I think this is the key to the whole thing. Not only empowering, but hiring the right people to begin with. Nothing against any of his staff before, perhaps in different circumstances they are all good coaches, but few of them showed they were ready for the task at hand. Can they recruit, can they teach, can they motivate…. Then can they do it in Lincoln Nebraska.
Probably my biggest issue with frost is his arrogance ( “swagger” to some) coming in and maintaining throughout 4 years at the bottom of the b1g west, that he was doing such a better job than his predecessors. In so doing, he blindly held on to guys that did not carry enough street cred to get themselves a foothold on the national seen and were not able to pull in the boys need to turn the corner. Or perhaps they just couldn’t coach.
Either way it was 1 mistake after another. Pelini had the same arrogance, afraid to hire anyone that would question his manhood, yet he maintained 9+ through big 12 officiating, conference jumping and then some b1g officiating until too much AD ultimately did him in.
If frost earns any credit from which none Has yet to be earned, it will be for this reason and this reason alone. Put the small town jock arrogance in your skoal poach and stuff it deep in your back pocket never to be seen again and heap praise on the hires you brought in to save your a..butt.