Dave Feit: 2022 Midterm Coaching Grades

Nebraska’s staff shakeup complicates the evaluation

Kenny Larabee photo, KLIN

Last year, I handed out midseason grades of the Nebraska coaching staff. It's a fun exercise to evaluate the performance of the assistants, coordinators and head coach in a handful of different areas. The overall GPA allows us to see how they rank.

Honestly, I almost didn't do it this year. The shakeup from Scott Frost's firing - two existing coaches in interim roles, replaced by two analysts - makes proper evaluation tough. Plus, there is the elephant in the room: several (if not all) of the current coaches will be out of a job when the full-time head coach is hired. At this point, nothing is guaranteed.

But I decided to go forward with the grades. The grading process forces me to reflect and look beyond preconceived notions and narratives. Plus, there are some assistants on this staff who are deserving of a look from the next full-time coach, whoever that is. It is worth the effort to point them out.

Methodology

When I grade coaches, I look at four key areas:

1. On-field performance. How is their unit playing? Are they a bright spot, weakness, or somewhere in between?
2. Improvement. Has the overall unit (and/or individual players) gotten better - or worse - over the course or the season or last 12 months? In my eyes, improvement is improvement regardless of if it comes from the transfer portal or developing the guys already in the room.
3. Depth. How big is the drop-off between the starters and the backups? Injuries happen, so the next man up needs to be able to contribute. I feel depth is the primary indicator of development.
4. Gut opinion. I've been at every home game and have watched the rest. The only football I’ve coached is my third-grader’s soccer team, but I feel like I have good understanding of where this program has been, and where it is now.

I'll assign a letter grade (A through F) to each area, and compile them into an overall GPA, using the standard 4.0 scale. For the most part, a C indicates no drastic changes – for better or worse – from last year.

Recruiting and the transfer portal

Obviously, recruiting is a huge part of a college coach's duties. But I don't include recruiting in my grades. I don't follow recruiting close enough to make an informed opinion on who is landing the talent and who is dead weight. Also, grading recruiting leads to a lot of incomplete grades as recent signees redshirt and work their way up the depth chart.

Transfer portal guys are a big part of this team, and can really impact the grades – particularly in the “Improvement” category. But my philosophy is to credit to position coaches for having and utilizing talent in their room – high school signee, JUCO, or transfer portal – instead of the coach(es) who recruited the player.

Special accommodations and grading curve

Have I mentioned how the firings of Frost and Erik Chinander made this exercise harder than usual?

Mickey Joseph and Bill Busch will be graded on their current interim roles. I'm also going to lump them in with the analysts (Mike Cassano and Joey Connors, respectively) who took over their old position groups.

I'm grading on a curve that gives extra consideration to the games in October. This was after Chinander was fired and changes were made on defense. For example: is it fair to judge, say Travis Fisher, on the four games where Chinander was running a bend-but-don't-break defense, or the two where his guys could be more aggressive?

It was challenging to look at the season, consider the changes that have been, and not overreact to two teams at the bottom of the East division standings. But I feel good about the grades.

A few other notes

• Coordinators who also lead a position group get two individual grades, one for each responsibility. Coordinators are graded on the entirety of their phase of the game. The (interim) head coach is graded on the entire team.
• I'm using the official titles on Huskers.com to determine responsibilities. I know a lot of things have changed in the last few weeks, but I'm only grading on what is officially assigned.
• Since I'm not at practice or in the meeting rooms, I can only grade based on what I see on the field. My philosophy is if we're going to blame coaches for the mistakes and poor performance of their players, it is only fair to give coaches credit for the good performances and athletic plays their units make.
• I'm not calling for anybody to be fired. While I have three names in my "Academic Probation" list, there are six regular-season games left, with postseason games still possible. That gives coaches ample time to correct problems and demonstrate improvement.

Let’s start at the head of the class:

Dean’s list

Bryan Applewhite, Running Backs

• On-Field Performance: Anthony Grant is currently the best Nebraska running back since Devine Ozigbo … and I'd listen to your argument if you wanted to go back further. B+
• Improvement: Last year's leading rusher (Rahmir Johnson) cannot get on the field. A
• Depth: Before he was hurt, Ajay Allen looked like a future star. Gabe Ervin Jr. returned from a 2021 knee injury and looks like he could carry the load too. Fan favorite Jaquez Yant is also getting reps. A
• Gut Opinion: NU is currently eighth in the conference in rushing, despite having a horrible offensive line and a combined total of -48 yards from their QBs and WRs. The next coach may want to look at keeping Applewhite – and his Texas recruiting connections – on the staff. A
• GPA: 3.88

Mickey Joseph, Interim Head Coach

• On-Field Performance: Mickey got thrown into the deep end – nationally televised against #6 Oklahoma – in his debut. But he has rebounded with the first back-to-back conference wins since 2018. B
• Improvement: I'm on record that NU loses both the Indiana & Rutgers games with Frost as head coach. Admittedly, three games are a small sample size. But raise your hand if you predicted - either when Frost was fired or after the OU game - that NU would be 3-3 right now. A
• Depth: There have been some shakeups in starters & backups in several position groups since Joseph took over. Mickey gets credit for that. B
• Gut Opinion: I find myself nodding in agreement with everything Mickey Joseph says or does. His positivity, energy, and honesty are exactly what this team needs. Should Mickey Joseph get the full-time job? I’m going to steal the response that 1620's John Bishop has been saying: "Ask me in November." The sample size is too small to make a decision that big right now. But I believe Joseph will get every chance to earn the job. B+
• GPA: 3.38

Bill Busch, Special Teams Coordinator / Joey Connors, Interim Assistant Coach - Special Teams

• On-Field Performance: NU is averaging 42.7 yards per punt, and surpassed their 2021 total for punt return yards in a single game. They also blocked a punt and returned it for a touchdown. B+
• Improvement: NU is clearly better at punting, catching/returning punts, extra points, and punt/kick coverage than they were a year ago. A
• Depth: I haven't decided if Oliver Martin is a legit punt return threat or the Gen Z version of Santino Panico. Placekicker Timmy Bleekrode hit a 51-yard punt when Brian Buschini was banged up in the OU game. C
• Gut Opinion: In theory, I should point out that NU is 1 for 4 on field goals this year, and had a punt blocked. But a year ago, I described the special teams as "a turd wrapped in roadkill, placed in a dumpster fire that was involved in a train wreck while being leaking toxic waste," and I was being polite. Special teams are easily the most improved unit on the team. If Busch has a place on the new staff – and he should – I’d like it to be special teams. A
• GPA: 3.38

Mickey Joseph, Wide Receivers / Mike Cassano, Interim Assistant Coach - Wide Receivers

• On-Field Performance: If we think of the WR room as a group project, Trey Palmer is doing the bulk of the work. Palmer has 40 catches for 544 yards and 3 TDs. The three next receivers (M. Washington, O. Martin, and I. Garcia-Castaneda) have a combined 31 catches for 521 yards and 2 TDs. B+
• Improvement: Palmer's presence is enough to earn an A, but Washington is a good addition. Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda seemed like an upgrade before he decided to transfer out. Alante Brown is better than he was a year ago. A
• Depth: 2021 starter Omar Manning is now the third or fourth receiver. I'm not sure if Tommi Hill joining the wide receiver room says more about the depth chart at WR or DB. Does anybody else remember the preseason talk about Rahmir Johnson working with the WRs? C+
• Gut Opinion: Mickey Joseph's credentials as a WR coach are impeccable. Palmer looks a like a Sunday player. I'm curious if any of the dozen freshman/redshirt frosh receivers make an appearance in the second half of the season. B
• GPA: 3.25

Mark Whipple, Quarterbacks

• On-Field Performance: Aside from some quibbles around holding the ball too long, it is hard to find a lot of faults with what Casey Thompson is doing - especially considering his protection. B+
• Improvement: I hate to boil this down to "Do you feel Casey Thompson is a better quarterback than Adrian Martinez?", but that's how this criterion is set up. For the offense that Whipple is trying to run, the answer is yes. B
• Depth: Aside from a few random snaps and some mop up work in the OU blowout, Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers have not played a lot. Purdy's role as the #2 guy tells me the depth is better than it was a year ago. C+
• Gut Opinion: Quarterbacks always get too much credit and too much blame for a team’s success. With that said, QB play was not the issue in any of NU's losses. And I’d argue that NU doesn't win the last two games without Thompson. How much of that is Thompson and how much is Whipple is a different debate, but my grading system gives credit to the coach for the talent in the room. I suspect Whip’s been-there-seen-that demeanor is helpful for the QBs. B+
• GPA: 3.13

Bill Busch, Interim Defensive Coordinator

• On-Field Performance: This is a very small sample size, against the 11th & 13th best offenses in the conference. Credit is given for two second half shutouts, more pressure and more turnovers. B
• Improvement: Since Busch wasn't a full-time assistant last year, or even the defensive coordinator a month ago, I'm looking at "improvement" from when Busch took over to now. In those two games, the shift has been dramatic. B+
• Depth: There have been more guys getting reps in the last two games that previously did not see a lot of playing time. There has not been a huge drop-off when they're in. C+
• Gut Opinion: Emotionally, I want to give an A. Logically, I know Indiana was without two top receivers and Rutgers had terrible quarterback play. Two games are a very small sample size. We'll learn more as the offenses improve and teams get a better read on Busch's schemes. I believe Busch is also doing some position work with the safeties and nickels. B
• GPA: 3.0

C’s get degrees

Mark Whipple, Offensive Coordinator

• On-Field Performance: Offensive inconsistency. His scripted plays have led to touchdowns in four of six games. But the offense is not good enough to overcome penalties. In the first three games, the offense was the best of the three phases. But it feels like they're trending down. B+
• Improvement: NU has better talent at RB, WR, and probably QB than 2021. A whopping 72.5% of offensive production (rush & receiving yards) is from players who were not on a roster a year ago. Yet, NU is scoring 3.8 fewer points per game compared to the same stretch of 2021. (28.5 ppg in 2022, 32.3 ppg in 2021). C+
• Depth: The sample size on backup quarterback Chubba Purdy is small. Depth at RB and WR has taken a hit since the first game, but is still better than a year ago. The lack of options at offensive line is what is killing the offense. C+
• Gut Opinion: Scoring a total of 70 points should have been enough to defeat Northwestern and Georgia Southern, but the offense disappeared against OU and Rutgers. Whipple is battling a horrible offensive line, a QB who does not trust the line, a defense that made it feel like he had to score every possession, and health concerns that have been the subject of rumors. Despite all of that, he’s doing a decent job. B
• GPA: 2.88

Travis Fisher, Defensive Backs

• On-Field Performance: The DBs have arguably benefited the most from Chinander's firing. They no longer have to sit back in a soft zone as Georgia Southern and Oklahoma throw short routes underneath them all day long. C+
• Improvement: Replacing vets like Cam Taylor-Britt, Deontai Wlliams, and Marquel Dismuke with underclassmen and transfers was always going to be a hard task. There's potential, but this unit will go through some growing pains first. D+
• Depth: I think it says a lot when one of the starters (Tommi Hill) is sent over to the offense. True freshman Malcom Hartzog has been a nice addition in the last two weeks. C+
• Gut Opinion: It is tough to watch a sixth-year QB like Noah Vedral pick on a true freshman DB, but I liked how it was handled. Hartzog was pulled out for a bit, got coached up, refocused, and came back to make a big play. That mentality is vital for defensive backs. Give Fisher credit for setting that tone. B+
• GPA: 2.50

Sean Beckton, Tight Ends

• On-Field Performance: Through six games, Nebraska tight ends have a combined 21 catches for 187 yards and 3 TDs. C
• Improvement: Travis Vokolek is not yet filling the big shoes left by Austin Allen. Nate Boerkircher and/or Chancellor Brewington are not yet filling 2021 Vokolek's shoes as the #2 guy. D
• Depth: Injuries to Vokolek, Chris Hickman and Thomas Fidone have forced an all-hands-on-deck situation. Chancellor Brewington is a devasting blocker but hasn't been used much as a receiving threat. AJ Rollins is likely a year or so away. Expect NU to go portal shopping for a veteran TE this offseason. C+
• Gut Opinion: Vokolek was off to an amazing start in the Northwestern game before he got hurt. His timing with Thompson has been off since he came back. I'd love to see what Fidone and/or Hickman could do if they were healthy. Honestly, I’m not sure what else Beckton can do. C+
• GPA: 2.0

Academic probation

Mike Dawson, Defensive Line/Edge

• On-Field Performance: A step back from the defensive tackles was expected. But would anybody have guessed that Garrett Nelson, Caleb Tannor, and Ochaun Mathis would have a combined 6.5 sacks through six games? D+
• Improvement: At edge, Mathis is an upgrade over what they had in 2021. The level of play on the D-line is not what it was in 2021, but it has improved over the course of the first six games, with a grade bump given for the big leap in the last two weeks. C+
• Depth: I'm giving credit for the number of viable bodies at DT and edge, especially given the offseason losses. To be clear: the 2022 tackles aren't yet better than the 2021 guys, but Ty Robinson doesn't have to play every snap. C
• Gut Opinion: I feel bad for Dawson. Last year, he held the “special teams coordinator” title despite being the full-time OLB coach. Now, he picks up a second position group (D-line) that was led by one of the best assistants on Frost’s staff (Tony Tuioti). Losing Darrion Daniels, Ben Stille, Deontre Thomas, Casey Rogers and more had an impact. The ripple effects from poor line play (limited pressure, linebackers getting blocked, teams running at will) hurt the entire defense. D+
• GPA: 1.88

Barrett Ruud, Linebackers

• On-Field Performance: It's been a hit-and-miss season (literally and figuratively) from the linebackers. C
• Improvement: Reimer and Henrich set a very high bar in 2021. For a variety of reasons (D tackles that could not absorb blocks, injuries, inexperienced backups) the linebackers have struggled to approach that standard. D
• Depth: True freshman Ernest Hausmann was thrown to the wolves when Nick Henrich was injured, and struggled. Eteva Mauga-Clements and Chris Kolarevic (brought back from nickel) played well against Indiana & Rutgers. But where are the other guys? D
• Gut Opinion: I feel like Ruud is a better coach than his grades indicate. And I get that some of things he's getting dinged for (D-line not doing their job, injuries and a very successful 2021) may not be fair. But I want more from the linebackers, and I definitely need more ready-to-go options beyond Reimer and Henrich. C+
• GPA: 1.63

Donovan Raiola

• On-Field Performance: Despite having one of the best running back rooms in a long time, NU is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry (tied for ninth in the league). NU quarterbacks have been sacked an average of three times per game (third worst). F
• Improvement: Trent Hixson is easily the best player on the line, and he's step down from Cam Jurgens, who left NU early to go pro. Is anybody better than they were a year ago? D-
• Depth: In fairness, Nebraska's offensive line has had a sizeable gap between starter and backup for the better part of a decade. Losing Teddy Prochazka to injury and Nouredin Nouili to suspension didn't help. But it has been hard to watch both tackles struggle knowing there aren't a lot of options. D+
• Gut Opinion: Let's be blunt: this was a bad hire that doesn't happen if a) his last name isn't the same as a former NU All-American, and/or b) his five-star QB nephew was already committed to Ohio State. Memo to the full-time head coach: Offensive line coach at NU is a job that requires a seasoned guy with a proven track record of development. Not a guy whose experience being in charge of a line consists of one year at Aurora (IL) University. F
• GPA: 0.50

---

Get your Huskers tickets from SI Tickets here.

---

---