Nebraska Huskers Football

Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien, Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell and Kansas head coach Lance Leipold have reportedly emerged as the "three leading candidates on top of Nebraska's wish list" amid its head coaching search.

Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reported Tuesday that trio leads a group of 11 potential targets to replace Scott Frost, who was fired following a Sept. 10 loss to Georgia Southern. The Cornhuskers' list includes one internal option: interim head coach Mickey Joseph.

Here's a look at the other coaches linked to the Huskers, per Feldman:

• Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman
• Washington State head coach Jake Dickert
  
• Coastal Carolina head coach Jamey Chadwell
  
• Former Virginia head coach Bronco Mendenhall
• Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule
  
• Texas special assistant Gary Patterson
  
• Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard
  

Frost seemed like the perfect hire to get Nebraska football back on track. He's a Lincoln native who helped lead the Huskers to a share of a national championship as a quarterback in 1997, the last time they reached the mountaintop of college football.

He arrived after leading UCF to a 13-0 season in 2017, which provided a major boost to his coaching stock, but it simply didn't work out at his alma mater. The Cornhuskers posted a 16-31 record during his four-plus-year tenure with no winning seasons.

It raises uncertainty about what type of coach is needed to turn the tide back in the program's favor, and athletic director Trev Alberts noted after Frost's dismissal that he's going to seek outside guidance from other coaches to answer that question.

"If you hear that Trev Alberts reached out to XYZ coach, it might very well be true. Doesn't mean that I'm trying to hire that coach," Alberts told reporters. "I'd like to get that perspective. I'd like to get a perspective of a coach who isn't here right now about our job, and what the uniqueness is and the needs and those sorts of things."

While there are some marquee names on the candidates list—Campbell has been linked to numerous high-profile jobs in recent years and O'Brien owns success both in college and the NFL—Leipold may be the most intriguing option if the program is willing to have patience.

Kansas' head coach is a builder. He constructed Wisconsin-Whitewater into a Division III powerhouse, helped turn Buffalo into a consistent MAC contender and has already helped the Jayhawks show signs of turning a corner after an extended downturn.

It doesn't necessarily happen overnight, as a 2-10 record during his second year in Buffalo shows, but his ability to steadily lay a foundation has been impressive at every stop.

Leipold wouldn't arrive and land a ton of 5-star, top-10 prospects right away, but he'd bring in players who fit his system to help create that groundwork for future success. It happened in Buffalo, and it's already taking place at Kansas.

That's what Nebraska needs right now. It's no longer realistic to think the Huskers are going to contend for a national title in the immediate future, so hiring a coach who can build a culture that can pay dividends down the line should be the mindset.

So far, Alberts and Co. haven't shown extreme urgency to fill the void, which will give Joseph a chance to impress in the interim role. But it would be a surprise if Leipold, if he's interested, isn't one of the finalists as the list begins to shrink.

Nebraska officials and Urban Meyer haven't been in contact as the school looks for a replacement for former head football coach Scott Frost, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Thamel reported Meyer is expected to continue working as an analyst with Fox moving forward and "not pursue coaching opportunities."

Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com reported Saturday that Meyer and the Cornhuskers had spoken with one another, though the purpose of the conversation was unclear.

Fox took its Big Noon Kickoff pregame show to Lincoln, Nebraska, this weekend for Nebraska's clash with Oklahoma. That allowed some Cornhuskers fans to lobby Meyer directly.

Meyer was naturally going to become linked with the Cornhuskers job from the moment Frost was ousted. The 58-year-old is a coaching free agent, so you can hire him right now. He's a proven winner as well, lifting three national titles and compiling a 187-32 record.

Meyer is coming off a disastrous stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who fired him before he could complete a full season. But struggling at the pro level hasn't stopped marquee college coaches from landing on their feet again.

Many however will argue Meyer isn't deserving of another chance after the circumstances that led up to his brief retirement in 2018. Ohio State suspended him for three games after he failed to adequately handle domestic violence allegations made against assistant coach Zach Smith.

Before that, the Ohio native left behind a mess in Florida when he stepped down following the 2010 season.

Leaving all of that aside, Nebraska simply isn't a good fit for a head coach who seems to have a physical aversion to losing.

The Cornhuskers haven't finished a season in the Associated Press Top 25 since 2012. The new transfer rules allow a program to get an immediate injection of talent—as was the case for USC this offseason—but Nebraska requires a total rebuild. Is Meyer willing to sign up for that?

Based on Thamel's report, we have our answer.

Mickey Joseph's first game as interim head coach for the Nebraska football team went a lot like many of games during the Scott Frost era.

Speaking to reporters after the Cornhuskers' 49-14 loss to Oklahoma, Joseph shouldered the blame for his team's performance.

"This is on me, not my players, not my assistant coaches," Joseph said. "I've got to do a better job, and I will. I've got to accept responsibility for it, and I have. We've got eight games left, and we're going to get ready to win some games."

Joseph was originally hired as an associate head coach, wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator on Frost's staff in December. He spent the previous five seasons as an assistant at LSU.

After a 1-2 start to the season, which included blowing an 11-point lead against Northwestern and a loss to Georgia Southern, Frost was fired as head coach on Sept. 11.

Joseph took over on an interim basis. The 54-year-old played quarterback at Nebraska from 1988-91.

The Cornhuskers got off to a good start against the sixth-ranked Sooners. They went 77 yards in six plays on their opening drive, capped by Casey Thompson's 32-yard touchdown pass to Trey Palmer for a 7-0 lead.

Oklahoma went on to score 49 unanswered points before Nebraska broke the streak with a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.

It's dark times for the Nebraska football program right now. The team hasn't had a winning record since 2016 and hasn't won a bowl game since the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl when Mike Riley was head coach.

Things have gotten so bad that the crowd at Memorial Stadium was chanting for Urban Meyer before kickoff and during the game.

Nebraska, perhaps mercifully, has next week off to regroup before hosting Indiana on Oct. 1.

Nebraska reached out to Urban Meyer as part of its coaching search following the firing of Scott Frost, according to CBSSports.com's Dennis Dodd.

Dodd cautioned that "it was not made clear whether Meyer was asked about his interest in holding the job." He posited the Cornhuskers may have sought the 58-year-old's input on other candidates.

A section of Nebraska fans made their opinion known when they chanted "We want Urban!" during Fox's pregame show in Lincoln:

One fan also went so far as to make a customized shirt lobbying on his behalf:

Meyer is coming off a disastrous stint with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He was fired following a 2-11 start, and the fact that he failed to make it through even one full season spoke to how much things unraveled behind the scenes.

Meyer's record at the college level speaks for itself, however. He has a 187-32 record and three national titles. The allure of hiring a coach with his resume is obvious for a program like Nebraska, one that's attempting to return to national prominence.

The circumstances leading up to Meyer's departure from Ohio State have led many to argue his coaching days should be over. He was suspended for three games in 2018, his final season with the Buckeyes, after he failed to properly handle domestic violence allegations that had been brought against assistant coach Zach Smith.

Even aside from that, bringing Meyer in could potentially be disastrous for Nebraska.

His distaste for losing is almost legendary, and he'd be inheriting a significant rebuilding job. How might his demeanor change if the Cornhuskers start slowly in Big Ten play?

Meyer's authoritarian act might wear thin, too, in an era when players have more freedom to transfer. A coach's duties in recruiting now extend beyond landing blue-chip recruits and include keeping your own players happy so they don't leave for greener pastures.

It's less than a full week since Nebraska ousted Frost. As much as the idea of Meyer coaching the Huskers is nectar for the content gods, more candidates are bound to emerge as athletic director Trev Alberts examines the full landscape.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are looking for a new head coach.

Nebraska announced Sunday that Scott Frost was fired after four seasons leading the team. He ends his tenure with a 16-31 record. Associate head coach Mickey Joseph was named interim head coach.

Amie Just of the Lincoln Journal-Star reported Joseph becomes the first black head coach in any sport in Nebraska history.

Frost's run was defined by ineptitude in crucial moments. Nebraska lost 22 games decided by eight points or less while he was at the helm, and the team's nine single-digit losses during 2021 set a college football record.

While Frost was at the helm, the Cornhuskers never appeared in a bowl game and posted a 0-14 record against ranked opponents. They struggled in Big Ten play, going 10-26 in conference games.

Nebraska's 2022 season got off to a rough start when the team blew an 11-point second-half lead in a 31-28 loss against Northwestern.

Frost came under fire for a peculiar decision to go for an onside kick after taking a 28-17 lead in the third quarter. The Wildcats recovered the ball and scored on the ensuing drive to spark their comeback victory.

The 47-year-old conceded after the loss that he wouldn't make the call for the onside kick if he could do it over again. He was asked directly if he would ever consider stepping down from his position, but he said he would "fight with the guys as long as I can fight."

While Frost's tenure in Nebraska has ended unceremoniously, the team will have to make the right decision for its next head coach if it wants to return to success. The Cornhuskers haven't finished with a winning record since 2016.

As a team that looks like it's going nowhere this season, Nebraska will have to continue to trudge its way through the year with Joseph at the helm until it finds a permanent replacement.

Nebraska coach Scott Frost clarified that he doesn't have a problem with offensive coordinator Mark Whipple despite apparent criticism Saturday.

"No, not at all. He’s really smart. Really good at what he does," Frost said of Whipple, per Eric Olson of the Associated Press. "We have a lot of other coaches who are really smart and good at what they do. We need to find our rhythm of putting all the best stuff together. I thought it was good on Saturday. It can be better."

Nebraska blew a double-digit second-half lead in a 31-28 loss to Northwestern in the season-opening matchup in Ireland. After the game, Frost seemingly criticized the play-calling.

"I think our offensive staff has to learn you've got to be a little more creative in this league," the coach said.

Frost had previously called offensive plays, but Whipple has taken over responsibilities in his first year with the team after three years at Pittsburgh.

After a strong start to the game, Nebraska struggled offensively and failed to score in any of its last six drives, featuring two interceptions and four punts.

Frost said Tuesday he might have called more quarterback runs if he had the reins, but he is still standing by Whipple.

"You get in a rhythm as a play-caller. That's the approach I took," Frost said. "Whip's an elite play-caller. I think that showed up in the first two-and-a-half quarters. You see what can be done with this offense."

The head coach also had his own faults in the game, notably the decision to attempt an onside kick up 28-17 in the third quarter. Northwestern recovered and seemingly took the momentum to score 4 unanswered points.

Now in his fifth year at Nebraska, Frost has a 15-30 record at the school with zero winning seasons. The pressure will only continue to grow this year, regardless of who is calling the plays.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers were up 28-17 in the third quarter against Northwestern, fresh off scoring touchdowns on consecutive drives, when head coach Scott Frost pulled the trigger on an onside kick.

It didn't work, and it changed the entirety of the game. Northwestern scored on the ensuing drive, given their strong field position to start, and rode that momentum to a 31-28 comeback win.

After the game, Frost said he regretted the decision.

"If I did it over, I wouldn't make the call," he told reporters.

"Anytime something doesn't work, you want it back. We've been talking to the kids about being aggressive and attacking things." he continued. "I made that call, so it's on me. I thought all the momentum was on our side, so I thought we could end the game."

It certainly wasn't a popular decision on social media:

It was the sort of decision that will call Frost's tenure at Nebraska into even more question. Since taking over as head coach in 2018, the Huskers have gone just 15-30.

And many of those losses have been close heartbreakers, the sort of contests a proud program like Nebraska expects to win.

That, not surprisingly, reignited the talk that Frost may be planted firmly on the hot seat. The 47-year-old, who won a national championship with the Huskers as the team's quarterback in 1997, was a hot coaching commodity after leading UCF to a 13-0 record in 2017, just his second season on the job.

But it hasn't been smooth sailing in Lincoln, and Frost knows the expectation is results.

"You've got to win in this business to keep your job," he told reporters. "That's the way it is."

The circumstances of Saturday's loss were somewhat unique, as the contest was played in Ireland at Dublin's Aviva Stadium.

But Nebraska appeared to have Northwestern on the ropes and punched themselves instead with the decision to go for an onside kick and a few untimely turnovers in the fourth quarter.

It was a letdown that has become all too familiar under Frost, and if he doesn't find a solution soon, his time leading the Huskers may come to a close.