Nebraska Huskers players will be itching to get onto the field next Saturday after sitting out of the second week of the Big Ten season. The Huskers had been scheduled to play Wisconsin last weekend, but the game did not take place because the Badgers suffered a coronavirus outbreak. The incident led to heated debate over the Big Ten’s coronavirus protocols that require players to self-isolate for 21 days after they contract the virus. Some media analysts were also disappointed with the conference after it failed to approve Nebraska’s plans to organize a replacement game with the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

This week, Husker’s head coach, spoke to the media for the first time since the game against Wisconsin was canceled, and he explained why his team tried to organize a match against Chattanooga.

Coach Frost wanted his players to have an opportunity to take the field

During the interview, Coach Frost claimed that Husker’s officials were trying to allow their players to take the field after the game against Wisconsin was called off. Frost told his players that Nebraska Huskers officials would attempt to organize a replacement game with Chattanooga, but he clarified that the Big Ten conference would make the final decision. Coach Frost admitted that even though his team tried to follow the required protocols to make the game safe, the Big Ten conference was not convinced about the plans, and they eventually decided not to sanction the game.

According to 247 Frost also said that "more than anything, kids just want to be on the field competing. Hopefully, we get a chance to this Saturday."

Nebraska had allegedly offered financial support to Chattanooga

According to some media reports, Nebraska Huskers had offered to pay Chattanooga, $200,000-$250,000 to play the match, as well as cater to the team’s travel expenses.

While Coach Frost was disappointed with the Big Ten’s decision to veto the game, he has insisted that his team will move on and prepare for next Saturday’s game against Northwestern. The Husker’s head coach is confident that his team’s medical staff has done everything it can to protect the players and the coaching staff. However, Frost feels that the Big Ten will have little margin for error if any more coronavirus outbreaks among the conference teams occur in the coming weeks.

When the Big Ten announced that it intended to cancel its season in August, Coach Frost was among the loudest voices calling for the conference to reconsider its decision. Frost even suggested that Nebraska would play teams outside the Big Ten if the conference stuck by its decision, but he later walked back the comments. The Power 5 conference ultimately announced that it would hold an eight-game season starting in October. Critics have pointed out that the Big Ten’s inflexible schedule could make it impossible for teams to play all eight games. Unluckily, Nebraska Huskers was the first team to have a game called off because of the rigid protocols. For now, Coach Frost appears ready to move on from the incident and concentrate on the remaining games.
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