Interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph

[Guy Chamberlin]

Mickey's resume is pretty thin. But not that thin. There's a lot to recommend him to a university already burned by more experienced and expensive coaching failures. 

I would remain optimistic about what Mickey would do with a new staff and full recruiting cycle here at Nebraska. But I always push back when Husker fans start wringing their hands that there are only two or three people on Earth who can rescue Nebraska football. 

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

You believe MJ is being considered for the full-time HC position? After the IL game? Not a chance.

1) I'm betting Trev Alberts hopes he can land one of the top coaching candidates, not only to coach the team but to shore up the Nebraska brand and reputation.

2) I'm also betting he's rooting for Mickey to succeed, and has considered Mickey in the HC running from the moment he returned to Lincoln, already knowing the likelihood of an interim coach in 2022.

3) If Nebraska gets rejected by too many top candidates --- and we've been there before --- Trev has to consider the MJ option. To your point, the Illinois loss took a lot of the shine off, but I don't think it sealed any deal. 

 

[Born N Bled Red]

1) I'm betting Trev Alberts hopes he can land one of the top coaching candidates, not only to coach the team but to shore up the Nebraska brand and reputation.

2) I'm also betting he's rooting for Mickey to succeed, and has considered Mickey in the HC running from the moment he returned to Lincoln, already knowing the likelihood of an interim coach in 2022.

3) If Nebraska gets rejected by too many top candidates --- and we've been there before --- Trev has to consider the MJ option. To your point, the Illinois loss took a lot of the shine off, but I don't think it sealed any deal. 

I don't think we need to rush to a hire. We could even sit out a cycle like Ohio State did and wait for the perfect fit. Then Mickey gets a full year (of his own) to show if he has the goods, ala Fickell, and if not, we hire the best coach available that we've had a full 20 months to court. Who knows, a year from now Zac Taylor could be available, Baltimore considered firing John Harbaugh during this last offseason, Mike Tomlin will likely be available, Sean Payton might be ready to jump back in. Heck maybe Suh officially hangs it up and gets the gig. 

Honestly, I am so underwhelmed with the options this cycle, I almost prefer to go this route. Give Mickey a $2.5 million one-year contract and then your number 1 job is to find the very best coach money can buy. Its a win-win for Mickey too, IMO- he gets a nice pay day, gets a chance to prove himself, and if it doesn't work out, he's proven he can act in a head coach capacity and has G5 head coach gigs available ala Fickell. 

 

[Red Five]

I don't think we need to rush to a hire. We could even sit out a cycle like Ohio State did and wait for the perfect fit. Then Mickey gets a full year (of his own) to show if he has the goods, ala Fickell, and if not, we hire the best coach available that we've had a full 20 months to court. Who knows, a year from now Zac Taylor could be available, Baltimore considered firing John Harbaugh during this last offseason, Mike Tomlin will likely be available, Sean Payton might be ready to jump back in. Heck maybe Suh officially hangs it up and gets the gig. 

Honestly, I am so underwhelmed with the options this cycle, I almost prefer to go this route. Give Mickey a $2.5 million one-year contract and then your number 1 job is to find the very best coach money can buy. Its a win-win for Mickey too, IMO- he gets a nice pay day, gets a chance to prove himself, and if it doesn't work out, he's proven he can act in a head coach capacity and has G5 head coach gigs available ala Fickell. 

This is idiotic.  If you want any players to come in (recruits or portal) this offseason then you need a HC on more than a 1 year contact.

As for what OSU did, Tressel left on May 30.  That is why Fickell took over for the 2011 season.

 

[runningblind]

I don't think we need to rush to a hire. We could even sit out a cycle like Ohio State did and wait for the perfect fit. Then Mickey gets a full year (of his own) to show if he has the goods, ala Fickell, and if not, we hire the best coach available that we've had a full 20 months to court. Who knows, a year from now Zac Taylor could be available, Baltimore considered firing John Harbaugh during this last offseason, Mike Tomlin will likely be available, Sean Payton might be ready to jump back in. Heck maybe Suh officially hangs it up and gets the gig. 

Honestly, I am so underwhelmed with the options this cycle, I almost prefer to go this route. Give Mickey a $2.5 million one-year contract and then your number 1 job is to find the very best coach money can buy. Its a win-win for Mickey too, IMO- he gets a nice pay day, gets a chance to prove himself, and if it doesn't work out, he's proven he can act in a head coach capacity and has G5 head coach gigs available ala Fickell. 

What you are talking about would be unprecedented.  Fickell was only the interim in 2011, you are thinking of the plan to have him be interim during Tressel's 5 game suspension but the he resigned and it became all of 2011, but not more than that one year.  That would kill recruiting for even longer and put Mickey in a more difficult, and unfair, situation.

 

[Born N Bled Red]

What you are talking about would be unprecedented.  Fickell was only the interim in 2011, you are thinking of the plan to have him be interim during Tressel's 5 game suspension but the he resigned and it became all of 2011, but not more than that one year.  That would kill recruiting for even longer and put Mickey in a more difficult, and unfair, situation.

Mickey's interim now, haven't lost a recruit yet, and have gained 2. Mickey would have to agree to it, yes. Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. For Mickey, it could be a chance to shoot his shot. 

Let me ask you this, what is more detrimental to Nebraska's future success, sitting out a coaching cycle with a great recruiter (but unproven head coach) with an interim tag, or... rushing to make a lackluster hire that is in-able to attract recruits beyond our current level of success and fails to execute a turnaround giving us another 3-5 lost years of being a CFB non-factor and an even more diminished reputation to attract recruits or a coach. 

 

[runningblind]

Mickey's interim now, haven't lost a recruit yet, and have gained 2. Mickey would have to agree to it, yes. Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. For Mickey, it could be a chance to shoot his shot. 

Let me ask you this, what is more detrimental to Nebraska's future success, sitting out a coaching cycle with a great recruiter (but unproven head coach) with an interim tag, or... rushing to make a lackluster hire that is in-able to attract recruits beyond our current level of success and fails to execute a turnaround giving us another 3-5 lost years of being a CFB non-factor and an even more diminished reputation to attract recruits or a coach. 

I would go with option 3 that you just think doesn't exist, hire a good coach now.  What makes you so sure 1. none of these coaches would not succeed or 2. there will be anyone better in your eyes next year?  What makes that less of a gamble than making a hire now? 

 

[Husker in WI]

Mickey's interim now, haven't lost a recruit yet, and have gained 2. Mickey would have to agree to it, yes. Fairness is in the eye of the beholder. For Mickey, it could be a chance to shoot his shot. 

Let me ask you this, what is more detrimental to Nebraska's future success, sitting out a coaching cycle with a great recruiter (but unproven head coach) with an interim tag, or... rushing to make a lackluster hire that is in-able to attract recruits beyond our current level of success and fails to execute a turnaround giving us another 3-5 lost years of being a CFB non-factor and an even more diminished reputation to attract recruits or a coach. 

Nobody coaches under a 1 year deal nowadays, no matter how good the opportunity is. Fickell was specifically an interim.

I also don't understand sitting out a year to wait for an NFL coach who may or may not be fired. Anyone worth hiring next year that might actually say yes would say yes this year for the right price.

 

[Husker03]

Let me ask you this, what is more detrimental to Nebraska's future success, sitting out a coaching cycle with a great recruiter (but unproven head coach) with an interim tag, or... rushing to make a lackluster hire that is in-able to attract recruits beyond our current level of success and fails to execute a turnaround giving us another 3-5 lost years of being a CFB non-factor and an even more diminished reputation to attract recruits or a coach. 

This program needs some sort of big splash hire and show  promise within the next 2 to 3 weeks or it’s not gonna make it through this season. We don’t have another year to hope that Mickey works out. There’s actually a very high chance that he will not work out as a head coach, and in that case, we’re living through this season again next year. I certainly hope we didn’t spend $15 million to just do more of the same on field performances for almost 2 full seasons. 

 

[Born N Bled Red]

I would go with option 3 that you just think doesn't exist, hire a good coach now.  What makes you so sure 1. none of these coaches would not succeed or 2. there will be anyone better in your eyes next year?  What makes that less of a gamble than making a hire now? 

1) I don't see a single coach with a proven track record of success and the ability to pull in great recruits available. Short of Meyer, Petersen, or Patterson, the available coaches are a 50/50 proposition at best. BoB, Campbell, Liapold, Klieman, Kiffin-GAG, all might be fine coaches, but I don't think any of them will have success enough for us to not be looking for another coach in 5-7 years. Can't wait to see that happen! 

2) I just listed 4 coaches that would have a proven track record of success at the NFL level that would be able to wow recruits and coach the game. They also will have a stronger grasp of what it is like to be a head coach in the era of NIL (paid players) and the transfer portal (free agency) and the ability to build a team around those factors. 

3) I see this as a much more likely route to long term success than hiring someone who, "wow did ok with minimal resources," or, "he's the hot new ACC coach of the year," or "yeah his best years are behind him, but he knows what it takes and he might right the ship before sailing into the sunset," type coaches who have been mentioned this far. 

 

[Red Five]

2) I just listed 4 coaches that would have a proven track record of success at the NFL level that would be able to wow recruits and coach the game. They also will have a stronger grasp of what it is like to be a head coach in the era of NIL (paid players) and the transfer portal (free agency) and the ability to build a team around those factors.

NFL coaches are better prepared for CFB because NFL players are paid and the NFL has free agency.  That is some take.

 

[Born N Bled Red]

NFL coaches are better prepared for for CFB because NFL players are paid and the NFL has free agency.  That is some take.

Your paraphrasing needs some work, or your reading comprehension needs an upgrade. 

 

[thexyz]

I don't think we need to rush to a hire. We could even sit out a cycle like Ohio State did and wait for the perfect fit. Then Mickey gets a full year (of his own) to show if he has the goods, ala Fickell, and if not, we hire the best coach available that we've had a full 20 months to court. Who knows, a year from now Zac Taylor could be available, Baltimore considered firing John Harbaugh during this last offseason, Mike Tomlin will likely be available, Sean Payton might be ready to jump back in. Heck maybe Suh officially hangs it up and gets the gig. 

Honestly, I am so underwhelmed with the options this cycle, I almost prefer to go this route. Give Mickey a $2.5 million one-year contract and then your number 1 job is to find the very best coach money can buy. Its a win-win for Mickey too, IMO- he gets a nice pay day, gets a chance to prove himself, and if it doesn't work out, he's proven he can act in a head coach capacity and has G5 head coach gigs available ala Fickell. 

That’s an interesting concept. Something like that would probably be pretty difficult to execute IMO…
 

I do get your point. Several of the names being mentioned are quite underwhelming. Nothing’s to say for sure that next year’s options would be better. Maybe that would cause some recruits reluctant to making a commitment? It’s possible that we’d be prolonging the inevitable too.

It seems like that we really need to inject some positive energy into the program as soon as possible and to begin building a foundation with a sense of urgency. 

 

[JJ Husker]

Anybody that is judging MJ on game results this year while having SFs players and the SF staff remnants isn’t real sharp. If you want to base your opinion on coaching and decisions MJ has made, fine, but I’m really sick of seeing people claim that the Illinois game result (or specific game results) proves he can’t do the job. I don’t think he should be our 1st or 2nd or 3rd choice but please stop with asinine reasoning that doesn’t allow for the mess he stepped into.

 

[lo country]

The reality is the longer the search goes, the less "sure" a hire is.  Campbell came in hot, loses 5 in a row IIRC, and no longer wanted.  Aranda has similar rumblings.  Now Klieman looks good.  But he inherited great teams at NDSU, decent team at KSU....It's a complete and total crap shoot.