Nebraska coach resigns: Matt Rhule loses another assistant from the program after Bob Wager last season

Per ESPN's Pete Thamel, Matt Rhule suffered another coaching loss as Nebraska's secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator Evan Cooper resigned. This resignation occurs just two months before the Huskers' season opener against UTEP on August 31st, leaving a significant gap in the coaching staff. Thamel shared the news on Saturday on X.

Cooper had been integral to Matt Rhule's coaching team for the past 11 years. He had worked with him at the Carolina Panthers, Baylor and Temple. This year would have marked Cooper's 12th consecutive season under Rhule's leadership.

Last season, Cooper's secondary unit was pivotal in Nebraska's defense, limiting opponents to only 6.1 yards per attempt, which ranked 9th nationally. This is the second consecutive year where a Rhule assistant has left the program in July, with former tight ends coach Bob Wager exiting in 2023.

Cooper's coaching tenure at Nebraska saw the secondary achieve remarkable defensive statistics since the team entered the Big Ten Conference in 2011. The Huskers ranked 15th nationally in passing efficiency defense and 9th in limiting opponents' yards per attempt.

Additionally, the secondary's efforts contributed to Nebraska's overall 14th ranking in total defense and 17th in scoring defense nationally. These are their best performances since 2009 and 2010. Four members of the Husker secondary earned All-Big Ten honors under Cooper's guidance.

Cornerback Quinton Newsome, cornerback Tommi Hill, rover Isaac Gifford and safety Omar Brown received recognition. Hill led the Big Ten with 13 passes defended, while Gifford led the team with 86 tackles. Cooper was the Carolina Panthers' director of player evaluation and held key roles at Baylor, Temple and Miami.

Matt Rhule prepares for tough season with Nebraska Cornhuskers

With over 20 years of coaching experience, Matt Rhule started as a volunteer assistant at Penn State in 1998. He has risen to coach positions, including his latest challenge at Nebraska. After a 5-7 season in 2023, expectations are high with five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola joining the team.

Nebraska faces a significant early test in Week 2 against Colorado, a team that defeated them 36-14 last season. Rhule praised Colorado's Shedeur Sanders.

"He (Shedeur) is one of the best football players I've ever coached against. We blitzed him, I think we sacked him like 10 times, we hit him a ton and he stood in there," Rhule told Joel Klatt

Despite sacking Sanders seven times, Nebraska couldn't contain him as he completed 74% of his passes for 393 yards and scored three touchdowns. Rhule acknowledges Sanders' dual impact, both on and off the field:

"Everyone sees Shedeur on commercials, they see the swagger that he plays with, but he's an unbelievable competitor and he's tough."

The upcoming matchup, airing on NBC, marks Colorado's first game on the network since the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. The September 7th game will be crucial for both teams' seasons.