ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit remembers his early days away from the game and what Nebraska meant at the time. In his first years after retirement from playing, Nebraska was as big as any program in the country.

Under new coach Scott Frost, Nebraska has the chance to go back to that level. That is why Herbstreit named Frost his “Biggest Impact Head Coaching Hire” of the 2018 cycle during the “Herbie Awards.” In what has become one of many anticipated preseason segments in college football, the “Herbie Awards” returned to television during a one-hour special on ESPN2. The special included rave reviews for Frost. Herbstreit chose Frost over finalists Jimbo Fisher, Willie Taggart, Dan Mullen, Joe Moorhead and Chip Kelly.



“You can make an argument, has there ever been a better fit for a head job than Scott Frost and the timing of this? When I first started on College GameDay in 96, Nebraska was Alabama,” Herbstreit said. “It’s been since almost 2000 since they’ve been that program. This guy coaches with a chip on his shoulder. He walks around with a chip on his shoulder. This guy is going to get Nebraska back one way or another. I can’t wait to see them play this year.”

Nebraska hired Frost after a perfect season at UCF. But adding a coaching that is a proven winner at both UCF and Oregon is just a part of what makes him the perfect fit for Lincoln.

“It’s not just the undefeated year last year at UCF,” Herbstreit said. “Obviously that helps. It grabs your attention. He won a national championship himself back there in 97. He knows that culture. He knows that state. He knows that fan base. He knows how to turn that thing around. I can’t wait to watch.”

Herbstreit and others will not have to wait much longer before they watch Frost’s coaching debut at Nebraska. The Huskers sit just nine days away from a return to Memorial Stadium against Akron. Multiple position battles have been decided with new breakout players expected as camp wraps up this weekend. On battle that remains, however, is quarterback.

Both Tristan Gebbia and Adrian Martinez put together solid camps based on feedback from Frost and veteran quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco. Verduzco has been thinking about that game on Sept. 1 just as long as those quarterbacks have.

"I've had that sense of nervousness, anxiousness since January, because I knew it was coming, I knew Akron was coming, I knew our first game was going to be upon us, and I know how I'm going to feel," he said. "So, yeah, I'll try to calm myself down a little bit. Frosty's good about doing that with me too."