Barthel and Cooper Press Conference

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[vailhusker]

Quick hits from Husker assistant coaches EJ Barthel, Evan Cooper​

Steve Marik • InsideNebraska
Staff Writer
@Steve_Marik

Two Nebraska football assistants took to the podium on Thursday at Memorial Stadium in EJ Barthel and Evan Cooper.
Barthel was tabbed by head coach Matt Rhule to coach the Husker running backs while Cooper will lead the defensive backs. Both coaches have worked for Rhule at previous stops — Barthel at and the NFL's Carolina Panthers, Cooper at Temple, Baylor and Panthers — while Cooper played for Rhule at Temple. Barthel played fullback at Massachusetts.

Here are the quick hits of what both coaches had to say

EJ Barthel​

>> Barthel introduces himself, and says he coaches running backs, or, as some call it, "I backs."
>> Overall, Barthel is impressed with his current running backs room. Barthel is familiar with Rahmir Johnson, a Bergen Catholic (N.J.) grad. Barthel coached at the high school earlier in his career.
>> It's a new experience, Barthel said about needing to re-recruit his own players. Barthel made it a goal to meet with his current players and create relationships.
>> Barthel got emotional about talking about his UConn running backs and needed a few seconds to collect himself. It's clear he cares about the players in his room.
>> Barthel played fullback at UMass, so he knows what they're supposed to look like. He's excited about bringing in the position and using it at times in the offense.
>> Barthel called Nebraska "the original RBU." He knows how important it is to the Husker fan base that its own program runs the football and has ball carriers who have the right mindset — running with violence and finishing runs.
>> Barthel always envisioned himself being a head coach. He's not ready for that yet in his career, but that's what he likes about coaching under Rhule.
>> What stands out about Cooper? "His energy," Barthel said. You can "feel" Cooper in meeting rooms and on the practice field. Barthel also called Cooper one of the best talent evaluators around.
>> Garret McGuire, Nebraska's 23-year-old receivers coach, came up. Barthel said McGuire isn't afraid to coach players up and have hard conversations when they need to happen.

Evan Cooper​

>> Cooper was one of the first hires Rhule made at Nebraska. Cooper said he and Rhule are very close. What does he like about Rhule? "He's probably one of the most thoughtful, caring people."
>> Cooper says he and Rhule seem to like many of the same recruits, and that's why the two mesh so well.
>> Rhule and Co. had a very limited amount of time to recruit the 2023 class. What was that process like? There was a lot of film, there was a lot of sleepless nights, too. Cooper wants to make sure he does his homework, starting with local guys they like and working out.
>> Cooper said he's not sure there's a certain "recruiting pitch" he gives recruits. The main thing Cooper starts out with is talking about Nebraska, because he believes its such a great place. Cooper said his time coaching in the NFL has "narrowed" his view on recruiting.
>> What does Cooper like about his current DB room? He thinks there are NFL players in his room right now. He's talked to Marques Buford Jr., Isaac Gifford, Malcolm Hartzog and others. What's the biggest thing he's noticed while watching their film? "They play hard. They play hard."
>> Cooper said he has a "football family." His grandmother knows football. His mom knows football. He remembers writing scouting reports at 8-years-old. He calls himself a film "junkie."
>> Cooper said "we have a big team, we have some long DBs." The coach is impressed with the Husker roster.
>> Cooper said Nebraska is lucky to have McGuire. The two wake up at the same time, 4:30 a.m., to workout together. "He's going to help us tremendously," Cooper said. Cooper called McGuire smart, relatable and has been a quarterback his entire life, which means McGuire has been a leader every time he steps on a football field.
>> One of the core principles of being a coach under Rhule is competitiveness. If they're not competitive — as a coach or recruiter — then there's going to be a problem.
>> Cooper was asked if he can decode Rhule's emoji tweets. "I don't even know if coach can," Cooper joked.

InsideNebraska - Quick hits from Husker assistant coaches EJ Barthel, Evan Cooper

Nebraska assistants EJ Barthel and Evan Cooper meet the media

nebraska.rivals.com

 

[vailhusker]

 

[Ghost of Devaney]

These guys are legit. Highly recommend a listen. I’m psyched GBR

 

[vailhusker]

Steve Marik • InsideNebraska
Staff Writer
@Steve_Marik

EJ Barthel deeply cares about his guys.

Nebraska’s new running backs coach spent just one season at UConn in 2022, but after hearing him talk about it Thursday at Memorial Stadium, it's clear that one season will hold a special place in his heart for a long time.
Reverse the clock to the 2020 season. The world was trying to figure things out with the COVID-19 pandemic. Some were wondering if it was even safe to play football. Some did, others didn’t.
UConn made the decision to cancel its season altogether. That didn’t make things any easier in 2021. Just two games into the season, head coach Randy Edsall announced he was going to retire at the end of the year. But the very next day, Edsall stepped down immediately. The Huskies went 1-11.
Jim Mora was hired in November 2021 and started assembling his first staff. That’s where Barthel entered the picture. He had been working under Matt Rhule for two seasons with the Carolina Panthers, assisting the coaching staff with a focus on the running backs and offensive line while also spending time in the personnel department.
UConn exceeded expectations in 2022. In Mora’s first year, the Huskies won six games and made a bowl. Before that, UConn hadn’t won more than three games since 2015. That season UConn’s rushing attack averaged 4.73 yards per carry, which was the best since 2018.
Barthel had a young running backs room, but he made it work. Leading rusher Victor Rosa (636 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns) was a true freshman while Devontae Houston (578, three) and Nathan Carter (405, one) were in their second years in the program.
The relationships Barthel made with his players is strong. So strong that, when talking about his decision to leave them, he got choked up.
“If you watch any of the UConn games last year, the one thing I hope you were able to see is the effort out of that running back unit and how they ran the football, and how much pride they took with each rep,” Barthel said.

Barthel is looking for one trait above all others with his running backs — the right mindset​

Barthel’s new running backs room has pieces to work with.
Anthony Grant is back for his sixth season, and he looked like an All-Big Ten back for parts of 2022. Talented second-year player Ajay Allen recently announced he was returning, too, which is a big deal. Allen rushed for 190 yards and two touchdowns while averaging a team-high 5.4 yards per carry before a collarbone injury against Oklahoma ended his season.
But don’t forget about Gabe Ervin Jr. and Rahmir Johnson, too. Ervin has developed into a 6-foot, 215-pound bruiser while Johnson is athletic enough to be used in both the running and throwing game, at least that was the idea last season. Emmett Johnson is young and inexperienced, but hungry.
“AG (Anthony Grant), the sky’s the limit for the kid,” Barthel said. “The kid has really good potential. He has the chance to be pretty special. He’s a very powerful runner. Ajay Allen is dynamic as they get. He has the ability to kind of do it all in the run game. Rahmir has elite speed, has the ability to make defenders miss in open space. Emmet is a high-effort, versatile guy. He doesn’t have a lot of playing experience, but just watching his spring practice, seeing him do multiple things on special teams and see his effort. He’s going to bring a lot of versatility to the room.
“And Gabe Ervin, golly. You look at that kid, you walk into any high school in the country and you look at Gabe Ervin, you say, ‘Who is this guy?’ The transfer portal, for me and coach Rhule, wasn’t really something we were interested in.”
What specific traits does Barthel look for in running backs? Above all else, it’s mentality.
You need to have that “it” factor inside to be able to do everything a running back is expected to do. They run the ball. They protect the quarterback in pass protection. They play special teams. They take the most punishment.
Outside of mentality, it’s good to not want to get tackled, too. That’s an obvious one.
“To run with a sense of violence upon contact. To me, that’s the biggest thing I’m looking for in guys, I want to make sure we’re striving to finish every single run,” Barthel said. “I think in the run game in college football, and football period, when you’re able to run the ball effectively, I think you have a shot to win the game. I think you take the soul out of the defense when you do that — dominate the line of scrimmage, which will be one of our principles here.”
Athleticism will be another trait Barthel looks for. There are certain measurables and speeds someone needs to have to be able to play at the Big Ten level. If they have them, Barthel will do the rest.
“My job is to coach their eyes and help them understand where the ball is supposed to go and how to run the ball when they get there,” Barthel said.

​

There was one moment with Rhule that will stay with Barthel​

Culture is a sports buzzword these days. However, there’s never been a good definition for it. But Barthel is all-in on Rhule’s culture, and he provided a hint at what it looked like at Temple.
The first time Barthel worked with Rhule was with the Owls in 2015. Barthel was the director of player personnel, and he’ll never forget this specific moment.
Even as a player himself, Barthel remembers his teammates cheering when coaches let them know they’d be practicing indoors during a cold day and not pleased when they’d practice outside.
“Something hit me when he (Rhule) said we’re going to hit on the field, because the weather was really cold,” Barthel recalled. “Not one kid said anything. Not one guy made a noise or a grunt. And that moment when I was on that staff, I knew the culture that he developed at that place was pretty special. So I’m a believer in coach Rhule and what he stands for.”
When Rhule called up Barthel with this opportunity, he jumped at it. To Barthel, Nebraska “is the original RB U.” There’s tradition that goes with the running back position, and Barthel said he’s honored to be the one who leads the room.
“This is one of those jobs where you get the chills thinking about gameday," he said. "That’s (Mike) Rozier, Roger Craig. I mean, come on. Ahman Green. Those guys are legends,” Barthel said. “To be part of that group in some way, some form — I worked with Ameer Abdullah — just to be part of that special group now is pretty special to me.”

Barthel always envisioned himself being a head coach, so he went out and got started​

After spending one season with Rhule as Temple’s director of player personnel, Barthel moved on to Penn State in 2016, where he was the recruiting coordinator. That season the Nittany Lions won the Big Ten championship.
But then Barthel’s career took a turn. He went from being a personnel guy at a good Big Ten program to a running backs coach at the FCS level, first at Albany (2017), then Howard (2018), then William & Mary (2019).
Rhule was always someone Barthel would reach out to when looking for advice, so he called up his former — and now current — boss before leaving Penn State.
“When I did make that decision, it was really simple,” Barthel said. “It was a one-minute, two-minute conversation. I said, ‘Coach, I have a couple opportunities to stay at Penn State, and I also have some opportunities at some other places that were reaching out.’ And he asked me, ‘Do you want to coach?’ And I said, ‘You’re darn right.’ And he said, ‘Go coach.’”
It was that simple.
Barthel heard Rhule’s message loud and clear. If you want to coach, go coach, and don’t worry where it’s at. It was a message that pushed Barthel over the edge.

 

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[vailhusker]

Zack Carpenter • InsideNebraska
Publisher
@Zack_Carp

Nebraska running backs coach E.J. Barthel and secondary coach Evan Cooper held their first media availability as members of the Huskers staff on Thursday afternoon.
Here are five key takeaways from the press conference:

1: "Sky's the limit" for Grant, Allen is "as dynamic as they get"​

No one in the Huskers’ running backs room was truly believed to be heading off to proverbial greener pastures via the transfer portal – except for Ajay Allen.
It wasn’t expected that Allen would leave, but the possibility was certainly on the table for the uber-talented true freshman to look around. Allen is back now, though, and Anthony Grant will also return for another ride.
Barthel’s reputation and ability to quickly build strong relationships are likely large pieces of why both players came back. Now he gets to coach up a budding young talent, who he can try to develop into a star, and a veteran, who has plenty more to give and a higher ceiling to hit.
“I think AG has a chance to be really special. Sky’s the limit for the kid. He’s got a chance to be really special. He’s a very powerful runner,” Barthel said of Grant. “Ajay Allen is as dynamic as they get. He’s got the ability to do it all in the run game.”
Those two figure to be the main one-two punch at the position in 2023, but they make up a group that Barthel says he has been impressed with.
Rahmir Johnson’s speed and ability to make defenders miss in open space. Emmett Johnson’s effort, versatility and capability of being a high-end special teams player. Gabe Ervin Jr.'s physicality and athleticism that would make any college coaches do a double take if they walked into a room and saw him in person.
What that collective group brings to the table is why Barthel said both he and Matt Rhule were “not interested” in pursuing any running backs in the transfer portal.
“I’m really excited to work with that group because I think I’ve got a pretty special one,” Barthel said.

​

2: NFL defensive backs on the roster?​

Cooper is a self-described “film junkie.”
He’s been a busy man with a jam-packed schedule, but he has already dove deep into the game film to evaluate the current cornerbacks and safeties. What he’s seen has led to him proclaiming that Nebraska has “some NFL DBs on the roster.”
It’s a mix of young, inexperienced players and older, veteran guys that he’s looking forward to coaching up. That is highlighted by Marques Buford Jr., Isaac Gifford, Quinton Newsome and Malcolm Hartzog – four players expected to retain their starting spots in the secondary in 2023 and who Cooper pointed out on Thursday.
“Coaching is my first love. I can’t wait to get to coach those guys,” Cooper said. “I talk to Marques Buford a lot. We just always talk. We have like minds. I like those guys. I love Gifford. I love him. What’s not to like? Quinton, that guy’s great. Malcolm, we talk all the time.
“It’s a good group. They play hard. They play hard. They play hard. Just when you watch them, it’s pretty good for me because that’s what the program’s gonna be based on – hard work, effort and toughness – and they have that.”
Cooper’s title is the secondary coach. He said that he will be coaching both units and is planning to split duties between cornerbacks and safeties depending on the situations throughout the week in practice.

​

3: How Rhule has changed over the years​

Barthel has now been on three of Rhule's four staffs during his head coaching career while Cooper has been with Rhule at all four. Each is an ideal coach to get insight into how Rhule has changed over the years after each assistant has gone through the ringer with him.
“He’s got a couple more grays (hairs),” Cooper said jokingly – but with only a twinge of a smirk, which appears to be the first-year Husker coach’s demeanor and sly, subtle sense of humor.
“I think he’s more patient now. Early on, I think he was just go-go-go, and he’s more patient now. He understands now that this is a process, and nothing happens overnight. That’s probably the biggest area of growth that I’ve seen from him. He’s more confident in the overall process and what’s gonna happen. It may not happen overnight, but it’s gonna happen. He’s done it too many times for it (not to). He has his system, we have our core beliefs.”
Barthel provided some additional context into how and why their time in the pros shaped their mindsets.
“I think we all have changed after our experience in the NFL,” Barthel said. “I think it’s a little different when you’re coaching pros versus college guys. My personal experience, the thing I noticed in the NFL, the guys that we coached didn’t have to listen to us. In college, they don’t have to listen to us, but there’s more of a need. There’s a lot of talent in the NFL, and you really have to bring a lot of value to get their attention and for them to want to take your coaching. It’s not so much, ‘I say. You do.’ It’s moreso about, ‘How can you help me get better?’
“I think that was a huge change, and I see that in Coach Rhule as well – that there’s a lot of guys out there that need development physically and mentally. In the NFL, we were able to tap into that with some of those guys. That was the biggest thing I noticed with myself and others on staff, including Coach Rhule.”

​

4: “The Original RBU”​

Mike Rozier. Roger Craig. Ahman Green.
Those are just a few of the running backs Barthel named off the top of his head Thursday when talking about “the legends,” as he put it. He also mentioned Ameer Abdullah, whom he worked with during the 2021 season, in relaying the message that he feels “truly honored” to be a part of the program in the position he is in.
“It’s the original RBU,” Barthel said. “That’s the reality of the situation of a running backs coach taking this job. This is one of the best jobs in the country.
“I know how important it is to this fanbase that we run the ball effectively. … This is one of those jobs where you get the chills thinking about gameday.”

​

5: Alignment with Rhule​

One of the most noticeable pitfalls of the Scott Frost Era was the disjointedness among the staff and the entire program. One area in which you can get a sense of how a program is being guided, or misguided, is what is said during press conferences.
Are the coaches and players speaking the same sort of language? Is the same, or similar, message being shared by both parties during those media availabilities?
Throughout the final season of Frost’s tenure, and certainly before that, the answer was no. So far, the answer is yes during the infant stages of the Rhule Era.
Obviously, that message is only being shared by the coaches, since no players have spoken in a presser setting since the end of the season. Marcus Satterfield, Tony White, Barthel and Cooper have all now held their first press conferences as Husker coaches, in addition to the two conducted by Rhule, and it’s already clear that everyone is moving in the same direction.
That’s not by accident.
One of Rhule’s chief goals when constructing his staff was to hire a core group of people who he had worked with before because they either share his same goals/philosophies or, at a minimum, understand the ways in which he goes about his business.
Parallel visions between Rhule and both Barthel and Cooper came through vividly on Thursday when each talked about why they followed Rhule to Lincoln.
“Coach, and you may not be able to feel it from the outside, is one of the most thoughtful, caring people,” Cooper said. “Coach cares about me, he cares about his student-athletes, and he cares about his co-workers. But it’s deep care. It’s not the fake, bro-hug type of stuff. It’s real, and you can see it. Those kind of people you wanna be around, and he’s one of the brightest minds that I’ve ever been around. Probably the smartest person I’ve ever been around – hopefully I don’t offend any of my ex-teachers – but you just kind of wanna be around Coach. He’s one of those guys.
“We have really like minds. We have the same type of (mind) when it comes to people, players and talent levels.”
Barthel gave an extended anecdote about a practice at Temple in 2016 during Rhule’s final season as the program’s head coach. It was the first time Barthel had worked with Rhule, and he still remembers details of that practice.
It was a similarly icy day as Thursday in Lincoln with gray in the sky and temperatures in the mid-20s (i.e. The type of day when practice could easily be held in the indoor facilities). Instead, Rhule told the entire team it would be practicing outdoors. Normally, Barthel says, you hear a collective groan or individual players shaking their heads.
“Not one kid said anything,” Barthel said. “Not one guy made a noise or a grunt.”
That was “the moment” that Barthel said he knew that the culture Rhule developed at Temple “was pretty special.”
He’s been loyal to Rhule ever since. That’s why he followed him to the NFL, and it’s why he followed him to Nebraska.
“I’m a believer in Coach Rhule and what he stands for,” Barthel said. “I’m in alignment with the standards of what he represents in terms of development and process. And I think it applies to life, and it applies to football. If Coach Rhule ever calls me, I’m gonna pick up, and I would love to be a part of whatever he’s got going on because I truly believe in his process.”
https://nebraska.rivals.com/news/fi...thel-and-evan-cooper-s-first-nebraska-presser

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

These guys are legit. Highly recommend a listen. I’m psyched GBR

Barthel for sure... It was pretty cool to see how much he cares about his guys...

Cooper you could tell he is young and maybe nervous

 

[HerbRedman]

Barthel for sure... It was pretty cool to see how much he cares about his guys...

Cooper you could tell he is young and maybe nervous

Only listened to Barthel so far. That dude is incredibly impressive.

 

[Huskerforlife]

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

Only listened to Barthel so far. That dude is incredibly impressive.

They are all impressive. Nice to have some adults in charge instead of morons