Nebraska fans hold out hope for Frost
Nebraska fans are gearing up for what to them seems the imminent arrival of native son Scott Frost as the Cornhuskers’ new football coach.
The message board outside the Husker Hounds novelty store flashes “Come Home Scott Frost,” and inside you can buy T-shirts reading “Nebraska Frost Advisory, Restore Glory” and, in a nod to the coming “Star Wars” movie, “May The Frost Be With You.”
Bartenders around town are setting drinks on “Hire Scott Frost Now!” coasters, and Facebook pages in support of Frost have popped up.
Frost, whose Central Florida Knights are unbeaten and hosting Memphis in the American Athletic Conference championship game this week, has been the topic du jour every day for a month on the all-sports radio stations in Omaha and Lincoln.
Anticipation about Frost has heightened since Mike Riley was fired Saturday, the day after the Huskers lost, 56-14, to Iowa and finished the season 4-8.
Athletic director Bill Moos acknowledged Frost was on his list of candidates. Frost hasn’t done much to tamp down speculation.
“I’d be hurt if Nebraska wasn’t interested in me,” Frost said. “We’re undefeated, and I’m from there. When you win, a lot of people are interested in you.”
Frost also deflected a question about whether he would say he would return to UCF in 2018.
Ex-Syracuse star dies: Former Syracuse tailback Walter Reyes, second all-time on the school’s rushing list, died at age 36.
Reyes, who was honored Monday night in the Carrier Dome with a moment of silence before the men’s basketball game between Syracuse and Maryland, died Sunday night after complaining of stomach pain for several days.
He finished his college career with 3,424 yards rushing, behind only Joe Morris (4,299) at Syracuse.
As a junior in 2003, Reyes rushed for 1,347 yards, the second-best total in Syracuse history, and had a schoolrecord 20 touchdowns, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. That prompted the university to promote him for the Heisman Trophy the following year.
Among his career highlights was a five-touchdown performance against Notre Dame in 2003, which tied Floyd Little for second all-time at Syracuse, one behind Jim Brown’s six against Colgate in 1956.
His final game in the Carrier Dome ended on a somber note. Reyes was hit hard by Pitt safety Tez Morris on a run up the middle and the collision tore three muscles behind Reyes’ right shoulder. After missing more than three games late in his final season with the Orange, Reyes was not selected in the NFL draft and returned to his Ohio roots.
Montana interviews Hauck: Former Montana coach Bobby Hauck interviewed for his old job.
Hauck coached at Montana from 2003-’09, during which the Grizzlies posted an 80-17 record and played in three FCS national championship games. He was the head coach at UNLV from 2010-’14 and is currently the special teams coordinator and associate head coach at San Diego State.