Of them Nebraska football assistants took to the podium Thursday at Memorial Stadium in E.J. Barthel and Evan Cooper.
Barthel was appointed by the head coach matte ruler to coach the Husker running backs while Cooper will coach the defensive backs. Both coaches have worked for Rule in previous stops – Barthel and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, Cooper at Temple, Baylor and Panthers – while Cooper has played for Rule at Temple. Barthel played fullback at Massachusetts.
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Here are the quick shots of what both coaches had to say:
E.J. Barthel
>> Barthel introduces himself and says he coaches running backs, or as some call it, “I backs.”
>> Overall, Barthel is impressed with his current roster of running backs. Barthel knows rahmir johnson, a Catholic graduate from Bergen, NJ. Barthel coached in high school earlier in his career.
>> It’s a new experience, Barthel said of the need to re-sign his own players. Barthel has made it his goal to meet his current players and build relationships.
>> Barthel got emotional 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 is happy to get into position and sometimes use it in attack.
>> Barthel called Nebraska “the original RBU.” He knows how important it is to the Husker fan base that his own program handles football and has running backs who have the right mindset – running hard and finishing runs.
>> Barthel always imagined himself to be a head coach. He’s not ready for that yet in his career, but that’s what he loves about training under Rhule.
>> What stands out from Cooper? “His energy,” Barthel said. You can “smell” Cooper in the meeting rooms and on the training ground. Barthel also called Cooper one of the best talent evaluators.
>> Garrett McGuire, the 23-year-old Nebraska wide receivers coach stepped in. Barthel said McGuire isn’t afraid to coach players and have tough conversations when they need to happen.
Evan Cooper
>> Cooper was one of the first hires made by Rhule in Nebraska. Cooper said he and Rule were very close. What does he like about Rule? “He’s probably one of the most caring, caring people.”
>> Cooper says he and Rhule seem to like many of the same rookies, and that’s why the two get along so well.
>> Rhule and Co. He had a very limited time to recruit the Class of 2023. What was that process like? There were a lot of movies, there were also a lot of sleepless nights. Cooper wants to make sure he does his homework, starting with local guys they like and practicing.
>> Cooper said he’s not sure there’s a certain “recruiting pitch” he gives to recruits. The main thing Cooper starts off with is talking about Nebraska, because he thinks it’s a great place. Cooper said his time training in the NFL had “narrowed down” his outlook on recruiting.
>> What does Cooper like about his current DB room? He thinks there are NFL players in his room right now. He spoke to Marks Buford Jr., isaac gifford, Malcolm Hartzog and others. What is the most important thing he noticed while watching their film? They play hard, they play difficult.”
>> Cooper said he had a “footballing family”. His grandmother knows football. His mother knows football. He remembers writing reconnaissance reports when he was 8 years old. He describes himself as a “junkie” of cinema.
>> Cooper said “we have a great team, we have 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 train together. “He’s going to help us tremendously,” Cooper said. Cooper called McGuire smart, relatable and a lifelong quarterback, which means McGuire has been a leader every time he steps on the football field.
>> One of the fundamentals of being a trainer under Rhule is competitiveness. If they are not competitive – as a coach or a scout – then there will be a problem.
>> Cooper was asked if he could decode Rhule’s emoji tweets. “I don’t even know if the coach can,” Cooper joked.
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