The deal has officially been finalized. Mickey Joseph, a former University of Nebraska player, has officially joined the Huskers’ staff as the wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator/associate head coach.
Nebraska made the hire official with an announcement just before noon on Friday.
Husker Nation, help us welcome back Coach Mickey Joseph to the Good Life!!!#GBR /// @daboot02 pic.twitter.com/NNSm8GYlhk
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) December 3, 2021
“Mickey Joseph brings a wealth of experience and expertise to our coaching staff,” Coach Scott Frost said in a statement released by Nebraska. “He is an excellent teacher and mentor for young players and is a proven recruiter. We are excited to bring Mickey back to his alma mater and have him play a key role in the success of our offense.”
Joseph comes to Nebraska after two seasons at LSU, where he served as the Tigers’ wide receivers coach and assistant head coach. Joseph impressed at LSU with the wide receiver room he cultivated. He produced a number of NFL Draft picks during his time with the Tigers, including Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Terrace Marshall and D.J. Chark. Kayshon Boutte, a sophomore wide receiver for the Tigers, is expected to be a top prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft.
Joseph—who is originally from Marrero, Louisiana—received a contract extension from LSU in May of 2021. His updated deal with LSU guaranteed him $500,000 for the first year of the contract—up from $400,000—and $550,00 for the second year. The contract ran through March of 2023. The specifics of Joseph’s deal with Nebraska is not yet known and the hiring is pending the completion of a University of Nebraska background check.
Joseph arrived at LSU after serving as the running backs coach at Louisiana Tech in 2016. Prior to that, Joseph coached the wide receivers at Grambling State, helping the team go from 1-11 to 16 wins over the two seasons he was with the program in 2014-15. Joseph was also the special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach at Alcorn State in 2013, and spent six years—two as the head coach—at Langston University from 2008-13. His first collegiate coaching job was at Wayne State (Nebraska) College in 1997.
LSU fired former head coach Ed Orgeron almost two months ago, recently hiring Brian Kelly from Notre Dame to fill the open position. It seemed plausible that Kelly would try and retain Joseph at LSU, but Frost and Nebraska won out in the end.
Joseph returns to Lincoln after being away for nearly two decades and is expected to hit the ground running. Joseph is known for his skills on the recruiting trail, and Nebraska will need him to hit the road before the early signing period begins on Dec. 15.
“I am honored to return to Nebraska to join Coach Frost’s staff,” Joseph said. “I can’t wait to get to Lincoln to work with our players and represent Nebraska Football. Once you are a Husker your love for the program never leaves you and my family and I could not be more excited.”
Nebraska still has multiple positions to hire for its staff after Frost fired four offensive assistants in November. The Huskers are still looking for an offensive coordinator, as well as two assistant coaching roles, with the three remaining positions needing to oversee quarterbacks, running backs and the offensive line. Frost could also opt to hire a full-time special teams coordinator, which means staff rearrangement and responsibilities are still possible.
Erin is the Deputy Editor and Digital Marketing Strategist for Hail Varsity. She has covered Nebraska athletics since 2012, which has included stops at Bleacher Report, Cox Media Group’s Land of 10, and even Hail Varsity (previously from 2012-2017). She has also been featured on the Big Ten Network, NET’s Big Red Wrap-Up, and a varsity of radio shows nationwide. When not covering the Huskers, Erin is probably at Chipotle.
