Scott Frost’s fight with Nebraska isn’t going away quietly.
A Lincoln judge on Wednesday knocked out one part of the former Cornhuskers coach’s lawsuit against the University of Nebraska, but let another claim survive, keeping Frost’s case alive for now. The school had pushed to have the suit dismissed outright. Instead, the matter will keep moving through court, even if Frost still has a long road before he gets anywhere close to collecting money.
The dispute centers on how Nebraska handled Frost’s buyout payments for 2025 and 2026 on his 2022 W-2. According to the lawsuit, the university listed the “present value of the 2025 and 2026 liquidated damages payments” on that form, which pushed the total to $9.5 million. That figure was well above the $4 million Frost was paid for the 2022 season.
Frost, now back at UCF, filed the suit in December against the Board of Regents. He argues the accounting move created a tax mess for him, including a $1.7 million tax liability tied to income he hadn’t actually received, along with legal fees and late filing penalties. He says he is owed $5 million total, split evenly at $2.5 million for the 2025 and 2026 seasons as an “offset” portion of his contract.
The legal fight took another step Wednesday when Lancaster County District Judge Kevin McManaman allowed Frost’s first claim to proceed. That claim sought a declaratory judgment over his rights, duties and obligations under his employment agreement, tied to the “problems created for him by the university” after his termination.
But the ruling was not a clean sweep for Frost. McManaman also “declined to entertain” Frost’s claim for declaratory relief because it “would not terminate the underlying controversy.” So while one obstacle came down, the case is still far from finished.
Frost was notably quiet about Nebraska during his appearances at Big 12 Media Days earlier this month. Even so, the lawsuit shows the separation between the two sides is still very much active. Nebraska and Frost may have moved on in name, but in court, neither one looks ready to back off.
In Other News...
One Former Hawkeye Is Starting To Separate In Summer League
Four former Iowa basketball players got their first real summer look in Las Vegas, and the early returns were encouraging across the board. Brendan Hausen gave Memphis a scoring punch in a win over Golden State, while Bennett Stirtz, Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix all suited up for Oklahoma City in a tight loss to Denver, each flashing the kind of individual production that can matter in this setting.
Stirtz had the most complete night for the Thunder, and Sandfort kept his name in the mix with a strong bench effort, while Dix again found himself in the starting group and contributed across the stat sheet. For Iowa fans, it was the kind of summer league snapshot that is worth watching closely, especially with one of those former Hawkeyes beginning to look like he has a real chance to keep separating from the pack as the games continue. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Just Lost A Young Receiver At The Worst Time
Terrence Smith will not be on Iowas roster for the 2026 season, a notable development for a program that has been trying to build more depth and upside at wide receiver. The second-year receiver arrived as a three-star recruit in the 2025 class, and his departure leaves the Hawkeyes with one less young option in a room that was already being watched closely.
Even with Smith out of the picture, Iowa still has several receivers with eligibility remaining who can compete for snaps and help fill the gap. But losing a player with his profile at this stage of the roster cycle adds another layer of uncertainty to a position group that needed continuity, and it leaves the Hawkeyes with some sorting to do before 2026 takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Trevin Jirak Suddenly Looks Like A Real Answer For Iowa
A summer scrimmage at the University of Iowa offered an early look at one of the quieter developments in the Hawkeyes offseason: sophomore Trevin Jirak showing up with a noticeably different presence. What stood out was not just the added confidence, but the way he moved and handled the ball, signs that he is no longer just a depth piece trying to find his footing after averaging 3.4 points per game a year ago.
Ben McCollum has already pointed to Jiraks growth as part of a broader roster shift, with Iowa looking longer and more capable from the perimeter than it did before. Jirak is expected to take on a bigger role this season, and the way he fits into that picture may matter more than ever as the Hawkeyes sort through who can help initiate offense and keep the team organized when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]