Mickey Joseph is a force of nature.
He’s positive, genuine and a natural leader. His ability to recruit elite talent and develop them into something greater is impressive and proven. His energy and passion are infectious.
In theory, he’s a strong candidate to remove the “interim” from his title. He’s currently 2-2 as Nebraska’s interim head football coach. If he can guide the Huskers to three more wins, Nebraska will go to a bowl game for the first time since 2016.
Everything about Mickey Joseph – his popularity with players and fans, his ability to recruit top-100 players and, yes, his career as a Nebraska player – could make him a front-runner for the full-time job.
Make no mistake: Mickey Joseph is getting an extended audition for the full-time job. The biggest knock on Joseph is a lack of Power 5 head coaching experience. Every game he coaches has the potential to turn that negative into a positive.
There’s just one problem: The biggest thing keeping Mickey Joseph from getting the Nebraska head coaching job is Nebraska.
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Only Trev Alberts knows for sure, but Mickey Joseph arguably needs to go 3-2 to have a realistic shot at the full-time gig. Home games against Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Road trips to Michigan and Iowa. In the last five seasons, Nebraska is a combined 4-17 against those five opponents.
To achieve bowl eligibility with a 3-2 finish, one of the following things would need to happen:
- Nebraska would have to beat a ranked team (#17 Illinois or #4 Michigan) for the first time since 2016, plus two other teams. Or …
- Nebraska sweeps its three trophy game rivals (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa) in a season for the first time since 2012.
Believe it or not, there is a lot of good news here: The Big Ten West is down this year. Wisconsin has already fired its coach. Iowa – behind one of the worst offenses you’ll ever see – might be headed in a similar direction. Minnesota is currently tied for last in the division. Illinois is improved, but largely unproven.
The bad news? Well …
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Let’s be blunt: Mickey Joseph walked into a mess.
His coaching staff is a mix of guys who have worked for Scott Frost* since the UCF days, guys who should probably be updating their LinkedIn profile, and guys who have gained battlefield promotions in the last month and a half.
*Heck, the current special teams coach (Joey Connors) PLAYED for Frost at UCF in 2017, and finished his playing career in 2018.
Even if Mickey Joseph gets the full-time job, we should probably expect a lot of turnover on the coaching staff.
As for the players: This is not a good Nebraska team. I’d argue they have less talent – especially on defense – and depth than the 2021 team that went 3-9.
The offensive line resembles the doors on an Old West saloon. That impacts the offense’s ability to establish a running game or keep their quarterback out of the medical tent.
The defense surrenders yards by the bushel and cannot get off the field. The three main pass rushers have combined for 6.5 sacks in seven games. Teams are running the ball at will. Their ability to tackle is suspect.
There’s more, but I think you get the idea.
At this point in the season, there’s absolutely nothing Mickey Joseph can do to improve his team’s lack of playmakers. There may be 150 guys on the roster, but development has been shockingly nonexistent for years. Depth as several key positions is paper thin. Injuries only magnify these issues.
Junior college guys and the transfer portal can’t help him now. Mickey has to play the hand he has been dealt, and a Trey is one of his few good cards.
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Can Mickey Joseph move the immovable?
Maybe, but he’ll need help.
The script for beating Nebraska in 2022 is pretty easy: run it straight at the Huskers until they stop you, then sit in a clean pocket and wait for receivers to get open. On defense, shut down NU’s attempts at a running game, getting them into predictable passing situations. Overwhelm Nebraska’s offensive tackles with pressure, while double-covering Trey Palmer. Control the ball for 40 minutes and walk away with a victory.
Joseph will have to rely on his coordinators – Bill Busch and Mark Whipple – to help flip that script. They may need to get creative, unconventional or – in the case of Whipple – outside their comfort zone, but maybe they can patch enough holes to keep the season afloat.
Beyond that, Mickey needs to continue doing what he’s doing. The team has clearly responded to him. The experiences of winning a close game (Rutgers) and putting away a victory (Indiana) should provide confidence for a team that didn’t know how to win.
I’m not looking to make any bold proclamations on who should be the next full-time head coach. It’s still October, and there’s still a lot of season left. The Illinois game is the halfway point of Mickey’s audition – not the end.
We can – and should – admire Mickey Joseph’s positivity, tough love and natural leadership skills. Those are things that can – over time – build a winning culture. Unfortunately, it can’t heal a banged-up linebacker room or correct technical mistakes on the offensive line.
But I’m excited to see what irresistible Mickey can do.
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