebraska as a quality control coach and graduate assistant. Before Arkansas State, he was the quarterbacks coach at North Carolina.
Tim Cramsey, Marshall offensive coordinator
A slightly different form of connection, Cramsey is part of the Chip Kelly tree, having worked for him at New Hampshire.
Cramsey, 46, is in his fourth year as the play-caller and quarterbacks coach for the Thundering Herd, who are eighth nationally in total offense and No. 21 in scoring offense so far in 2021.
Like Heckendorf, he’s an experienced Group of Five coordinator. He shares a mentor with Frost (Kelly) and UNH connections with a couple others on Nebraska’s coaching staff.
Jeff Nixon, Carolina Panthers running backs coach
Nixon’s connection to Nebraska is a straightforward one: His son, Will, is a freshman receiver for the Huskers.
Nixon, 47, made the transition back to the NFL when Matt Rhule took the Carolina head coaching job ahead of the 2020 season.
Before that, he was the co-offensive coordinator/play-caller at Baylor and coached running backs for Ruhle as the Bears program ascended quickly.
Sonny Cumbie, Texas Tech offensive coordinator/interim head coach
On Saturday’s Fox broadcast of Nebraska’s loss to Ohio State, announcers Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt very conspicuously talked about a conversation they had with Frost in a production meeting in which Frost said NU needed to recruit better in Texas.
So, here’s a Texas native who’s spent most of his coaching career in Texas who also happens to be the interim head coach of an outgoing staff at TTU. The Red Raiders have already hired Joey McGuire as their new head coach and he’s set to take over fully when 2021 the season ends.
Cumbie, 40, has had a coordinator title at different stints at Texas Tech and TCU since 2013 and has coached quarterbacks since 2014, though he also has experience coaching receivers.
'Nebraska showing some old-school patience': What people are saying about Scott Frost returning, 4 assistants out
Parker with the particulars
Much more coming from the LJS and OWH sit-down with Trev Alberts today, but here's one bit: It's pretty clear Scott Frost is going to hire a play-caller for his offense.
— Parker Gabriel (@HuskerExtraPG) November 9, 2021
Also, NU's $5 million pool for assistants remains, but Alberts told Frost the final number has some flex.
Encouragement from the chancellor
I’ve had great confidence in Scott Frost from the beginning and still do. No one in Nebraska wants to win more than he does. Scott will continue to take the steps necessary to bring the football program to where it needs to be and I very much look forward to watching him do that. https://t.co/idw2tJwwTF
— Ronnie D. Green (@RonnieDGreen) November 8, 2021
What could Frost's restructured contract look like?
Over the past year-plus, Jim Harbaugh and Scott Frost both agreed to restructured contracts to remain head coach. If Frost's is anything like Harbaugh's, I think it's great. All CFB coaching contracts should be lower bases/guaranteed money + incentives based on actual success.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 8, 2021
What's that they say about patience again?
In a year when schools have been tripping over each other to fire coaches ASAP, Nebraska showing some old-school patience/faith that the record doesn't tell the whole story.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) November 8, 2021
Refreshing for some Huskers fans, depressing for others?
Too close to start over, says this FOX broadcaster
This is the correct decision for @HuskerFBNation...They are far too close to turn around and start over...If the same things happen next year it is a different story, as Frost himself will admit! https://t.co/PIqnaYaQZ0
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) November 8, 2021
Ready to put speculation in rearview
Frost will be back next year with a restructured contract.
— Meg (@hotmesshusker) November 8, 2021
While I'm really going to miss reading everyone and their mom's opinion about what they think should happen, I'm glad the speculation is over and we can get back to tweeting at Trev to bring back blonde Herbie.#gbr
'Close' to getting over the hump with Frost
I’m all for this! As frustrating as this season’s been, this team’s stronger than last season, and Scott Frost is close to getting over the hump with this squad.
— Josh Idachaba (@JoshIdachaba) November 8, 2021
These last two games (both winnable) are a great opportunity to get a statement win and build momentum for 2022. https://t.co/e3Mx8LHddf
Bringing out the GIFs for the occasion
Who is Nebraska going to get that can turn this program around if not Scott Frost? I agree with Nebraska giving him another shot at it. https://t.co/pCfEQP1Bna pic.twitter.com/Yulk5mmcGY
— All Elite Sweet BAY BAY (@AllEliteSweet) November 8, 2021
All it takes is a little time
Scott Frost, the offensive genius, didn’t have enough time to diagnose his offensive shortcomings in the first four years, or develop a backup QB, or any tackles, or any guards. (Ever heard of Covid-19?)
— Jones (@theKatataKid) November 8, 2021
So it’s fair to bring him back for another year. #GBR
Giving the alum the benefit of the doubt
Keeping Scott Frost has a lot of parallels to the decisions Georgetown hoops had as Ewing struggled early - there’s nowhere else to go, as an alum he has a lot of goodwill that will never extinguish. In GU’s case the faith worked but we stayed true to self and BE. Not NU case
— Lorenzo Cortes (@Hoyatexas) November 8, 2021
The price tag on removing Frost is too high, some say
Scott Frost Jim Harbaugh
— Jeff Bell (@4WhomJBellTolls) November 8, 2021
🤝
Saved by buyouts https://t.co/eauh7Fb5zu
Where have we heard this sentiment before?
Props to #Nebraska for making the right decision:
— Embrik Eyles (@EmbrikEyles) November 8, 2021
23-16 loss at #3 OU
23-29 loss at #23 MSU in OT
32-29 loss vs #9 Michigan
30-23 loss at Minnesota
28-23 loss vs Purdue
26-17 loss vs OSU
Scott Frost and the Corn Huskers are so close, no reason to get rid of him! https://t.co/rdDLzZR0kE
Husker O-lineman on coaching shakeup
Damn
— Teddy Prochazka (@TeddyProchazka) November 8, 2021
6 not 3
Nebraska football finally figured it out — you’re not the coaching destination you think. Keep a guy that loves the Huskers and has shown he can win as a coach. Just not easy to win quickly at Nebraska anymore. It’s a 6 year rebuild. Not a 3.
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) November 8, 2021
A not-so-official statement from ex-Husker
For immediate release pertaining to the Nebraska Cornhuskers. pic.twitter.com/3YcE5gldw0
— Will Compton (@_willcompton) November 8, 2021
Happy to move on past the rumors
I'm just happy the "Scott Frost is on the chopping block" narrative can go away now. Very happy to have him back for another year. He's the guy for this program
— Jake Brown (@BandanaBrown) November 9, 2021
Money moves by Trev Alberts
So, Trev Alberts is basically giving Scott Frost one more season to end the misery, and to show any sign of noteworthy progress, and he took a million from Frost's salary and cut the $15 million buyout in half. That's doing your job as AD under difficult circumstances.
— Pat Harty (@PatHarty) November 9, 2021
Less cash for Frost, more to attract new assistants?
It seems to me that Frost restructured contract in part to create more money for the pending staff hires that he will now be making...ADs think of coaching money in a large pool...They created close to $3M in room for the new hires with the exact same total pool
— Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) November 9, 2021
Loyalty prevails on this day
Bob Devaney told me “Once a Husker, always a Husker”Never been prouder of being a Husker than I am today. @TrevAlberts did the right thing. Loyalty, not blind loyalty, should carry the day. “Scott Frost is one of Us” Well said Trev. @coach_frost PS: let’s get back to option.
— McGraw Milhaven (@McGrawMilhaven) November 9, 2021
This ex-Husker is not impressed
This is clown stuff. Today is a dark day for this state, and all the former players and coaches. We all deserve better. https://t.co/RdXhyLrXA1
— Matt Slauson (@MattSlauson) November 8, 2021
Contact the writer at pgabriel@journalstar.com or 402-473-7439. On Twitter @HuskerExtraPG.