Ask Farrell: Does Nebraska merit the hype for 2019?
Nebraska finished 4-8 in coach Scott Frost’s first season as the Huskers lost six-straight games to start the year, including an embarrassing home defeat to Troy.
From late October through the end of the season, though, Nebraska started showing some real life, blowing out Minnesota, battling Ohio State late, pounding Illinois, beating Michigan State in a defensive battle and then challenging Iowa to the end.
The optimism on Frost, now in his second season, and the Huskers is through the roof as numerous preseason publications and writers predict Nebraska as the Big Ten West winner.
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Nine wins don’t seem to be out of the question. Instead it seems to be the expectation. Quarterback Adrian Martinez is a sleeper Heisman Trophy candidate. Frost said at Big Ten Media Days that he wouldn’t trade his quarterback for any other in the country, which seems like a dramatic reach given the credentials of Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa.
But excitement is back for the Huskers. The early schedule is very manageable – and a trip to Colorado (which beat Nebraska last season) could be an early statement game. Ohio State comes to Lincoln. So do Wisconsin and Iowa. The Huskers only visit Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue and Maryland for conference games.
However, this is still a team that only won four games a year ago. There are two major losses on offense in receiver Stanley Morgan, who had 1,004 receiving yards last season, and running back Devine Ozigbo, who posted 1,082 yards on the ground and 12 TDs.
There is a lot going for Nebraska and the program is headed in the right direction, especially since Frost has proven he’s a big winner. We ask Rivals.com National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell if the expectations are getting a little overblown or if the Huskers will find themselves in the Big Ten title game in December?
FARRELL'S TAKE
"I think we are a year away from all the nine-win season talk and talk of winning the Big Ten West. I am a big fan of Martinez and think he will be a great leader this year and Frost is adding his kind of players to the roster. But it's a little soon to expect a team that was 4-8 last season to jump to 9-3 and win its division.
"If you were asking me about 2020, then I'd be answering differently especially if the Huskers take a major step in 2019, but the expectations are a little off the hook. Why is that? Frost is a great coach, he turned UCF around so quickly and the Big Ten West isn't exactly loaded, but I'd be more inclined to pick Wisconsin or Iowa to win the division. If Nebraska does win the Big Ten West, watch out people. The hype will be unmatched for the 2020 season."