Remember Nebraska’s Bo Pelini?
He coached for 7 years in Lincoln. Kalani is concluding his 7th year in Provo.

During those 7 years, Coach Pelini won at least 9 games every year. A remarkable accomplishment, truly, particularly when compared to the more recent Huskers.

So why didn’t he last? Many reasons but primarily he wasn’t likable. He would go off on profane tirades and even blasted his own fans as “fair-weather” fans. Solid coach but a lit fuse. He also launched personal attacks on administrators, including the AD.

A few years later, enter Scott Frost. The national champion QB and Husker hero. He had been successful at Oregon and as the HC @ UCF, going 13-0 prior to accepting the Nebraska job. He came home. Fans were beside themselves with excitement.

Getting to the point, Nebraska cut him a lot of slack. He was likable whereas Pelini was not. But Frost struggled mightily. Coached 4 1/4 seasons in Lincoln, losing almost all the close games. He finished 16-31 overall. 10-26 in the Big Ten. But vs ranked opponents? He was 0-14.




Like Kalani, Frost was adored by many. Like Kalani, he replaced assistant coaches each year in an effort to fix things.

If Pelini had had results, early on, like Frost, he probably wouldn’t have lasted 18 months.

Likability plays a significant role. Nebraska fans and boosters kept the faith. “These new coaches and transfers will do the trick.”

It wasn’t until season 5, 3 games in, following a home loss to Georgia Southern, with the student section chanting “Fire Frost, Fire Frost” that the AD finally acted. He made the decision to pay Scott Frost $16M to leave. Could not even wait one more month when that amount would’ve been cut in half.

The likability factor had run its course. The buck stopped with Frost. Not the staff. Not the DC. Not the play caller.

KS didn’t win at least 9 games each of his 7 seasons, like Pelini, but he did do it 3 times. His second year, he actually lost nine games.

KS continues to receive support. Just last year, after he signed a new contract thru 2027, Tom Holmoe said this:

“I believe that Kalani has dreams for BYU football, and we talk about those visions a lot. And so when we talk about an ‘unprecedented contract’, it is about what we can do at BYU. Kalani doesn’t really concern himself with other schools and how they do it. It is more about what he and his boys are going to do. I think that is where the unprecedented statement comes from.”

During Frost’s losing seasons, assistant coaches were released and replaced. Nobody wanted Frost to be fully and wholly responsible for the losses. We have seen similar at BYU. Get rid of Detmer. Tuiaki must go.

Some on Cougarboard occasionally call for a HC change, but I think his Frost-like personality and likability keep him far away from the “buck stops here.”

Coach Pope seems to have similar “protection.” With the B12 looming, how patient will fans and boosters be? Both Baylor & Oklahoma State have terrific coaches and programs. This year they finished 6-6 & 7-5.

I don’t think many expect KS to lead us to a 9-3 year in 2023. Fine. But what will the reaction be if he finds himself in Frost territory at 4-8, or worse? Then repeated again in 2024?

Likability only survives so long. I feel for him. He has to know the gauntlet is going to be a bigger challenge than most fans realize nor are used to.