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After three losses to start the 2022 campaign that were accompanied by the firings of Scott Frost and his longtime defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, Nebraska football is in a bad place right now and interim head coach Mickey Joseph is tasked with trying to lift it out of the hole it’s currently in.
On Tuesday morning inside Memorial Stadium, Joseph met with the media to talk about all of it. The Huskers are on their first of two bye weeks this season. The second will be following the Purdue game on Oct. 22.
Here are the quick hitters from Joseph’s press conference:
>> Joseph challenged the players to get better. It's Nebraska vs. Nebraska right now as the team looks to improve in all three phases: offense, defense and special teams.
>> Joseph again said the loss was on him. He said he should've slowed the game down offensively and created less possessions for his defense. That's why he said the Oklahoma loss was on him, not the players. He didn't feel like he put the players in the best chance to hang with the Sooners. Expect a slower tempo on offense as the Big Ten season starts.
>> Chinander was a good man, but after looking at the numbers, Joseph felt there needed to be a change at defensive coordinator.
>> Joseph said the defense needs to get back to the fundamentals. Lining up, being in the right gaps and making a tackle.
>> Running back Ajay Allen had surgery and will miss the rest of the season. Gabe Ervin Jr. will likely be getting the backup reps behind starter Anthony Grant, Joseph said. Allen, a true freshman from Louisiana, will redshirt.
>> Joseph said Joey Connors will take over the special teams coordinator role for Bill Busch, who will coordinate the defense in Chinander's place. Connors was a special teams quality control coach, and is in his second season with the program.
>> Joseph said he and his staff are going to recruit like they're going to be here next year, he said. Assistants will be at high school games on Thursday and Friday across the country. The most professional thing to do is keep working, Joseph said.
>> Joseph touched on the honesty from safety Myles Farmer following the Oklahoma loss. Joseph told the media what he told the players: "Don't make business decisions with your feelings."
>> Busch will be coordinating Nebraska's defense going forward, as mentioned before. Joseph knows Busch well from their time together coaching on the same LSU team. "Bill is built for this. He's sharp. He's going to be detailed," Joseph said.
>> Busch will coach the safeties and nickels. Travis Fisher will handle the corners.
>> Joseph said he wished he would have gotten the younger, less experienced players in the game against Oklahoma.
