Ex-Nebraska AD Bill Moos' memoir reveals why he did not want to hire Scott Frost as Huskers coach

Longtime Athletic Director (previously at Montana, Oregon, and Washington State) Bill Moos served as Nebraska‘s Athletic Director from 2017-2021, until his retirement in June 2021. In that timeframe, Moos hired former UCF head coach Scott Frost to lead the football program, and former Iowa State/Chicago Bulls head coach Fred Hoiberg to lead the basketball program.

The hire of Fred Hoiberg has payed off immensely for the program, as Nebraska is currently 21-2 (10-2) and climbed as high as No. 5 in the AP Poll Rankings, its highest in program history. The Cornhuskers also seem poised to nab a top-three seed in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1991 (No. 3 seed).

On the flip side, however, the hire of Scott Frost was a disaster for the Nebraska football program. Frost, who played at Nebraska from 1995-97, was hired after leading UCF to a 13-0 record and a Peach Bowl victory over LSU in 2017. Across his first four seasons in Lincoln, Frost led the Huskers to an extremely disappointing 15-29 record. Following a 1-2 start to the 2022 season, Frost was let go and Matt Rhule was hired the following season.

Bill Moos gives insight into Scott Frost, Nebraska interview

Moos recently released his memoir, Crab Creek Chronicles: From the Wheat Fields to the Ball Fields and Beyond. In the book, the 1972 First Team All-Pac 8 selection revealed that Frost’s interview with Nebraska did not go well. Facing the prospect of an alum going to a Florida or Tennessee and succeeding, however, the hire just had to be made.

“As pissed off as I was that (Associate AD) Matt Davison unexpectedly sat in on that meeting, I was glad he did, as it prompted me to tell Kendra (his wife) to stay in the room. And, like many times before, her intuition proved to be invaluable,” Moos wrote.

“‘He’s not ready,’ (Kendra) said after closing the door that left just the two of us in the room. ‘Too immature,’ Kendra said. ‘Yep, I agree. But if I don’t pursue him with everything I’ve got and he ends up at Tennessee or Florida, I’m screwed,’ Moos said. ‘Yeah, but if you bring Nebraska’s golden boy home and he falls flat on his face, you are really screwed. Remember, people have short memories,” Karen said.

Frost did in fact fall flat, and ended up back at UCF prior to the 2025 season. In his first season back with the Knights, UCF finished with a 5-7 record and missed the postseason.