On the eve of Nebraska football’s first game of the season, it turns out that comments made by head coach Scott Frost have surfaced yet again. Those comments, about his offensive linemen puking 15-20 times per practice because they were working so hard, raised a lot of eyebrows when he said them. In fact, they drew enough attention that Frost had to address them in a press conference where he said that he was “exagerrating.”
While most people decided that Frost was indeed exaggerating or making a joke and moved on, the mother of one former Northwestern player believes it is no laughing matter. In fact, she took the Huskers’ head coach’s comments to heart, telling USA Today that Frost “speaks from ignorance” with comments like that.
20 years ago, Wildcats player Rashidi Wheeler collapsed on the practice field and later died. The cause of death was ruled a bronchial asthma attack but it was well known that over-exertion during a practice was what had triggered the attack.
Wheeler’s mother, Linda Will has had to go 20 Augusts without her son. And when she heard Frost’s comments about working his offensive linemen so hard that they were throwing up multiple times a practice, she knew she had to speak out.
"“That mentality that he expressed remains prevalent, and it’s just like the drill that my son passed from: In order to compete, the coaches feel they want to know what it takes to make a player break.”"
Much has been made of Wheeler’s case. He and his teammates were forced to go through incredibly rigorous drills in 82-degree heat. It was revealed after his death that he wasn’t the only player who lost consciousness. He was simply the only one that day that never woke up.
Will said that the death of Wheeler is something she obviously still feels today but it had a massive effect on the family in the aftermath as well. Wheeler’s older brother eventually committed suicide and Will said she’s suffered from mental health problems.
Still, it’s important to note that Wheeler’s mother doesn’t hold ill-will towards Nebraska football’s head coach. While she didn’t like his comments, she is hoping that he might be able to realize why what he said wasn’t a positive.
"“This coach speaks from ignorance, from an old mentality that was instilled in him, but ignorance is not stupidity. It just means you can learn and do better.”"
While it’s clear that the Huskers’ head coach was not being serious when he made those comments, they underline what is still a wrongheaded ideology in the sport. That players need to pass out or throw up in order to show they are working hard.
Rashidi Wheeler’s mother wants that ideology to go the way of the dinosaur and no one should blame her for that desire.
Here’s hoping the Cornhuskers and their fans hear her words and take them to heart, rather than dismiss them as a byproduct of her being overserious.
There is one other interesting tidbit about this entire story. Rashidi Wheeler’s last game on this earth? It was the 2000 Alamo Bowl against Frank Solich’s Nebraska football team.