| 62. Nebraska Cornhuskers |
| #10 in Big Ten |
I feel like I could almost take the UCLA write up verbatim and copy it in here. A brand name school replacing what was thought to be a solid, if not splashy, hire, with what is absolutely a splashy hire, looking to totally transform the offensive style, while only really having any returning experience being on a defense that was awful a season ago. For all the complaints about the inconsistency of the black shirts over the past 15 or so years, things really bottomed out last year. The Cornhuskers had the worst defense in the Big Ten, and didn't land a single player on even the Honorable Mention all-Big Ten list. There were no bright spots. Nebraska allowed 54 or more points 4 times, including 3 straight to end the season. So enter the favorite son. Or so the story goes now. Frost's UCF team gave up 23 or more points 7 times a year ago. But they put up points like nobody else, leading the nation with 48.2 ppg. The option offense he brings to Lincoln is far from the one he played in, with a balanced attack that ranked #10 in the nation in passing and #33 in rushing. It's odd to say this, but going to Nebraska, he has nothing like McKenzie Milton waiting for him. Tanner Lee left early, but he wasn't a fit anyway. They kicked the tires on Brandon Dawkins, but he went to conference rival Indiana. Patrick O'Brien, who was probably ahead by a nose, decided to transfer. So you've got redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia, true freshman Adrian Martinez, and walk on Andrew Bunch. It could be a rough first year in Lincoln, particularly with the scheduling gods giving them no gifts, with Michigan, Ohio State and Michigan State as their three crossover opponents. They do return their four leading rushers from a year ago, but it's behind a line that lost both starting tackles and only ran for 3.5 ypc, 2nd worst in the conference, a year ago. Trench play on both sides was a problem last year. The Huskers couldn't run block, as mentioned; and they couldn't pressure the ball from the defensive side. The one guy you can get excited about is sophomore linebacker Ben Stille, if he can prove he can be an every down linebacker. On a team that struggled massively to pressure the quarterback, Stille was a guy who showed he could. I'm sure the coaches are praying he proves better in pass coverage and against the run to earn a starting spot. What Scott Frost is selling though, recruits are buying. The talent is coming. The 2018 class (for which Mike Riley does deserve some credit) was ranked #22 nationally, and #4 in the Big Ten. That's their highest rated recruiting class since 2011, which took an immediate hit when their star quarterback from the class, Bubba Starling, opted to play baseball instead. Eight of their 24 commits were early enrolees, including the aforementioned Martinez. But for 2018, it seems like even a bowl game is a long shot. They might have the best receiving duo in the Big Ten, but without a quarterback to get it to them, or a line to give them time, they could be rendered ineffective. For the first time in a while though, I am legitimately excited about the future of this program though.
Key Players| WR | | Stanley Morgan, Senior |
| WR | | J.D. Spielman, Sophomore |
| G | | Jerald Foster, Senior |
| . | |
| LB | | Dedrick Young, Senior |
| LB | | Ben Stille, Sophomore |
| S | | Aaron Williams, Senior |
