Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

FYI while I was being flippant about Frost eating crow, I would point out that this game was not actually particularly lopsided. The biggest killer for Nebraska was 11 penalties for 136 yards. Those penalties extended Purdue drives and stifled a few of their own drives, and without them this game is MUCH closer.

Looking at the play by play, I counted two specific penalties which extended Purdue drives on 3rd down where they wouldn't otherwise have converted, resulting in 10 Boilermaker points. That doesn't account for several of the other big penalties that occurred on 1st or 2nd down to move the chains as well. 

I think the outcome really came down to two issues: 

1) Penalties.
2) Nebraska couldn't generate defensive pressure.

In general, Nebraska played equal or slightly better statistically, but managed to shoot themselves in the foot at the worst times.

The penalties were crippling as noted.

Btw, you can ID a several  great coaches that came into a situation and year 1 is just as stinky or even worse then the old coach.  It's not dispositive of anything of course just the truth.   

https://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/football/junior-linebacker-honas-out-for-remainder-of-season/article_d7a74d04-c945-5077-8e71-43254d91c56e.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

well... on the bright side... they'll be able to redshirt him

I mean even Hoke won 11 games in year one by running the Rich Rod offense.

Rich Rod tried the square peg/round hole thing and it was not quite this big of a mess, but it was close.

The great coaches can adapt their system to the players on the roster. UFM inherited a 6-7 Tressel ball team and won the next 24 games.

Were I a Nebraska fan, I'd find the square peg/round hole approach to be a tad concerning. He should at least be able to get as much out of this team as did Mike Riley.

UFM inherited 
QB rated No. 29 player in his class with starting experience
RB who was a 4-star, No. 227 player in his class
WRs were No. 113 and 286 in their classes (Devin Smith the lower rated one)
TE who was the No. 78 prospect in his class, though he probably never played quite to that level
OL was Nos. 113, 82, 199, 114, 418
DL was 188, 324, 80, 231, backed up by 49, 19 and 5. (Some of those backups are freshmen Urbs brought in) 
LB was 106, 786/272, 24
DB was 650 (Roby), 140, 102, 157

So the starting lineup included 18 top-300 kids. To have such a 6-7 team. (The real tressel ball limitation would've been the QB, and Miller kind of solved that)

UFM inherited
QB rated No. 29 player in his class with starting experience
RB who was a 4-star, No. 227 player in his class
WRs were No. 113 and 286 in their classes (Devin Smith the lower rated one)
TE who was the No. 78 prospect in his class, though he probably never played quite to that level
OL was Nos. 113, 82, 199, 114, 418
DL was 188, 324, 80, 231, backed up by 49, 19 and 5. (Some of those backups are freshmen Urbs brought in)
LB was 106, 786/272, 24
DB was 650 (Roby), 140, 102, 157

So the starting lineup included 18 top-300 kids. To have such a 6-7 team. (The real tressel ball limitation would've been the QB, and Miller kind of solved that)

I'm no recruitnik, but those numbers don't look all that impressive. Guys in the 200s? There was only like 120-some odd teams. OSU had to start their FB at MLB for most of the season, and the Defense was horrendous.
And Hoke isn't exactly John Heisman. Sure the schedule might have set up well, but that's not the reason that he won 11 games. He won 11 games because he ran the Rich Rod offense while shoring up the defense. He probably didn't love running that offense, but you play the cards you're dealt. 

Sure the schedule might have set up well, but that's not the reason that he won 11 games. He won 11 games because he ran the Rich Rod offense while shoring up the defense. He probably didn't love running that offense, but you play the cards you're dealt.

Its probably more tempting to deal with running somebody else's offense with it scored 426 points the year before, and returned an all-conference candidate at QB. None of that applies to Frost. 
That said, cutting Points Allowed by 232 from the year before is probably where I'd settle focus on Hoke's initial success, outside of schedule. And they switched from a 33 front to the 4-3 when Mattison came in, so we're not really matching pegs and holes there...they just got rid of Greg Robinson, as many football teams have.