Whenever a college team makes what appears to be a can't-miss coaching hire, Scott Frost's name will -- and should -- be mentioned.
Frost was the ultimate can't-miss candidate, plucked to revive Nebraska, his alma mater, after leading UCF to an undefeated season in 2017. A son of Nebraska who quarterbacked the Cornhuskers to the 1997 national championship, Frost would be the coach to restore glory for Big Red.
Instead, he was fired Sunday, three games into his fifth season. After a 45-42 loss to Georgia Southern on Saturday, Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts had enough. The school couldn't even wait three more weeks, when Frost's buyout would have dropped by half from $15 million to $7.5 million.
Since firing Frank Solich despite a 9-3 record in 2003, Nebraska has tried different types of coaches without coming close to the level of success it enjoyed from 1963 to 2001, when the program won five national championships, finished outside the AP Top 25 just twice and had 24 top-10 finishes. But Frost's struggles in Lincoln -- he never even made a bowl game and went 5-22 in one-score games, by far the worst mark in the FBS since the start of 2018 -- leaves Nebraska scrambling for answers.
The job isn't nearly as good as it was in the 1990s, but still has advantages, from resources to a massive, devoted fan base. Alberts, a former star linebacker at Nebraska, must find a coach who can restore the traits that made Nebraska great while also adapting to the Big Ten, which Frost could never do. Big Ten experience should be a priority, if not a requirement, for Alberts in the search.
Here's a look at 13 people, in alphabetical order, who Nebraska might consider to replace Frost.
Iowa State coach Matt Campbell: Given Campbell's success at ISU and proximity to Lincoln, he needs to be on the list, especially after an offseason in which he didn't end up landing a bigger job. But several coaches close to him say he likely would not pursue the Nebraska job with real vigor. Still, Nebraska should gauge the interest of the 42-year-old, who has significantly raised Iowa State's profile in the Big 12, has multiple wins over Oklahoma and a No. 9 finish in 2020.
NC State coach Dave Doeren: He grew up in Kansas and attended college in Iowa at a time when Nebraska dominated college football. Doeren also has Big Ten experience at Wisconsin, where he also served as recruiting coordinator. Doeren has recruited well throughout his career, and has led NC State on a stable run of success, going 66-49. Nebraska might swing bigger, but Doeren is an established Power 5 coach with some roots close to the Huskers program.
Cincinnati coach Luke Fickell: He likely would be a reach, but Nebraska has to try. Cincinnati's run to the College Football Playoff last season might have cost Fickell a chance at Notre Dame or another higher-profile job during the previous cycle. Nebraska doesn't offer the same appeal as jobs that opened in the previous cycle. Fickell, 49, knows the Big Ten from his time at Ohio State and could instill the mentality and recruiting/development approach to elevate Nebraska. He's 49-16 at Cincinnati and has established himself as one of the nation's best coaches.
USC defensive coordinator Alex Grinch: He could be a solid down-the-list candidate for Nebraska, especially if USC's defense continues to perform after a strong start. Grinch, 42, drew some interest for Illinois' head-coaching vacancy. The Ohio native and Mount Union alum spent the 2018 season at Ohio State but has coordinated defenses at Washington State, Oklahoma and now USC. He should be in line to lead his own program soon.
Auburn coach Bryan Harsin: His time on the Plains seems limited after an offseason university inquiry into the program and the exit of athletic director Allen Greene, who hired him. Nebraska might be leery of pursuing a hot-seat coach, but Harsin's situation at Auburn seems more to do with fit than anything else. He won big at Boise State (69-19, three Mountain West titles) and has recruited Texas and other key areas for years. The 45-year-old has never worked in the Big Ten or in the Midwest.
Tom Herman: The former Texas and Houston coach is working as a CBS analyst this season after spending 2021 on the Chicago Bears' staff. Herman will have a chance to reboot his college career. The question is whether Nebraska would consider him. Herman, 47, ultimately couldn't elevate Texas but still boasts a 54-22 record as an FBS coach with no losing seasons, five bowl victories and four Top-25 finishes. He worked as an Ohio State assistant under Urban Meyer and also near Nebraska at Iowa State from 2009 to 2011.
Nebraska interim head coach Mickey Joseph: Nebraska likely wants a clean break from the Frost era, but Joseph is well-liked and will have some support to remain on the 2023 staff. He also will be interim coach for at least nine games, a decent enough sample size to be evaluated for the full-time job. The 54-year-old was assistant head coach at LSU under Ed Orgeron before coming to Nebraska, where he played quarterback from 1988 to 1991. If he engineers a dramatic turnaround with a team that has enough talent to win, he could work his way into Alberts' mindset.
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman: There are parallels between the North Dakota State dynasty in the FCS and what Nebraska built under Bob Devaney and Tom Osborne. Klieman, who won three national titles at NDSU, could be an interesting option. The 54-year-old has twice beaten Oklahoma at Kansas State and could have his best team this fall. Klieman has never coached in Nebraska but has spent his entire career in the same region.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold: Nebraska would have to get over the Kansas thing, but Leipold would be an excellent choice to get things on track. He worked for the Cornhuskers from 2001 to 2003 and in the state from 1994 to 2006. The 58-year-old also spent three seasons at Wisconsin under Barry Alvarez early in his career. He won six Division III national championships at Wisconsin-Whitewater and has generated success at Buffalo and now Kansas, which already has two Big 12 road victories under Leipold (150-49 as a college coach) since taking over the Jayhawks last year.
Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard: The former Badgers star and NFL player has already established himself as one of the top young defensive minds in football. But the prevailing sentiment around him is that he will wait out Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst to take over at his alma mater, a transition that could be accelerated given the program's recent performance. Still, Nebraska would be wise to check on Leonhard, 39, who knows the Big Ten and would bring a clear vision for recruiting and program culture.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien: The college coordinator market has been reduced thanks to the last coaching cycle, but O'Brien is one of the more established options available. He has Big Ten experience at Penn State, where he went 15-9 for a program emerging from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case. O'Brien, 52, also coached the NFL's Houston Texans but has ample college experience from Georgia Tech, Maryland and other spots. One drawback: He has never worked in or around the Nebraska area.
Texas special assistant Gary Patterson: The future Hall of Fame coach never left TCU for a bigger job and ultimately was pushed out during the 2021 season. But Patterson would bring credibility and a clear vision to Nebraska, a program he grew up admiring as a Kansas native and a Kansas State player. Patterson, 62, went 181-79 at TCU with conference titles in three different leagues and six AP Top-10 finishes. He's also an older coach, though, and some wonder whether his approach still works in the transfer portal/NIL era.
Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule: He began his third NFL season Sunday firmly on the hot seat, and if things don't go well with the Panthers, a return to college is possible. Rhule, 47, did tremendous work turning around Baylor's program before jumping to the NFL. He also won 10 games in each of his final two seasons at Temple. He hasn't coached in the Big Ten but attended Penn State and has worked in different environments around the country.