Steven M. Sipple: If Nebraska's Class of 2019 steps up big, perhaps Frost's sleep will improve

Scott Frost rubbed his eyes. He had been sleeping poorly of late, he said.

In fact, he said, he probably won't get a lot of good rest until he elevates his program to where he wants it.

This was early last November. Frost, the Nebraska head football coach, seemingly felt a significant amount of stress even on a Friday during a bye week. His team's record was 4-5 following a dispiriting road loss to a mediocre (at best) Purdue team. A couple of veteran players were giving him headaches with bad behavior. A tough home game against Wisconsin loomed the following week. Yeah, it was enough to make a health-conscious 45-year-old lean hard on Mountain Dew. 

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He clutched a soda bottle pretty hard as we spoke that day. 

But Frost's mood and energy perked up as he ran down Nebraska's 2019 scholarship recruiting class player by player. He said he felt excellent about all but a few players in the 27-player group. And even those few players shouldn't be classified as disappointments to the staff, he said. It's too early for that. Bottom line, it became evident that the Class of 2019 gives Frost a feeling of comfort as he builds his program. He needs the class to stay together and thrive together. 

One might even say that how Nebraska fares in 2020 is largely dependent on how many players in the 2019 class have strong seasons. Granted, the Class of 2018 is critical, too. That group is led by quarterback Adrian Martinez, center Cameron Jurgens and defensive back Cam Taylor-Britt. But the large amount of attrition in the Class of 2018 — predictable since it was a "transition class" — puts a bit of pressure on the 2019 group to come through mightily. We're talking about guys like versatile weapon Wan'Dale Robinson, who enjoyed a breakout year last season.

The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Robinson is a joy to watch. He's a catalyst in Nebraska's Class of 2019. He might be the catalyst, although quarterback Luke McCaffrey could have something to say about that — perhaps as soon as this season. We'll see. But you know Robinson is going to be critical in the offense. In fact, if you had to pick a player as the face of Nebraska's 2020 team, you should probably point first to Martinez. But Robinson, though only a sophomore, isn't far behind.

He caught 40 passes for 443 yards and two touchdowns last season while rushing for 340 yards and three scores. Injuries limited his production in the final three games. In that regard, Frost has to be mindful to avoid overusing Robinson. It'll be tempting to do so because the kid's such a gamer.

"We got one there. We've got a real guy there," Frost said last September following Nebraska's hard-fought win at Illinois, in which the Huskers leaned hard on Robinson during the second half. "It's not just from a talent perspective, but from a heart perspective. He wanted the ball. He wanted to take over that game. In a lot of ways, he did. I'm glad he's wearing scarlet and cream."

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Frost can already say that about senior running back Dedrick Mills, a junior college transfer in the Class of 2019 who will be counted on heavily in 2020. He came on strong late last season and finished the year with 745 rushing yards (5.2 per carry). But Nebraska needs him to raise his game another notch or two. 

Offensive lineman Bryce Benhart was considered a crucial "get" in the Class of 2019. When Frost last week dropped the news that senior Matt Farniok is moving from right tackle to right guard, it paved the way for the 6-9, 295-pound Benhart to win the right tackle job and perhaps become a four-year starter. Meanwhile, at left tackle, look for Benhart's classmate, Brant Banks (6-7, 300), to back up senior Brenden Jaimes.

One of my biggest takeaways from that November one-on-one interview with Frost was how much he liked Banks and the kid's potential. 

Yeah, Frost even smiled slightly as he pondered the Class of 2019. Outside linebacker Garrett Nelson, who appeared in 11 games last season, has the sort of can-do hunger that takes Frost back to his playing days at Nebraska when the team was loaded with warriors. Inside linebacker Luke Reimer, a walk-on from Lincoln, was a revelation as a true freshman last season. His motor runs non-stop.

Ask Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander about Javin Wright. Chinander raves about Wright's intelligence, which allows the redshirt freshman to play corner, safety and perhaps even in the box at times. And don't forget the other talented defensive backs in the class: Noa Pola-Gates, Quinton Newsome and Myles Farmer. 

Omaha Burke graduates Nick Henrich (inside linebacker) and Chris Hickman (receiver) could be poised for breakout seasons. You could say the same about defensive linemen Ty Robinson and Keem Green (juco transfer) and perhaps even running back Rahmir Johnson. Plus, keep an eye on Ethan Piper in the scrum to determine starting left guard.

Let's face it, Nebraska needs several of these guys to step up — for the sake of this season and for the sake of the program's future. 

Not to mention the head coach's sleep patterns.

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