Matt Rhule’s ‘right-hand man’ leaves Nebraska football’s coaching staff

Matt Rhule’s “right-hand man,” who has followed Rhule to each of his head coaching jobs, resigned Friday.

Nebraska football’s defensive backs coach Evan Cooper resigned “due to personal reasons,” an NU spokesperson confirmed Friday night. Cooper, also the Huskers’ defensive pass game coordinator, makes $670,000 and was on contract through the end of the 2024 season.

He was preparing to oversee a Nebraska secondary equipped with multiple veteran starters heading into this fall.

Cooper is a former Temple player who joined Rhule’s coaching staff at Temple. Rhule then brought him to Baylor, the NFL’s Carolina Panthers and Nebraska.

Cooper was instrumental in Nebraska’s recruiting efforts, particularly in his hometown of Miami. Cooper would also often lend his hand in Texas and throughout the East Coast.

At Big Ten Media Days last July, Rhule said of Cooper: “He has really been my recruiting guy, right-hand guy all along.”

Cooper’s departure marks the second consecutive offseason a Nebraska assistant resigned in the lead-up to fall camp. Former tight ends coach Bob Wager resigned in July 2023 following a DUI citation, and assistant Josh Martin moved from his analyst role to an on-field position for the remainder of the season.

Nebraska may seek to elevate one of its defensive staffers to accommodate for Cooper’s departure four weeks before the Huskers begin their fall preparation.