Brady Quinn breaks down what went wrong at Nebraska

As it has been for some time now, the state of the Nebraska football program is not where many would want it to be. Since Scott Frost took over in 2018, there has been nothing but losing seasons in Lincoln.

Former Notre Dame quarterback and current Fox analyst Brady Quinn went on the Dan Patrick Show to discuss why Nebraska has failed to reach the heights they were once at. He thinks one of the biggest reasons is due to leaving their old conference.

“I think they decided to leave what was the Big 12 and join the Big Ten where I don’t know that they have ever really found their footing and the ability to compete within that conference,” Quinn said.

Nebraska has struggled in the Big Ten, having an overall 44-46 record in conference games since joining in 2011. They made the championship game once in 2012 but have not come close since then.

Quinn believes recruiting has been poor as well compared to other programs within the Big Ten. He notes how important attracting top high school talent is to any college athletic program, not just Nebraska football.

“I think from a recruiting standpoint, which we all know is the lifeblood of college football programs — really any athletic programs at the college level — and they have struggled to do so competitively within that conference,” said Quinn. “I think that’s part of it.”

According to the On3 Consensus, Nebraska had the sixth highest-rated recruiting class in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Penn State, and Iowa, in the 2021 cycle. Maryland was one spot behind as well.

Nebraska dwelling on the past

A conference switch and recruiting are not the only issues in Lincoln. According to Quinn, while Nebraska has been trying to get back to their peak, adapting to modern college football has been the biggest problem.

“I also think they kind of got away from what was success with Bo Pelini, thinking they were going to get back to the heydays,” Quinn said. “It’s just a different time in college football and it’s harder now than ever, I think, for some of those blue bloods to understand that what you did in the past, you’re not going to be able to replicate in the future. You’ve got to change, you’ve got to adapt and adjust, and I think they are still trying to figure that out right now at Nebraska.”

Before getting fired, Pelini had won at least nine games in all seven of his seasons with Nebraska. Tom Osborne won three national championships during the 1990s (1994, 1995, 1997).

Quinn said the Cornhuskers have had a difficult time changing since then, especially under Frost. This season, he is 3-6 and heading toward the program’s fifth straight losing season.