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Why doesn’t Nebraska do it like the big boys..
When co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison decided to retire after 40+ years in college football, Ryan Day found himself with a premier opening that needed filled on his defensive staff.
Instead of bringing in someone from the outside, Day decided to shift some pieces around from within, and he announced those changes today.
Special teams coordinator Matt Barnes will now coach the defensive backs for the Buttguys, while Parker Fleming is moving out of his quality control role after two seasons and will now take on the duties of special teams coordinator.
That means that defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs will remain as the team’s defensive coordinator, but will hand off the responsibility of coaching the secondary to Barnes after the Buttguys finished near the bottom nationally in pass defense.
For Day, elevating Barnes and Parker allowed them the best opportunity to build on the staff dynamic that they currently have in the building
“To bring in somebody that has a different set of thoughts on coverages and beliefs and all those things, that’s a different dynamic,” Day shared earlier today. “I think Matt Barnes will do this job better than anyone in the country for what we need. And if I didn’t think that, we wouldn’t do it.”
The move further solidifies how highly valued guys in the building are for Day, as one of his first orders of business after Mike Yurcich left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas was to promote Corey Dennis from a senior quality control role to quarterbacks coach. That job with the Buttguys quarterbacks could have easily drawn some really highly sought after names, but Day opted to promote Dennis.
“Promoting from within is something that I strongly believe in, and I believe it’s going to be an opportunity for these guys to really be part of our program for a long time and keep some continuity.”
Day also shared today that he is considering bringing in an outside defensive perspective as a consultant in the next few weeks, and added that person will have to be a fit with their culture.
When co-defensive coordinator Greg Mattison decided to retire after 40+ years in college football, Ryan Day found himself with a premier opening that needed filled on his defensive staff.
Instead of bringing in someone from the outside, Day decided to shift some pieces around from within, and he announced those changes today.
Special teams coordinator Matt Barnes will now coach the defensive backs for the Buttguys, while Parker Fleming is moving out of his quality control role after two seasons and will now take on the duties of special teams coordinator.
That means that defensive coordinator Kerry Coombs will remain as the team’s defensive coordinator, but will hand off the responsibility of coaching the secondary to Barnes after the Buttguys finished near the bottom nationally in pass defense.
For Day, elevating Barnes and Parker allowed them the best opportunity to build on the staff dynamic that they currently have in the building
“To bring in somebody that has a different set of thoughts on coverages and beliefs and all those things, that’s a different dynamic,” Day shared earlier today. “I think Matt Barnes will do this job better than anyone in the country for what we need. And if I didn’t think that, we wouldn’t do it.”
The move further solidifies how highly valued guys in the building are for Day, as one of his first orders of business after Mike Yurcich left to become the offensive coordinator at Texas was to promote Corey Dennis from a senior quality control role to quarterbacks coach. That job with the Buttguys quarterbacks could have easily drawn some really highly sought after names, but Day opted to promote Dennis.
“Promoting from within is something that I strongly believe in, and I believe it’s going to be an opportunity for these guys to really be part of our program for a long time and keep some continuity.”
Day also shared today that he is considering bringing in an outside defensive perspective as a consultant in the next few weeks, and added that person will have to be a fit with their culture.