THE 24 HOUR RULE: Scott Frost & The Huskers Screw With Our Emotions

Who thought the column would become so aptly named so quickly?

Well, with 20/20 hindsight, probably most of us would have. We tried to tell ourselves that Colorado St. was lower than trash and the Buffaloes blowout win the previous week meant less than nothing. However, it turned out having a game to tune the machine against a lesser opponent could have had its advantages - advantages that reared their ugly heads in several moments of foot-shooting in the second half.

Could some of these have been eliminated had the weather forecast not replaced a Frost warning with a lightning show that sent Akron home? We can now only wonder, I guess, but changing gears a little, can we do this instead?

SIDE NOTE: I don’t know if it’s possible, but we need a new weather threat nickname for our esteemed Head Coach. I mean think about it - Frost Warning. If the worst comes to bear from this impending disaster, you throw some plastic over your vegetables and plan to leave for work five minutes earlier because your windshield needs scraping. Suggestions below, please.

Anyhow, in honor of Clint Eastwood and old Westerns made in Italy, my random thoughts this week will be titled the The Bad, The Good and The Stupid.

No one has ever made a list using some takeoff on this as its theme. Enjoy (#sarcasm)

The Bad

• Before Adrian Martinez was even fully helped off the field and then continuing throughout the weekend, the Greek chorus of fans began chanting as one to make sure that their song was heard in Corvallis - Gebbia...you could be starting now..unnnnhh...arrrrgghh.

Just this to say:

• Oh, that pick by Martinez. Some of the things he did Saturday made me forget he is a true freshman who missed his senior year. Please no more reminders.
• Am I the only one who thought the middle of the defensive line took on a new dimension with Peyton Newell in there? More of him, please.
• Just because the B1G can’t fine me for it? A couple of those marks that kept Buffs drives alive were fairly ridiculous and that call on Reed was as stupid as the looks those refs had on their faces while they stared at each other for 3-4 seconds before tossing laundry after the Buffy receiver made Colorado’s approximately 27th gesture for a flag. I was a little emotional, so I’ll happily entertain any reminders of horrible offsetting calls that benefited the Huskers
• Jacob Callier is a cheap, dirty bastard even if his own conference considers leg twists clean.
• I have to admit that there’s an old school part of me that says if you’re bringing in your big back to ram it up the gut on 4th down, let’s put the QB under center, pick a hole and give him a running start instead of a lateral, slow-developing dive from the spread.
• I couldn’t help but but notice that Coach Frost loudly made his displeasure with the referees known on more than one occasion. Please let those tender souls who were so tortured and offended by such behavior in years past know that former Pinhead Chancellor Harvey Perlman is no longer available to take their phone calls and chastise the HC publicly like the pinheaded asshole he is.

The Good

• Yardage - We outgained Colorado 565 – 395. I’d rather dominate and lose and complain about mistakes as opposed to being run off the field.
• 329 yards rushing – the most since 2014. Adios, pro set, hopefully forever.
• Two 100-yard rushers - I’m telling myself I’m not giddy...yet.
• Martinez 15-20 passing - I thought he could only run?
• 7 sacks - did we have that many last year? I can’t remember the last time we brought this kind of sustained pressure on anyone.
• Both my girlfriend and another friend’s mother remarked early the defense was playing like they cared. Passion appears to be back. Let’s see if it will sustain through this schedule.
• When was the last time we dug out of a 14-point hole? The Colorado - Alex Henery game? The Joe Bauserman game?
• As long as the passion sustains, so will the patience
• See above - we’re bitching at the refs again convinced that they hate us! That’s a good thing, right? I mean, as opposed to someone screaming, “What the fuck is that?!!?” only to be answered by, “Ah, who gives a shit?”.
• Hey! I second-guessed Coach Frost above. So did others on Saturday. Congratulations, Scott, you are NOW the Nebraska HC. Welcome home.

Photo by Steven Branscombe/Getty Images

The Stupid

Over the years, I have generally enjoyed Pat Forde’s writing. I just wanted to get that up front before treating this entry from the latest Forde Yard Dash like a turkey surrounded by our ‘95 O-Line on Thanksgiving.

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COACH WHO SHOULD TAKE THE BUS TO WORK

Scott Frost (39), Nebraska. The Cornhuskers paid him $5 million a year to come home and restore the glory. Thus far, here’s what they’ve got: a canceled game against Akron due to lightning; a home loss to former rival Colorado; 11 penalties for 95 yards in that game; a minus-3 turnover margin; and perhaps no quarterback.

Freshman starter Adrian Martinez went down with an injury against the Buffaloes, and former backup Tristan Gebbia left the program days earlier after not winning the job. That could leave the Huskers in the hands of walk-on Andrew Bunch, a sophomore who threw the first nine passes of his career Saturday. After Troy on Saturday, four of Nebraska’s next six are on the road: at Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Ohio State — not really the gauntlet you want for a walk-on QB.

It will get better in Lincoln. But before then it might get worse.

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I only pick on Pat because he doesn’t normally go the silly HOT TAKE! route like this. He even followed up on Twitter acting out #3 from the full troll playbook (#1: Hot Take, #2: Husker fans overreact, #3: Hot Take author mocks fans as hot-headed and thin-skinned) by calling the irritated responding Husker fans cranky as if he’s a little surprised everyone isn’t joining him in on the joke.

I re-read it a couple of times and he does actually appear serious, so let’s copy and paste and break it down, shall we?

COACH WHO SHOULD TAKE THE BUS TO WORK

• Pat likes to compliment coaches by telling them they get a comp car. The other ones are riding the bus. I’m guessing they can still afford their own cars.

Scott Frost (39), Nebraska. The Cornhuskers paid him $5 million a year to come home and restore the glory. Thus far, here’s what they’ve got:

• So yes, he can afford his own car. And by the wording of that last sentence, he appears to be blaming Scott Frost for everything written below. Which is where the extreme silliness kicks in.

a canceled game against Akron due to lightning

• Yes this is his fault. However, if Scott can control the weather, he might be worth much, much more than $35 million.

a home loss to former rival Colorado; 11 penalties for 95 yards in that game; a minus-3 turnover margin; and perhaps no quarterback.

• OK, the first 3 are all on the HC at least to an extent. The last is just silly and wrong. There are two other QB’s on the roster, Pat.

Freshman starter Adrian Martinez went down with an injury against the Buffaloes, and former backup Tristan Gebbia left the program days earlier after not winning the job.

• I’m no insider, but I’m fairly certain that Coach Frost did not: 1) Don a #44 Colorado uniform and twist Martinez’ leg or 2) throw Gebbia off the team. I don’t think these qualify as head coach errors.

That could leave the Huskers in the hands of walk-on Andrew Bunch, a sophomore who threw the first nine passes of his career Saturday.

• That is correct. When the starter is injured, the backup plays. Coach Frost does know this. And I’m assuming that Forde knows that Martinez threw the first 20 passes of his career on Saturday as well. Basically, any QB on the Husker roster who threw a pass Saturday would have been throwing the first passes of his career. Are we blaming Frost for not bringing in an experienced senior transfer?

After Troy on Saturday, four of Nebraska’s next six are on the road: at Michigan, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Ohio State — not really the gauntlet you want for a walk-on QB.

• Damn you, Scott Frost. Not only did you put together this stretch of the 2018 schedule (about the time you were a WR coach at Oregon, maybe?), you also did so knowing that you would be Nebraska’s head coach and starting a walk-on QB in those games!

It will get better in Lincoln. But before then it might get worse.

• Oh, Pat. We know, We really do.