Nebraska's promotion of Joseph trigger for celebration, hope

By RJ Younger
FOX Sports activities School Soccer Author 

On Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, Tommy Bowden coached his final sport at Clemson.

It didn’t matter that his opponent that evening, Wake Forest, was ranked No. 21 within the nation, or that the Tigers misplaced by lower than a TD — 12-7. Bowden knew he’d damaged an unstated rule as head of a Tigers program that had simply dropped to 3-3.

"You'll be able to’t lose to Wake Forest on Thursday evening," he said. "You simply can’t."

Practically 14 years later, Nebraska's Scott Frost additionally discovered that there are some video games you simply cannot lose. In his case, the breaking level was a 45-42 defeat at house towards Georgia Southern, which got here every week after struggling to beat FCS North Dakota, and two weeks after blowing an 11-point result in Northwestern in Dublin, Eire.

He was relieved of his duties on Sunday.

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FOX Sports activities RJ Younger is joined by former Michigan participant and present Large Ten Community analyst Jake Butt to debate Nebraska's determination to fireside Scott Frost.

At any time when there's a change like this, although, there's purpose for hope.

Within the Tigers' case, then-Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips stuffed Bowden's spot by elevating extensive receivers coach Dabo Swinney to interim head coach. It was a title Swinney thought so extremely of that he instructed his spouse that "we received fired at the moment."

However not solely did Swinney retain the job after guiding the Tigers to a 7-6 season, he has since developed Clemson into some of the dominant applications of the final decade. Now, he appears destined for the School Soccer Corridor of Fame when his profession involves an finish.

In Nebraska's case, the following man up is Mickey Joseph. Like Swinney, Joseph has taken on the tag of interim head coach. Like Swinney, he now finds himself operating a program he in all probability by no means anticipated to run. Like Swinney, he's the person a fan base now turns to for hope.

Now, far be it from me to anoint Joseph as a person who might match Swinney win-for-win earlier than he’s even coached a sport as interim head coach at Nebraska. However you’ll pardon me for seeing similarities that may enable the Huskers devoted to search out some pleasure and perception in what lies in await the rest of their 2022 season. 

Like Swinney, Joseph isn't just a receivers coach however one who's acknowledged as among the many greatest within the career.

Earlier than shifting to Nebraska, Mickey Joseph was receivers coach at LSU, the place he led the trio of Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Terrace Marshall. (Photograph by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photos)

In 2019, his LSU receiving corps featured Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall and Justin Jefferson. That group is on the brief checklist of the most effective items to play the sport and one purpose Joe Burrow went from digital unknown to Heisman winner and No. 1 general draft decide in 2020.

Joseph not solely introduced his information of the place to Lincoln — together with prize LSU switch Trey Palmer and freshman De’Coldest Crawford — however, like his predecessor, has come house to a program the place he was a standout participant at one of many blueblood applications within the sport.

Additionally like Swinney, Joseph has by no means served as a play-calling coordinator — offensive or defensive — in his 27 years within the career. Odds are he’s not going to be seeking to discover ways to do this now.

With Joseph as the person on the entrance of the tunnel, there’s no query who's going to name the performs or run the offense. That’s Mark Whipple’s job.

There will probably be little reflection on what the primary three video games have been like and extra emphasis on being a component that makes up the entire that's Nebraska soccer. Joseph’s focus will probably be on the workforce, although a lot will probably be mentioned — and must be — about him being the primary Black head coach of any sport in Nebraska’s historical past.

In a sport the place Black males make up a big proportion of the game, Joseph’s rent is as culturally necessary as it's to the win-loss document of Nebraska soccer.

The Large Ten will characteristic 4 Black head coaches in the identical season for the primary time in its historical past, together with the one Black commissioner of a Energy 5 league. That is in a sport that options 130 FBS applications however made simply three Black head-coaching hires over the last cycle.

In the meantime, the SEC fields 14 groups with out a Black head coach for the second consecutive season. And, make no mistake, school soccer’s two most necessary leagues are the SEC and the Large Ten, so they're value evaluating.

After all, Joseph has an opportunity to be not only a strolling, speaking Black historical past reality, however a Nebraska legend. That can take profitable.

In spite of everything, Swinney wanted to win extra video games than he misplaced to have that interim tag faraway from his title, and he needed to carry on profitable to earn something approaching job safety. Joseph will probably be held to the identical customary.

However I'd be remiss if I didn’t say, as a lot because it’s terrible for one more man to lose his job, I'm thrilled for Joseph. I daresay Husker followers are too — particularly if this determination by athletic director Trev Alberts returns Nebraska to being among the many most-feared applications within the sport.

RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast "The Number One College Football Show." Observe him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Young Show" on YouTube.

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