Evan Cooper, Nebraska’s secondary coach and Matt Rhule’s top talent evaluator, has resigned from his post for personal reasons, a university spokesperson confirmed Friday.
Cooper had worked as the defensive passing game coordinator in addition to being the secondary coach. Nebraska is seeking a replacement for him.
Sources: Nebraska assistant coach Evan Cooper has resigned from his position. He worked as the football program’s secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator. The school is amid a search for his replacement.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 5, 2024
The 37-year-old Cooper played for Rhule at Temple before serving two stints as an assistant with the Owls. He later followed Rhule to Baylor and the Carolina Panthers before the pair ended up at Nebraska.
Viewed as Rhule’s righthand man, Cooper played a major role in identifying prospects such as wide receiver Jaylen Lloyd, who had a breakout season in 2023.
Although Cooper has not yet released an official statement, Steve Marik of Rivals reports that his resignation was due to “personal reasons.”
Rhule and second-year defensive coordinator Tony White now just have a few weeks to find Cooper’s replacement before the preseason opens.
