On December 2, 2017, Scott Frost was stolen away from Central Florida University to revive the ailing University of Nebraska football program.
The first thought that entered my mind was: “we’ve hired a winner.”
The second thought that invaded by always suspicious cranium was: “I hope he is not another Bernie Masterson.”
Who is Bernie Masterson?
Great question.
First, some history.
From 1900 to 1940, Nebraska football enjoyed 37 winning seasons and an appearance in the January 1, 1941 Rose Bowl.
Losing seasons followed during the autumns of 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944 and 1945 – mostly due to young, strong athletes serving the U.S. Military during World War II.
In early 1946, the University athletic board, determined to hoist Nebraska football back into the big-time spotlight, hired a young alumnus who had made good as a college and professional football player, as well as an assistant coach.
Bernie Masterson’s credentials included graduating from Lincoln High School in 1930 where, in football, he was an all-state back and a starter on the 1930 state champion basketball team. Masterson went on to play football for NU Head Coach D.X. Bible from 1931 to 1933 and led the Cornhuskers to 23 wins against only four losses. He was a back on three consecutive Big Six championship teams and was selected as an All-Big Six back in 1933.
Masterson then played quarterback for the Chicago Bears for seven years and enjoyed a record of 59 wins, 19 losses and three ties. He passed for 3,372 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Following his NFL career, Masterson was employed as an assistant coach at Stanford when NU lost to the (then) Indians’ and their innovative ‘T’ formation in the Rose Bowl. He also assisted at UCLA prior to his return to Nebraska.
Masterson was given a five-year contract at an annual salary of $10,000.
He installed the ‘T’ formation at Nebraska and from his old Chicago Bears playbook, NU’s college boys were expected to memorize up to 300 plays.
Notwithstanding the hype, Masterson lasted only two years at Nebraska. He won five games and lost 13. NU’s only victories were over Kansas, Kansas State (twice), and Iowa State (twice).
Masterson’s Cornhusker winning percentage was 28 percent.
According to the book, “Go Big Red,” published by the Omaha World-Herald in 1969: “amid bitterness and name-calling, his contract was bought out by a group of NU supporters in early 1948.”
Masterson died in May, 1963 of a heart attack at the age of 51.
The OWH reports that up to his death, Masterson’s heart was filled with pain and sadness for the way he was treated by Nebraska alumni, fans, and press.
“The tall, blonde, Nebraska native never had a chance,” reported the World-Herald.
Despite his current record of 15 wins and 26 losses between 2018 and 2021 — which equates to a winning percentage of 36 percent — let’s hope another tall blond, Nebraska native in the form of Scott Frost does not meet the same fate as Bernie Masterson.
But their similarities are beyond eerie.