A few scattershot thoughts on Evan Cooper‘s resignation on Friday and what it means for Nebraska on the field and on the recruiting trail.
— As the calendar flipped to Saturday, Nebraska’s season opener with UTEP sits just eight weeks away. The timing of Cooper’s resignation certainly isn’t ideal with the start of fall camp less than a month away. With fall camp set to start in less than a month, it could make it more difficult for Rhule and Co., to find a permanent replacement for Cooper, though it doesn’t appear that Nebraska’s coaching staff was necessarily caught off-guard by Friday’s news.
One thing potentially working in Nebraska’s favor in filling this role, or helping to triage the loss of Cooper, is the recent NCAA rule change that allows for on-field coaching by analysts and quality control personnel. Senior defensive analyst Kevin McGarry has worked with Tony White at both San Diego State and Syracuse and could provide valuable knowledge of White’s defense to assist with defensive backs. McGarry was key last season in easing the transition to the 3-3-5. White himself was also a long-time coach of cornerbacks to add more coaching depth and support for the fall if needed. Nebraska at least has more options at its disposal following the new rule change.