Reports: Mickey Joseph to Join Nebraska Coaching Staff

With every coaching change comes attrition both good and bad and LSU appears to be on the verge of losing a key piece from its staff.

FootballScoop and the Omaha World-Herald reported that Tiger wide receivers coach Mickey Joseph is close to signing a deal with Nebraska and join Scott Frost’s coaching staff. Joseph, a New Orleans native, is a Nebraska alum and played quarterback for the Cornhuskers between 1988-1991.

Frost is reworking his coaching staff and let go of four offensive assistants in an attempt to salvage his job at Nebraska. Frost is 15-29 through four season in Lincoln and just wrapped up a disappointing 3-9 season. Frost dismissed his offensive coordinator/receivers coach, quarterbacks coach, offensive line coach and running backs coach/recruiting coordinator in November.

Joseph has been a key part of the LSU coaching staff since joining in 2017. He may very well be LSU’s best recruiter next to Corey Raymond, especially in the New Orleans area. Joseph was instrumental in developing the recent surge of extraordinary LSU receivers like DJ Chark, Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, Terrace Marshall, and Kayshon Boutte. Joesph was also promoted to associate head coach in February 2020.

How new head football coach Brian Kelly chooses to fill Joseph’s looming vacancy and his staff at large remains to be seen. Kelly refuted speculation that current coaches (defensive backs coach Corey Raymond and running backs coach Kevin Faulk specifically) were going to be retained.

“They are well-respected and I will get an opportunity to vet out all of those coaches,” Kelly said in his introductory press conference. “I know the business, they know the business. There are realities in this business. But we’ll get to all of those coaches because as I mentioned earlier, they have families, they have lives, and we have to get moving in that direction.”

Kelly also reportedly wants to bring some of his Notre Dame assistants with him to Baton Rouge but again that remains to be seen. Kelly wanted to bring defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman and offensive coordinator Tommy Rees with him, but Notre Dame promoted Freeman to be the new head coach and Rees, a Notre Dame alum, is choosing to stay in South Bend.