Nebraska players are leaving it all on the practice field ahead of the 2022 season. Literally.
Fifth-year coach Scott Frost, appearing at his weekly Thursday radio show, estimated his offensive linemen are vomiting 15 to 20 times per practice under new position coach Donovan Raiola.
“It’s not because they’re not in shape — he’s just working them hard,” Frost said on the Huskers Radio Network. “I think they love it. He’s kind of freed them up to go be aggressive and I love the way they’re coming off the ball.”
That’s certainly one way to measure progress. That said, this isn’t the first time Frost’s practices and workout regimen for his team have made news: In his first season in Lincoln, he acknowledged that two players had been hospitalized for rhabdomyolysis after too-intense workouts. Rhabdomyolysis occurs when muscle fibers die, releasing their contents into the bloodstream.
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Raiola is in his first season as offensive line coach at Nebraska after spending the previous four years in the NFL as an assistant offensive line coach for the Bears. A former All-Big Ten lineman at Wisconsin and NFL player, Raiola also has stops at Aurora (Ill.) University, Notre Dame and Hawaii.
He replaces Greg Austin, the former offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Nebraska. Austin was fired in early November alongside offensive coordinator/receivers coach Matt Lubick; running backs coach Ryan Held; and quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco.
Despite their 3-9 record last season, Nebraska outscored opponents 335 to 272, with their three victories coming by an average of 39.7 points per game. Their nine losses were all by single digits, with only Ohio State (nine points) coming by two possessions.
The Nebraska offense also was among the better units in college football last season, ranking 24th in yards per game (447.6 ypg); 29th in passing offense (266.4 ypg); and 47th in rushing offense (181.2 ypg). The Cornhuskers did, however, rank tied for 81st nationally in sacks allowed (29).
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Frost, who led the school to its last national championship as quarterback of the 1997 team, is coming off a 3-9 season and has yet to lead his team to a winning season in four years as head coach.
If Frost feels a more aggressive offensive line can help make the difference in those close games, then it makes sense he would be happy to see visible proof that his linemen are working harder.
However gross that may be.
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