Pat Janssen’s Running Diary: Scott Frost and Bill Moos Press Conference

I’m the new guy in town at Husker Max. I’m one of the members of the Big Red Cobcast, which you can download on iTunes OR listen to every week on Husker Max now. I used to do running press conference diaries at another little Husker site. Now I’m doing them here. As always, these unfiltered thoughts are my own that I experienced during real time yesterday. If you want to follow along, you can do so here:

0:30 Some Photoshop wizard is enjoying the prolific use of their work right now.

2:04 Hearing the buzz in the room prior to this press conference is dramatically different than what I heard three years ago. Not that there wasn’t what could be classified as excitement. But I’d label the mood of the room prior to Mike Riley’s press conference as “curious” and “intrigued” more than excited. This? This is just on a different plane. Some of that is the university’s little production elements. With football helmets and a red N tablecloth, the dais bears a strikingly more “Husker football” appearance than it did in 2014. But I think a lot of it is just the human element in the room. The chatter is noticeably louder than the last press conference. I don’t know if it’s because there are more people, or they’re just that more juiced about the hire. I’m guessing a little bit of both.

2:11 A group of interns & student workers is having the time of their lives. Meanwhile, Keith Mann stands in his suit and tie wondering if/when he’ll have the chance to converse with anyone old enough to drink.

2:56 Keith is desperately seeking out of-age human contact. He has to settle for his iPhone.

5:21 The wives of the major administrators in the building seem happy. They also seem infatuated by something on the ceiling. Is Scott going to make the most dramatic entrance of all?!

5:29 The most badass-looking photographer makes his entrance. I’m not convinced this guy wasn’t an offensive guard for Devaney at some point.

5:52 Keith has found an adult conversation partner! I’m happy for Keith. I really am.

7:25 And just like that, Kelly Mosier walks into the room and steals Keith’s conversation buddy. Rough day for Keith Mann.

7:57 A standing O for Coach Frost and Bill Moos. Exciting for Huskers fans. Even more exciting for Keith Mann who can now embrace his job and escape Teen Worker Island.

8:00 Bill Moos is now 0-for-3 at starting press conferences on time.

8:25 Not a care in the world from Bill Moos. That’s the walk of a man knows he needs to wear large underwear today.

8:27 Gray suit for Coach Frost. Bold choice for a first press conference, especially for a fair-skinned man. But I like bold choices. I think it’s a sign of things to come.

9:00 After about 30 seconds of the two men just sitting there, Bill Moos speaks first. He’s soaking every last bit of this in. And I can’t blame the guy.

9:03 Bill Moos expected more laughter at his “It seems like we’ve being doing this a lot lately,” line. You can’t win ‘em all, Bill.

9:07 Scott Frost has been wearing that Coach Scowl on his face permanently the last few months. He finally lets a brief smirk escape. And it pours out extreme and utter confidence. That one little look made everyone else in the room realize that they’ve got nothing compared to this guy.

10:15 Bill is celebrating the homecoming, but he also says he would have picked Scott Frost even if he were the athletic director at Missouri, Oklahoma State or UCLA.

10:35 Bill calls Coach Frost the “pick of the litter.” I’m guessing that won’t slow down the number of cat-themed Scott Frost parody Twitter accounts that pop up in the next two weeks.

10:37 The look on Scott Frost’s face says he knows he’s going be called “Pick of the Litter” by his friends and family for a while.

11:15 Bill Moos calls Scott Frost the 30th head coach in Nebraska football history. He’s the 33rd. I’ll forgive Bill because he loves Runzas so much.

11:45 The ovation for Coach Frost might have been longer than any of the Huskers’ drives against Iowa this year.

12:00 Coach Frost mentions getting run over the Devaney Center track when he was a kid. I guess he wasn’t friends with any offensive linemen yet at that age.

12:30 He’s thanking Matt Davison for helping make this happen? Was Matt the go-between for Moos & Frost? BREAKING NEWS!

12:45 Coach Frost thanks all the former players for welcoming him. And then he calls them fat.

13:09 Coach Frost says he came back because the timing was right and the leadership is right. Someone get Shawn Eichorst a lamp because there’s some serious shade on him right now.

13:29 Unity seems to be a pretty big theme from Coach.

13:41 I loved Coach Riley as a person, but man, it’s hard to beat the intensity of Scott Frost. Not that Nebraska hasn’t had intensity in the last decade, but this is an extremely focused intensity.

15:00 Ross Jernstrom wins the first question contest! Sorry to those who put their money on Dirk and Sam. For those who placed their bets on Kellan Heavicam, well, that’s your own fault.

15:20 Time for the requisite Tom Osborne love fest.

17:30 More unification talk from Coach Frost.

17:50 Sean Callahan asks Coach Frost about his big year. Coach Frost says it’s capped off by being asked a question by Callahan. I’m really digging Scott’s sense of humor. Swoon.

18:50 Coach Frost mentions having a child at his “advanced age.” Who does he think he is? Tony Randall?

18:54 DIRK IS IN THE HOUSE! What took you so long, man?

19:00 Dirk asks him how he’s more prepared now than he was three years ago.

19:10 Coach says he wasn’t considered last time this job was open, and he’s glad he wasn’t. He believes in Hank Bounds, Bill Moos and Ronnie Green. Coach Frost continues to toss shade on the former administration like he’s the Golden Sower.

20:00 I really should’ve started a drinking game for every time Scott Frost says “unity.” I’d be hammered by now.

20:20 Coach is talking about early signing day. He credits the former staff and says his staff already has “boots on the ground.”

20:50 Coach is blinking like a madman. Dude is TIRED.

21:21 Now talking about the walk-on program. Mentions kids from “Gothenburg, Minden, Scottsbluff, Wood River.” The sound you just heard was the western part of the state achieving simultaneous orgasm.

22:07 “There’s too many kids from this state right now playing at other schools.”

23:09 At these press conferences, media members are expected to say their name and their affiliation. After a few media members don’t do it, Lee Barfknecht returns to the standard formality. Professional move by Lee, but it’s still funny seeing the look on Coach Frost’s face that says, “I know who the hell you are, Lee. You’re the SOB who voted Michigan ahead of us. Ask your question. I’ll destroy it like we would’ve destroyed the Wolverines.”

23:20 If you have a chance, listen to the whole process of Coach Frost’s hiring. It starts here and goes a while. Fascinating stuff that gets into the nuts and bolts of the process, but also some heartfelt moments.

23:49 AND THEN SOMEONE’S FRIGGIN’ PHONE RINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!

24:47 “I think we still have some talking to do.” That’s Coach Frost’s answer about how he and his staff will handle the UCF bowl game. I have no doubt that it will be handled professionally on all sides, but this could get interesting. It’s very possible that Scott Frost is going to spend the next month averaging two hours of sleep a night.

25:30 Sam McKewon asks Coach Frost about the timeline for announcing his assistants. His response: “I’m gonna take a little time to name those guys…The guys that helped us win there can help us win here.”

26:09 “Scott, how will you modify your system for the Big Ten?”

26:15 “I’m hoping the Big Ten has to modify their system for us.”

26:16 The rest of the state has just joined the Western half in experiencing “adult euphoria.” I may or may not have accidentally punched a dent in my ceiling pumping my fist at that answer.

26:35 “Scott, Steve Sipple from the Lincoln Journal Star.”
“Hey, Sip.”
“Hi, um…”

Officially my favorite interaction of the day thus far.

26:42 Sip is trying to get to the heart of DavisonGate 2017. Exactly what role did #3 play in getting Frost to Lincoln?

26:57 “Matt’s role was pestering me until I agreed to come here.”
(six seconds)
“Ok, thanks.”

Ok, I might have a new favorite exchange. The Frost and Sip show is entertaining as hell!

27:12 Finally, a question for Bill Moos! Dude was probably feeling left out.

27:23 Moos says he felt like he needed a face-to-face visit with Coach Frost. Don’t we all?

27:42 Moos explains that he had various conduits getting his message to Frost prior to the meeting, including Matt Davison. It really feels like there should be an additional go-between for Frost and Davison. Maybe someone like Shevin Wiggins?

28:17 Moos points out that Central Florida is the only undefeated team left in major college football. “I didn’t want to be the one to disrupt that.”

28:37 “There were more than sandwiches in Philadelphia. But both were real good.” Man, I get the sense Bill Moos really likes food.

28:38 I wonder if Dirk Chatelain is beaming with pride that there’s finally an answer to whether or not Bill Moos went to Philadelphia, or if he’s steaming that he wasn’t the one to get the admission out of Moos.

28:51 So the Philly interview involved Scott Frost, Bill Moos, Matt Davison and Mrs. Bill Moos herself, Kendra.

30:11 “I didn’t need to know a lot about this program. I’m from here. I get it. It just took me getting comfortable with the leadership and the timing.”—Scott Frost

30:42 “This is home. I can’t think of anything more rewarding in my career than turning this thing around.”

Good Lord, are there any walls that need run through right now? There is a whole state of people willing to do that right now.

31:38 “We’re gonna work harder than everyone else. That’s what Nebraska’s about. We’re gonna be a unified team. We’re gonna work our tails off in the weightroom. We’re gonna be stronger and more physical and tougher than anyone else. That’s what Nebraska’s all about.”

32:07 Coach Frost gets asked what his number one worry is about taking the job. Please don’t let it be annoying comedians/writers who might be a touch over-infatuated with their new dreamboat winning-machine.

32:14 Phew. It wasn’t that.

32:30 “We’re not gonna win every game I coach here.” I don’t believe you.

32:56 Coach gets asked if he knew how much the state of Nebraska wanted him to come home. “I saw a couple corny videos on YouTube.” Uhhhh…I’m gonna have to check with Tweedy and Joe from the Big Red Cobcast because I can’t be 100% certain we didn’t make one of those.

33:41 “There’s been, in my opinion, a lack of unity of purpose about this place for a while.” That was about the program and the fans. Ouch. Not wrong. But ouch.

34:12 “This is where I wanted to be. This is home.” He’s an endless supply of quotes that make you melt into a pool of red.

35:25 Bill Moos–“He’s got great integrity. He’s got great morals. He genuinely cares about his players.”

36:15 Bill Moos–“To our fans, you are the best in the country. You’ve been great. You’ve been patient.” Have you been on any of the message boards in the last 15 years, Bill? Patient might not be my first choice of words.

37:33 “There were others that really, really wanted Scott. Some prestigious programs. And there some prestigious coaches that really, really wanted Nebraska. But this is a fit. You’ve got to fit at Nebraska.”

38:33 “It’s gonna be difficult, but they’re gonna have more fun than they’ve ever had before.”—Coach Frost about how his new players will adjust

39:05 Bill Moos is going through the national coaching landscape and says he’s never seen this many top programs with job openings at the same time. I could listen to Bill Moos talk about the ins and outs of college football administration for days. If you think this makes me a nerd, you’re wrong. It’s only one of many things that makes me a nerd.

39:47 A couple non-subtle jabs at Tennessee and Florida, two schools that fired their coaches mid-season. I love that Bill Moos hates the SEC as much as I do. I’d eat Runzas and Philly cheesesteaks with Bill Moos any day of the week.

40:15 My favorite out-of-context quote so far: “We let Scott do his business.”

41:47 “This is Nebraska. Nebraska’s as good as it gets, and we got as good as it gets.”—Bill Moos

43:12 After meeting him in Philadelphia, Moos left Frost alone after that, only sending him one text in that time. Bill Moos employs the exact opposite strategy of me during my dating years. I already knew the old man was cooler than me. I just didn’t know how much cooler her was.

43:56 Scott Frost: “I haven’t slept in a while. Haven’t eaten much. Haven’t lifted weights or run in a little bit. Haven’t gotten a haircut.” I guess he’s not really that much different from mid-20s Pat Janssen after all!

44:45 And after that answer, it’s over. Keith Mann took the hint and shut it down so our guy can get some rest. You the real MVP, Keith!

44:46-47:52 If you’re interested in three minutes of watching people scramble to take pictures of Bill Moss and Scott Frost (and catch glimpses of Tom Osborne on his phone), this is the point in the video you should skip to.

So there it is. Scott Frost is back in town! This excitement is going to have to brew for four and a half months before we get to the spring game. I guess I’ll have to spend that time working on being as cool as Coach Frost and Bill Moos.

Pat Janssen is a comedian and a member of the Big Red Cobcast, which can now be heard every week on HuskerMax.com.

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