Fog Will Soon Clear in Head Coach Search

At his press conference today, Nebraska Interim Coach Mickey Joseph said he’d been having “fun” over the last nine weeks since he took the job. “I’m coming in every day to get a job done,” Joseph said. “We haven’t gotten the results that we wanted but it’s a great feeling being around these kids, being around these coaches, top-notch people. Not one person in this building has given up. Everybody comes in and fights. Y’all see it — they’re fighting to the end. And you could be in a situation right now where they gave up six weeks ago. But they didn’t. “I’m having fun. I’m good. Don’t worry about Mickey. Mickey’s going to be OKAY.” Since taking over as Interim Head Coach on September 11, Joseph has a 2-5 record at Nebraska. With two games remaining, home this Saturday against Wisconsin and the Black Friday finale at Iowa, even if the team wins both, a 5-7 record isn't enough to make a bowl game. But would two more wins be enough for AD Trev Alberts to remove the interim title and make Mickey Joseph his top man? Your guess is as good as mine. If you believe the talk swirling around the airwaves and internet, Matt Rhule may soon be announced as the new Head Coach of Nebraska. If Joseph isn't named head coach, is a side deal being negotiated to keep Mickey Joseph in the house as a top paid associate head coach/recruiter?

It's expected that AD Trev Alberts will announce his hire the day after the Black Friday Game at Iowa. Could Alberts announce his choice before the final game? At this point, anything is possible. But one thing is for sure, whoever the next head coach is, the team needs more talent, size and depth on both sides of the ball. Asked today what the Nebraska team needs most to improve in the future, Joseph said “Roster management. A more competitive roster and to understand what you need to do in this conference on the offensive side of the ball and the defensive side of the ball and special teams. It is a different makeup with the conference. You have to understand that. You also have to understand where you are at. You have to understand that you do not sit in the middle of Texas, middle of Louisiana, middle of Georgia. You have to be able to go down there and convince those kids to come up here. You have to understand that recruiting is going to be a big part. Whoever sits in that chair recruiting is going to be a big part and you have to want to work. "We just have to be more aggressive when we go down (to Texas). We have to do a really good evaluation when we go down there and make sure we are getting the right kids up here. Make sure when the kid comes through the door that he is ready to play. And if he is not ready to play, he is a year away, let's get continue to develop him. But I think you have to go down south. You have to go where the heat is at. You have to go where they are playing big time high school football. Not that they don't play it here. But you know the routine, Texas, Louisiana, Georgia. Everybody is down there." You have to work here. Whoever takes this job, they better be ready to work.” “You have to have more depth. Instead of having 12 offensive linemen you have to have 15 to 16. Instead of having 12 defensive linemen you have to have 15 to 16. You have to have 12 receivers. You have to have four quarterbacks.

"You have to have depth, and it has to be competitive. It cannot be a big drop off from one to two. If you get a competitive roster where they are competing that is going to make the team better.” “You bang a whole bunch. You play in the middle of the field. In the SEC, you cover every inch of the field. In the Big Ten, you play in that phone booth, so you are going to lose some kids. They are hitting each other like bam bam bam. You have to be able to play six to eight defensive linemen. You have to be able to play four to five linebackers just because you get so much banging in 65 to 70 plays it is just banging. That is what I am learning about this conference.”

For the last home game on Saturday against Wisconsin, the Huskers will have more depth on defense than they did last week at Michigan. Starting safety Myles Farmer was arrested on a DUI charge by a Lincoln Police Officer several hours after the November 5th loss to Minnesota. The day after his arrest, Coach Joseph issued a statement; “I was informed on Sunday morning of an incident involving Myles Farmer this weekend,” Joseph stated. “Myles is a good young man, but understands he used poor judgement and made a mistake on Saturday night. The result of poor judgement and mistakes is consequences and discipline. In addition to penalties he may face through the legal system, Myles is suspended for this week’s game at Michigan and will be subject to internal discipline.” Farmer has played more snaps than any other Nebraska defender this year and with 62 tackles he ranks second on the team this season. He also has one tackle for loss and one interception this year and in his career in Lincoln, Farmer has 101 tackles, four interceptions and 1.5 sacks. After serving his one game suspension, it was announced today by Coach Joseph that Myles Farmer was back at practice this week and is expected to start against the Badgers.

Joe Mixan

Date

November 15, 2022

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