Nebraska interim head coach Mickey Joseph received a moderate pay raise with his new title. His new contract with the University of Nebraska also provides him potential bonuses based on how the Huskers finish their season.
Joseph’s new contract — effective Sept. 11, the day he replaced Scott Frost as head coach — pays him $600,000 with an additional $33,350 stipend.
For incentives, he will receive $100,000 if the Huskers earn a share of the Big Ten West or win it outright. If Nebraska plays in the Big Ten Championship, that amount doubles to $200,000. That bonus would raise to $300,000 if Nebraska wins the Big Ten Championship Game.
Joseph will earn an additional bonus if Nebraska makes a bowl game. That bonus starts at $150,000 for a bowl game not included in the College Football Playoff. That elevates up to $250,000 if the Huskers make one of the CFP bowl games. That would be either Orange, Rose, Sugar, Peach or Cotton Bowl. The bonus raises to $300,000 if the Huskers make the CFP semifinals. Joseph will then receive $350,000 should Nebraska play in the National Championship, $650,000 if they win it all.
Payout for those bonuses as laid out in his contract would be no later than the last day of February.
The new contract contains terms if Nebraska hires a head coach other than Joseph. In that event, he’d cease his role as interim head coach and revert back to receivers coach, passing game coordinator and associate head coach. Those terms would pertain to the original contract Joseph signed with the university on Dec. 6, 2021.
If Joseph is selected and appointed new head coach at the end of the 2022 season, the contract states, Joseph and the university would create a new contract.
The former Nebraska quarterback joined the coaching staff at his alma mater in December of last year as receivers coach, passing game coordinator and associate head coach. He’s coached for nearly three decades, most recently at LSU as receivers coach and associate head coach.
Nebraska returns from the bye week to tackle the remainder of its Big Ten season. The Huskers host Indiana with a 0-1 record in conference following the 31-28 loss to Northwestern in Ireland to start the season. Indiana, meanwhile will enter the game 1-0 in conference by opening its season with a 23-20 win over Illinois. The undefeated Hoosiers, however, play at Cincinnati this weekend.
Purdue and Illinois, also on Nebraska’s schedule this season, sit alongside the Huskers at 0-1 in the Big Ten West. Northwestern is the only 1-0 team in the West at this moment. Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin have yet to play a conference game.
Earlier this week, athletic director Trev Alberts confirmed Nebraska hired Collegiate Sports Associate to help conduct a national search for its new head football coach. That’s the same agency that suggested Alberts for the position he has now and identified Lincoln Riley as the top candidate for USC’s head coach position.
No timetable has been announced for the process or hire but Alberts previously said he’s considering early signing periods and transfer portal windows in the decision. Last year, Riley and fellow high-profile hire Brian Kelly were announced in the week between regular-season schedules ending and conference championship games.
