Nebraska Football: Is 2021 a make-or-break year for Scott Frost?

Scott Frost is entering his fourth year with Nebraska football and he’s been underwhelming thus far. Is 2021 a make-or-break season?

Four years ago, Scott Frost led UCF to a 13-0 season and he was the hottest coaching candidate in the country. Nebraska was able to lure him away from the Sunshine State and back home to the Midwest where he played college ball and was a hero.

Frost won Nebraska’s last national title in 1997 as a player and fans were hoping he’d bring that same type of mojo to Lincoln as a coach after years of mediocrity.

Everyone knew it was going to be a decent rebuilding process and things wouldn’t be fixed overnight which is why a 4-8 opening season with Nebraska wasn’t looked down upon. Fans knew he had a huge project in front of him, but only a one-win improvement in 2019 was slightly concerning with the amount of production returning.

Frost was 9-15 through his first two seasons and then COVID-19 hit in 2020 and the Big Ten shortened the season to conference-only and he led the Cornhuskers to a 3-5 mark.

Many coaches got a pass for lackluster seasons in 2020 due to the circumstances, so you’d have to think Frost’s underwhelming performance was a wash. Still, going just 3-5 after two straight bowl-less seasons wasn’t a good look, especially when Adrian Martinez was expected to take that next step at quarterback. He seemed to regress again.

Doubts have arisen throughout the fanbase regarding their favorite former player.

Is 2021 a make-or-break year for Frost?

A realistic expectation for Frost within his first three years as head coach would be to make one bowl game. That has not happened.

Going just 12-20 with no bowl appearances and lackluster play on both sides of the ball has people talking about a potential hot seat which was unfathomable just a couple of years ago. Frost was the coach fans wanted to see after years of Bo Pelini and Mike Riley. He was the breath of fresh air and finally the right choice, it seemed, for head coach.

But it doesn’t matter what type of history you have with a school. It shouldn’t matter if you’re a former player who had plenty of success there (just look at Jim Harbaugh), you need to be held accountable if you’re not winning.

If Frost wins just 4-5 games again in 2021, missing out on another bowl, Frost’s seat needs to be piping hot to the point where a list of replacements needs to be constructed.

Frost needs to prove he can keep up with the big boys in the Big Ten, especially being in the lesser of the two divisions. He’s recruiting well enough to compete, so the rest is on him to develop.

Yes, 2021 is make-or-break for the head coach and 1997 national champion quarterback.