The Most Overrated Thing Was …
The onside kick.
It was a microcosm of everything that has gone wrong in the Scott Frost era at Nebraska, but it’s not why the 2022 team is 0-1.
I get it. I didn’t agree with it, but I get it – to a point.
Nebraska had just scored on an electric 46-yard touchdown dash by Anthony Grant in the middle of the third quarter to go up 28-17 on Northwestern, and then came the onside kick that didn’t work.
There’s something to be said for trying to set a tone.
That was Frost trying to jump on the momentum of the game, get the ball back, and show everyone that things have changed. If Nebraska recovers that and goes down and scores, Frost is hailed as a brilliant and ballsy head man whose program is about to turn the corner.
However, know your opponent.
Under Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern lives on mistakes. The one thing you couldn’t do at that point is give that coach and that team a break.
The Wildcat offense only had one strong scoring drive until the kick, it got the ball on its 44, and five plays later the team was only down by four. From then on, the NU D forced four punts and came up with two interceptions.
Frost’s defense should’ve held up – he put his faith in his group to come up with a stop if the kick didn’t work.
Frost’s new offense should’ve done more – it didn’t score again after the kick.
Lost in the narrative was how Nebraska’s defense actually held up okay with four stops on Northwestern’s final five drives – even if the Wildcat O line took over.
Also brushed aside was how the offense that was so sharp at times in the first half sputtered when it needed to get moving.
Northwestern won that game as much as Nebraska lost it – maybe more so.
Okay, fine. It was a horribly unnecessary decision that added another ton to the weight that was already on the program’s shoulders.
– UNC QB, Frost, Fitzgerald Winners & Losers
– Nebraska can’t buy a break: One Really Big Thing
– Florida Atlantic rolls: Most Underrated Thing
– Week 0 should be more: What It All Means, Week 0
NEXT: The most underrated thing was …