Time Not on Mickey Joseph’s Side

Nebraska’s loss to Illinois deals a blow to quest for head coaching job

Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Don't look now, but time is running out not only for the '22 Husker football season but maybe for interim head coach Mickey Joseph as well.

Husker A.D. Trev Alberts will announce (probably after the Iowa game) his choice to be the head football coach.

Had Nebraska been able to pull off a win Saturday over #17 Illinois, maybe Joseph could have made a case for Alberts to name him as the permanent coach.

But with four games remaining against teams Nebraska hasn't beaten since Jesus was a baby, the future doesn't look bright this year. No one should blame Coach Joseph for a possible 3-9 record. He's done all he can to right the ship. But the boat is taking on water and its mast is broken - a tough challenge for even the best of coaches.

So who will get the job?

Here is a list of candidates from which I believe the new Husker head coach will be chosen. The list is just my opinion - I don't have any inside information. In fact, it very well could be that Alberts surprises everyone by picking someone who is not even on this list. 

1.) Matt Campbell
Age: 42
Current School: Iowa State
Conference: Big 12
Born in: Ohio
2022 Record: 3-5
Salary: $4 million per year

Why he'd be a good candidate:
He turned Iowa State into a winner. Cyclones went 3-9 his first year, 2016. Then his teams went 8-5, 8-5, 7-6, 9-3 and 7-6. In his six seasons at ISU, his teams have played in five bowl games (2-3).

Why he wouldn't be a good candidate:
He's never coached in the Big Ten as a head coach or as a coordinator. His team so far this season is 3-5 - not exactly a resume-enhancing record.

2.) Lance Leipold
Age: 58
Current School: Kansas
Born in: Wisconsin
2022 Record: 5-3
Conference: Big 12
Salary: $2.8 million

Why he'd be a good candidate:
Coach Leipold is a man of high character - not unlike a Tom Osborne. Lance's career includes a stop at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater, where his teams racked up a 109-6 record over eight seasons. WW also won six national championships in Division III. Leipold had a 37-33 record at Buffalo, leading the Bulls to three bowl appearances (2-1). Lance also served as an assistant at Nebraska (2001-'03) and at UNO. In his second year at Kansas, he's turned around a dismal program that so far this season at 5-3 is just one win away from being bowl eligible.

Why he wouldn't be a good candidate:
It's doubtful Leipold would leave KU when he's just getting started there. A man of high character would be unlikely to leave KU in midstream.

3.) Dave Aranda
Age: 46
Born in: California
Current School: Baylor
Conference: Big 12
2022 Record: 5-3 (19-12 overall)
Salary: $6 million

Why he'd be a good candidate:
In his first year as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin (2013-2015), the Badgers finished in the Top 20 in four major defensive categories: scoring defense (6th), total D (7th), rush D (5th) and pass D (17th). In 2012, he was nominated for the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant. Aranda changed Wisconsin from a 4-3 base defense to a 3-4. In 2020, he was hired as the head coach at Baylor, where his first team went 2-7 in a COVID year. In '21, he took the Bears to a 12-2 record - the best in school history.

Another reason he might come to Nebraska is that he and Mickey Joseph coached together at LSU. It would seem Mickey would be a sure bet to stay on at NU if Aranda were selected. Trev Alberts will have to open his checkbook to land Dave.

Why he wouldn't be a good candidate:
He may be in the same situation as Lance Leipold: Dave just started his head coaching career at Baylor. He might be unwilling to depart so soon. One mitigating circumstance might be the status of the Big 12 Conference. With the departure of Texas and Oklahoma, it may be very difficult for him to ever compete for or win a national championship at Baylor.

4.) Bill O'Brien
Age: 53
Born in: Massachusetts
Current School: Alabama (OC/QB assistant)
Conference: SEC
Current Record: 'Bama ranks #17 in total offense (485.1 yards per game)
Alabama is 7-1 this season
Salary: $1.1 million

Why he would make a good candidate:
O'Brien has been a winner wherever he's coached. He took over a Penn State team that was in turmoil because of the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the firing of longtime head coach Joe Paterno. O'Brien's first team in 2012 went 8-4, and 7-5 the next year. After the 2012 season, O'Brien was chosen as Big Ten Coach of the Year.

He left PSU to take the head coaching job at Houston of the NFL in 2014. He spent six-plus years there, going 9-7, 9-7, 9-7, 4-12, 11-5, 10-6 and was fired after a 0-4 start to the 2020 season.

He's been a head coach in the B1G and the NFL and now is an assistant for Nick Saban at Alabama. At Nebraska, O'Brien would get a huge bump in his salary.

Why he wouldn't be a good candidate:
O'Brien may want to coach in the SEC, but it might be difficult to turn down an opportunity to get back as a head coach in the Big Ten.

My pick? No. 1 is Dave Aranda and No. 2 is Bill O'Brien. If neither man gets the job, I trust Trev Alberts will pick the best available candidate. Husker fans will just have to wait a few more weeks to find out.

How ’Bout Them Huskers
Grandson Will and I rehash the Illinois loss and review the next four Husker opponents. Don't miss it!

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