What now for Scott Frost?
A rather ordinary Wednesday turned interesting with the news that Chip Kelly is leaving Oregon for the Philadelphia Eagles job everybody said he turned down weeks ago.
On Twitter, the speculative consensus is that this could mean Oregon’s looming NCAA sanctions are worse than previously thought. Here in Nebraska, I’d rather speculate about something else — What happens to the Ducks’ current wide receivers coach and former Husker Scott Frost? (It’s not just me, at least one other person is with me on this.)
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George Schroeder reported in USA Today a couple of weeks ago that, should Kelly leave, Oregon was prepared to hire current offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich to take over the Ducks’ program. Within an hour of the Kelly news breaking, Helfrich reported that he was ready to take the reins.
That could — and, again, we’re just playing the hypothetical, back of the envelope figurin’ game here — open up a couple of intriguing options for Frost. One, he could presumably follow Kelly to Philadelphia. Frost played six years in the NFL and, according to his Oregon bio, “was tutored by some of the legendary football coaching minds of all time, including Stanford’s Bill Walsh, Nebraska’s Tom Osborne and the New York Jets’ Bill Parcels.” That move makes sense.
Option two could be to stay at Oregon and get a promotion. Best case scenario, Frost gets the title of offensive coordinator, something he obviously would covet. Bo Pelini pursued Frost back in 2011 but those talks reportedly broke down because Frost was looking for a promotion, not a lateral move. In other words, he wanted to be the offensive coordinator then.
That’s what makes this Kelly news, and its effect on Frost’s career, interesting from a Nebraska perspective. I’ve always been of the opinion that Frost would make a very intriguing head coaching candidate at Nebraska in the future. Oregon’s offense is certainly the flavor of the month in football right now, but it goes beyond that. On the field at least, Kelly ran a crisp program that sweated the details. The practices were fast and furious, but well-calibrated. It was a lot like the program Frost played at, and the Ducks’ run-first spread attack seems like it would sell really well in Lincoln.
But, I’ve also always been of the opinion that, if Pelini were to leave tomorrow, Frost’s experience could be a bit of a tough sell. At this point, his only coordinator experience is a year as the co-defensive coordinator at Northern Iowa. He doesn’t have any head coaching experience. That’s not a deal-breaker for me, but it is for some.
Kelly’s surprise move to Philadelphia likely means career advancement for Frost one way or another. Does that bring him closer to a Nebraska job should one open up?
Hypothetically, yes. A coach with a few more years of NFL experience or as a BCS-level coordinator certainly looks more appealing. At least in my hypothetical.
But what say you? Interested in Frost? Not interested? Concerned about experience or not? Feel free to chime in below.
17 Comments On This Topic
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January 16, 2013 at 7:56 pm
Who was the QB that brought home our last NC? That would be Scott Frost and I'd love to have him at NU. But with the job Beck is doing, what incentive does he have? It only happens if Beck leaves and I don't see nor want that to happen. Maybe in time….
January 16, 2013 at 10:13 pm
My guess is that Kelly survives in the Philadelphia media meat grinder for two maybe three years before moving back to a better contract than he had at Oregon at the college level like Saban and Petrino. Maybe usc should Kiffin last that long… I think Frost needs to hold a mid level HC job or at least master the OC position before thinking of him as a Husker HC candidate should Pelini falter.
January 17, 2013 at 3:46 am
I wouldn't be surprised to see Kiffin ushered out with another bowl ban as well.
January 16, 2013 at 11:16 pm
I'd bring him in as d co-or right now.
January 17, 2013 at 3:44 am
Let's not get all sentimental about a former NU QB and talk about head coaching potential just yet. The last time that talk went around it was Turner Gill and we saw how that played out in Kansas. There's more to being a head coach than knowing X's and O's. Callahan proved that.
January 17, 2013 at 5:22 am
Kansas was a poor coaching opportunity for Turner Gill. I look at the job he did in Buffalo. High praise. The problem at Kansas was they played a difficult Big 12 schedule with insufficient time to place his stamp on the team. We have not heard the last of this outstanding coach.
January 17, 2013 at 4:23 am
Obviously he has been doing well for himself and therefore will continue to get opportunities. Taking over OC at oregon amid sanctions and without Kelly could be a pretty tough spot for him. I'm hopeful that Pelini will continue as our head coach for a long time, but definitely am rooting for Frost to do well.
January 17, 2013 at 4:24 am
I would love to have Frost come here, but just because I like Scott Frost not because he's ready. Don't get me wrong I think he will be a great head coach someday and I would bet money that he will be our coach someday down the road if Bo falters or leaves. I hope he gets the OC job at oregon that way he gets built into the coach I think he can be. That way if we do hire him it's not just because he played here.
January 17, 2013 at 5:25 am
I would love to see Scott Frost come back to Nebraska "again". He is smart and understands football, coaching young men and how to win.
January 17, 2013 at 6:51 am
Beck could be gone this year, or perhaps next for a head coaching gig. Frost would likely only have to wait a year, perhaps two to step up to offensive coordinator. If Pelini succeeds over those years maybe he (Pelini) seeks greener pastures, Frost slips in as Head Coach. If Pelini fails, it will be due to a weak defense and he could be shown the door in a couple years. Either way it a win/win situation. At least that's how Frost probably views it. That is if he likes the prospect of living in Lincoln.
January 17, 2013 at 11:02 am
for all you scott frost lovers he spurned nebr for stanford but couldn't make it there so then he came back. yes he won a national championship but for all of you that complain about taylor throwing the ball frost was worse. we don't need him here I would rather have turner gill.
January 17, 2013 at 3:22 pm
The guy had aspirations of being an NFL quarterback when he was graduating from high school. Bill Walsh was the Stanford head coach… I'd say he made the smart decision at the time. Fortunately for N, things changed!
January 19, 2013 at 9:09 pm
He didn't spurn anything, he took the best opportunity for him. You can't fault a kid for making that decision and it doesn't prove a damn thing. He came back home, did a hell of a job and continues to do that job at Oregon today. If and when this opportunity ever presents itself, Nebraska would be foolish not to look at him as a potential Coach. However, Bo is doing a pretty good job, Husker fans do not have realistic expectations of this program. 10 wins a year is a damn good program, they will have a breakout year at some point, but relax your expectations a little bit because the 90's aren't coming back.
January 17, 2013 at 11:07 am
for all you scott frost lovers he spurned nebr for stanford but he couldn't make it there so he came back. I would rather have turner gill then frost at least turner was loyal to nebr frost can stay out west.
January 17, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Frost is not leaving a top 10 college or NFL job to work for a coach like Pelini with 4 losses every year…a cap one beatdown vs BCS or playoffs in NFL…he especially would not want to work for a coach featured on a ESPN special for being abusive to players…this is a program in steady decline…..no top recruits another beatdown by OSU and SEC foe next year again.
January 18, 2013 at 3:28 am
What???
January 17, 2013 at 4:57 pm
I would love to see Scott Frost back at Nebraska, but he needs more coaching experience, being a lower level Assistant just isn't enough quite yet.