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Top Husker Football Events of 2022
Here are my top Husker football news events of the past year. Some of the stories are sequential.
The list in reverse order:
18) Martinez transfers to Kansas State
In the offseason, Husker four-year starting quarterback Adrian Martinez transfers to Kansas State
17) Scott Frost revamps his staff in the offseason
Based on Nebraska's miserable 3-9 record in '21, Frost fired several assistants. Another coach, defensive line coach Tony Tuioti, opted to move to Oregon to take a similar position with the Ducks. The replacements included Mark Whipple (offensive coordinator), Bryan Applewhite (running backs), Donovan Raiola (offensive line), Mickey Joseph (wide receivers/associate head coach) and Bill Busch (special teams).
16) Huskers use transfer portal
Scott Frost used the portal to beef up his program in hopes of improving on the three-win season of 1921. Players like Casey Thompson (quarterback), Ochaun Mathis (edge), Trey Palmer (wide receiver) and Marcus Washington (wide receiver) were among those who were thought to be able to help the Huskers in the '22 season.
15) Frost makes awkward appearance at Big Ten Media Days
The head football coach seemed to be disinterested in his press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis last July. Frost stood by the podium there for a while and didn't say anything. All the other coaches began their pressers with an opening statement and then took questions. The emcee had to ask Frost if he had an opening statement. Frost said he didn't have one. Then he took some questions. The image he gave was one of arrogance and indifference. What could have been a classy moment for Frost and for UNL ("Thank all of you for coming this morning. I don't have an opening statement, but I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have") ended up being a flop. What was Trev Alberts thinking when he saw that? Was this moment a portent of things to come for Frost?
14) Frost’s “puking” comments
In the practices leading up to the Husker opener in Dublin, Ireland, Frost told the story about the Husker O-line players working so hard in practice that many of them were upchucking their biscuits each day in practice. Frost later toned down his comments. But why would he say something so outrageous?
13) Frost’s onside kick call
With Nebraska leading Northwestern in the second half by 11 points in Dublin, Frost decided to call for an onside kick. The play backfired. Momentum switched in the Wildcats' favor and Nebraska ended up losing to a team the Huskers pulverized the year before in Lincoln. Even more telling about the state of the Huskers was that Northwestern's victory turned out to be the Wildcats' only win of the season.
12) Losing to the Eagles
Georgia Southern (Sun Belt Conference) and Northwestern were among the few "can't miss" wins for the Huskers in '22. But instead, the Huskers found a way to lose both games. This contest was played on Sept. 10. The next day, Trev Alberts had seen all he needed to see. (GS finished the '22 season with a 6-7 record.)
11) Scott Frost is fired on Sept. 11
After 4¼ years and with only 16 wins and 31 losses, the Scott Frost era at Nebraska mercifully came to an end. The "can't miss," fair-haired Nebraska kid who was going to right the Husker football ship turned out to be a fraud - a miserable failure. In four-plus years, Frost managed to further dismantle a once proud Husker football program. Many fans still feel betrayed. How could Frost fail? How could this happen? He knew what it took to become a nationally respected football program, didn't he? Frost's knack of overestimating his ability and underestimating the challenges before him led to his demise. His firing should have happened sooner, but in the end, Alberts did decide to move on. Good decision.
10) Mickey Joseph named interim head coach
With Frost's departure, Alberts needed someone to be the interim head coach. That someone turned out to be the popular WR hire and former Husker QB, Mickey Joseph.
9) Oklahoma destroys Nebraska
First-year Sooner head coach Brent Venables brought his Oklahoma team to Lincoln and took the Huskers to the woodshed, humiliating NU 49-14. Luckily for Nebraska, Venables called off the dogs late in the game.
So did the Sooners go on to greatness in '22? Not quite. The next three games after beating the Huskers were losses to K-State (41-34), Texas (49-0) and TCU (55-24). Oklahoma ended up with a losing record (6-7) for the year.
8) Erik Chinader fired
As a result of the huge loss to Oklahoma, Husker DC Erik Chinander was fired by Mickey Joseph. Chinander was replaced by special teams coordinator Bill Busch.
7) Mickey wins two in a row
After losing to OU, Nebraska beat Indiana at home, 35-21, and edged Rutgers on the road, 14-13. It looked as if MJ was working his magic.
6) Huskers suffer sixth consecutive losing season
Not much to say about this.
5) Huskers beat Iowa
After seven years of futility, Nebraska finally beat the Iowa Hawkeyes 24-17. The Husker win kept Iowa from representing the Big Ten West in the B1G Championship game. It was a sweet victory for long suffering Husker fans and the Husker football program in general.
4) Palmer beats the record
LSU transfer Trey Palmer - a favorite target of Husker QB Casey Thompson - was at Nebraska for only one season. Yet in that short time, Palmer managed to twice put himself into the Husker books for receiving yardage. He broke the school record for most receiving yardage in a single season with 1,043 yards and the single-game record with 237 yards against Purdue.
With sudden precision, former Husker interim head coach was arrested and jailed on charges of felony domestic abuse. Joseph was considered by many to be a strong candidate for the permanent head coaching job at Nebraska. He also looked to be named as an assistant on the new coaching staff. But tragically, MJ's coaching career may have ended prematurely.
The news of his arrest couldn't have been more stunning to players, coaches and fans. It was a sad day in Husker history. Let's hope Mickey can get some help and work his way back to resuming his coaching career. We should not be his judge, jury and executioner. He deserves his day in court.
2) Husker sellout streak continues
How many college football programs have you heard of that can maintain a 60-plus-year record of consecutive home sellouts? And how many could maintain such a streak given that there have been six consecutive losing seasons?
The answer is zero. Nebraska fans are the most loyal and passionate fans on the planet. Yes, I know the sellout streak has been propped up through the years, but still...
Every Husker fan who has taken the time and expense to come to Lincoln on football game days through the years should be saluted. This story could easily qualify for the No. 1 spot.
1) Matt Rhule is hired
Time will tell if the hiring of former Temple, Baylor and Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule will turn out as well as the hiring of Bob Devaney in 1962 - that would be asking a lot. But for now, Rhule seems to be pushing all the right buttons. In his first three weeks as the Husker head coach, Rhule managed to sign a recruiting class rated by Rivals.com as a Top 30 class. And he's just getting started.
The Art of Johnny Rodgers
Last Friday night, I attended a showing of a painting that was done to honor Johnny Rodgers' famous 72-yard punt return in the 1971 Oklahoma-Nebraska "Game of the Century" The artist who did the painting is Nebraska's own Ashley Spitsnogle. She has done several other paintings of Husker people including Eric Crouch, Mike Rozier, Tom Osborne and Husker volleyball coach John Cook.
Friday's event was held in Elkhorn, Nebraska. To find out more about Ashley's works, visit her website ashleyspitsnogle.com. She sells originals and prints of her works. Last month was the 50th anniversary of Rodgers' winning the 1972 Heisman trophy. JR still looks good enough that he would never fair-catch a punt!
Dan McGlynn
How ’Bout Them Huskers
In this week's episode, grandson Will and I talk about tonight's national championship game between the TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs. We think Georgia will win, but that TCU will beat the spread. Both of us will be rooting for Max Duggan and the Frogs!
Get your Huskers tickets from SI Tickets here.
