On Friday evening,  Matt Rhule’s operation took a huge hit when Nebraska defensive backs coach Evan Cooper decided to retire for personal reasons. What does this sudden departure mean for the Cornhuskers going forward? And what does his new replacement bring to Lincoln? Let’s take a look.

 Developer of Talent

In addition to his duties in the secondary, Cooper was known as the primary talent evaluator for the Cornhuskers. On the defensive side of the football, he used his Florida connections to secure the commitments of linebacker Vincent Shavers, as well as edge rusher Willis McGahee IV.  Furthermore, the defensive line made a significant jump under his watch. Highly touted prospects Cameron Lenhardt and Princewill Umanieilen brought explosiveness to Terrance Knighton’s defensive line as a freshman. On the offensive side of the ball, he would have similar success finding talent. He fought off the Miami Hurricanes to bring in freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr. And during the season,  Jaylen Lloyd became a big-play wide receiver. Under Garrett McGuire, transfers Jahmal Banks and Isaiah Neyor will have ample opportunities to show off. The offense will most likely not be affected. But his departure could affect the defense. Cooper’s leadership provided stability in the secondary. Without it,  defensive coordinator Tony White may see a slump in production with his freshman players.

Stability on Defense

In Cooper’s first season as the defensive backs coach for Nebraska, several players in his position room experienced massive jumps in their play. This was evident when safety Omar Brown and cornerback Tommi Hill proved themselves throughout NU’s season after both had virtually unknown careers with the Big Red. As a JUCO safety in Lincoln,   DeShon Singleton knew he could get early playing time.   In five games with the Cornhuskers, he finished with 19 tackles and one pass breakup. However, he couldn’t continue through 2023. A knee injury on the opening play against Michigan dashed his chance of NU making a bowl game.  In that regard, NU’s linebackers delivered in spades. Safety hybrid Issac Gifford nabbed an honorable All-Big-Ten mention at the end of 2023. And Omaha native John Bullock was a solid contributor after struggling in 2021 and 2022. Can they work together to deliver the Huskers their first winning season since 2016?

Read more about Issac Gifford’s decision to return to the Blackshirts in A Wild Week For The Nebraska Football Program

A New Face In Lincoln

On Saturday morning, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that the Cornhuskers are set to tab John Butler as their new secondary coach. His arrival in Lincoln will give the Blackshirts’ defense much-needed NFL experience. From 2014 to 2017, Butler served as the secondary coach for the Houston Texans under head coach Bill O’Brien. After he parted ways with the franchise, he joined head coach Sean McDermott and the Buffalo Bills in the 2018 season.  During his time with the secondary, safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer became standout players. Also, cornerback Tre’Davious White would earn two Pro Bowl nods in 2019 and 2020. He had similar success as a college coach. At Minnesota, he would serve as the Gopher’s special teams coordinator and provide additional help with the linebackers. However, he wouldn’t have major success until he arrived in Happy Valley. In his time with the Nittany Lions, he helped coach the team to a 7-5 record. During that time, his defense would have 20 takeaways. Does Butler’s techniques work immediately? Or will an adjustment period have to take place during the season?

Can He Still Recruit?

How will Butler recruit the secondary positions in Lincoln? It’s something that Rhule and the rest of Nebraska’s coaching staff will have to address. The 51-year-old has been out of the college game since the 2013 season. In the decade since Division One football has undergone major change with the addition of the transfer portal and NIL. Can he adapt to this new system by flexing his recruiting muscles nationally? Or will he choose to establish a pipeline in the  Philadelphia area? Butler is a Pennsylvania native, and the Huskers have had success in the state. In 2023,  Rhule used his connections to bring Rahmir Stewart into the program. Could this happen again with NU’s 2025 recruiting class?

*119 Nebraska High School Football Teams played 8-Man football again in 2000 and here is what the D-1 playoff field looked like at the turn of the Century.

For the first time in FIVE seasons, the playoff fields in all classes, Class B and below, shrunk from 32 to 16 teams. Yours truly, along with a ton of 8-Man football coaches, were not thrilled with this move and thank goodness the 16 team playoff fields in 8-Man football lasted just two years.

I have a ton of love and respect for high school football coaches,so let’s begin a new feature by adding who the head coaches were for all of these Class D1 playoff qualifiers in the year 2000. We’ll do the same for Class D2.

*Nebraska Christian (Jeff Hower), St. Edward (Rich Lemburg), Falls City Sacred Heart (Doug Goltz), Omaha Christian Academy (Tim Hamilton), Humphrey St. Francis (Tom Ridder), Sterling (Arlo Wusk), Howells (Mike Speirs), Cedar Bluffs (Mitch Egger) Pleasanton (Ricci Westland, Anselmo-Merna (Greg Wemhoff)), Kenesaw (Leland Skeen), High Plains Community (Andy Vrbka), Lawrence-Nelson (Gary DeBoer), Culbertson (Jeff Messersmith), Orchard (Don Sich), Hyannis (Lucas Lechman).*

—————–

CLASS D1

First Round

East

(7-2) Nebraska Christian 23-20 St. Edward (7-2)

(9-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 38-14 Omaha Christian Academy (7-2)

(8-1) Humphrey St. Francis 41-16 Sterling (9-0)

(9-0) Howells 40-28 Cedar Bluffs (7-2)

West

(7-2) Pleasanton 34-20 Anselmo-Merna (8-1)

(8-1) Kenesaw 36-14 High Plains Community (8-0)

(8-1) Lawrence-Nelson 41-20 Culbertson (9-0)

(7-2) Orchard 52-2 Hyannis (9-0)

Quarterfinals

East

(10-0) Falls City Sacred Heart 68-20 Nebraska Christian (8-2)

(10-0) Howells 14-0 Humphrey St. Franics (9-1)

West

(9-1) Kenesaw 14-12 Pleasanton (8-2)

(9-1) Lawrence-Nelson 38-12 Orchard (8-2)

Semifinals

(11-0) Howells 42- Falls City Sacred Heart (11-0)

(10-1) Lawrence-Nelson 26-14 Kenesaw (9-1)

Championship Finals

(12-0) Howells 38-14 Lawrence-Nelson (11-1)

2000 Class D-1 State Champion; Howells. Head Coach: Mike Speirs

———————————————————–

Final 2000 Class D-1 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)

1 Howells – 13-0, (568-197)

2 Humphrey St. Francis – 9-2, (438-176)

3. Lawrence-Nelson – 11-2, (5144-191)

4. Falls City Sacred Heart – 11-1, (568-178)

5. Kenesaw – 10-2, (448-144)

6. Cedar Bluffs – 7-3, (430-198)

7. Sterling – 9-1, (460-105)

8. Pleasanton – 8-3, (280-171)

9. Polk-Hordville – 8-1, (382-190)

10 Culbertson – 9-1, (473-143)

————————————————————-

2000 Class D-1 (Eight Man 1) All-State Teams

Offense

WR–Jeremy Hoefs-Bancroft-Rosalie, 6-1, 180, Senior

WR–Scotty McPeak-Nebraska Christian, 6-1, 165, Senior

OL–Jeremy Cordero-Omaha Christian, 6-0, 300, Junior

OL–Andy Wemhoff-Humphrey St. Francis, 5-11, 205, Senior

OL–Jerron Suck-Kenesaw, 6-4, 210, Senior

QB–Andrew Shanle-St. Edward, 6-1, 175, Senior

RB–Alan Bohaboj-Howells, 5-7, 148, Senior

RB–Brandon Hagen-Culbertson, 6-3, 240, Senior

Kicker-Brandon Bonk-Falls City Sacred Heart, 5-11, 230, Senior

Class D-1 All-State

Defense

DL–Brad Metz-Pleasanton, 6-1, 185, Senior

DL–Adam Eickman-Lawrence-Nelson, 5-6, 150, Senior

DL–Ted Straub-Waterloo, 6-1, 230, Senior

LB–Anthony Weaver-Falls City Sacred Heart, 6-1, 215, Junior

LB–Matt Mastny-Howells, 6-0, 182, Senior

LB–Ben Hansen-Cedar Bluffs, 6-0, 190, Junior

DB–Jake Weyers-Sterling, 5-10, 165, Senior

DB–Mitch Blum-Howells, 6-0, 175, Senior

Punter-Joel Grotrian-Johnson-Brock, 6-2, 185, Senior

———————————————————————————-

AND, here is a glance at the 2000 Class D-2 playoffs.

Once again, here is a list of the D2 playoff field with their Head Coaches.

Lindsay Holy Family (Rusty Rautenberg), Prague (Gary Brown), Coleridge (Ken Swanson), Benedict (Lynn Jurgens), Nebraska City Lourdes (Andy Fedoris), Shickley (Gary Filipi), Greeley (Dennis Hurlburt), Silver Creek (Scott Porter)

Sargent (Mike Kozeal), Elgin Pope John (Mark Koch), Hayes Center (Jim Cole), Ansley (Mike Sorenson), Dunning Sandhills (Reggie Smith), Ewing (Jim Crilly), Dalton Leyton (Harlan Dormann), Petersburg (Mike Kennedy)

—————-

CLASS D2

First Round

East

(8-1) Lindsay Holy Family 53-6 Prague (5-4)

(6-3) Coleridge 54-8 Benedict (6-3)

(8-1) Nebraska City Lourdes 26-0 Shickley (8-1)

(9-0) Greeley 40-0 Silver Creek (5-3)

West

(9-0) Sargent 20-14 Elgin Pope John (8-1)

(5-3) Hayes Center 28-24 Ansley (8-1)

(8-1) Dunning Sandhills 54-22 Ewing (8-1)_

(9-0) Dalton Leyton 50-0 Petersburg (7-2)

Quarterfinals

East

(9-1) Lindsay Holy Family 46-0 Coleridge (7-3)

(10-0) Greeley 12-8 Nebraska City Lourdes (9-1)

West

(10-0) Sargent 36-24 Hayes Center (6-3)

(9-1) Dunning Sandhills 30-24 Dalton Leyton (10-0)

Semifinals

(10-1) Lindsay Holy Family 36-12 Greeley (11-0)

(11-0) Sargent 34-20 Dunning Sandhills (10-1)

Championship Final

(11-1) Lindsay Holy Family 28-24 Sargent (12-0)

2000 D-2 State Champion: Lindsay Holy Family. Coach: Rusty Rautenberg

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Final 2000 Class D-2 8-Man Football Ratings (Omaha World-Herald)

1. Lindsay Holy Family – 12-1 (510-159)

2. Sargent- 12-1 (465-166)

3. Greeley – 11-1 (510-87)

4. Dunning Sandhills – 10-2 (532-155)

5. Dalton Leyton – 10-1 (634-177)

6. Nebraska City Lourdes – 8-3 (362-144)

7. Elgin Pope John – 8-2 (346-150)

8. Ewing – 8-2 (362-200)

9. Shickley – 8-2 (392-132)

10 Hayes Center – 6-4 (333-263)

————————————————————

2000 Class D-2 (Eight Man 2) All-State Teams

Offense

End-Levi Gray-Harrison, 6-4, 175, Senior

End-Jason Herbert-Verdigre, 5-10, 150, Senior

OL–Tony Kurtenbach-Lindsay Holy Family, 6-1, 225, Senior

OL–Wyatt Johnston-Dunning-Sandhills, 5-11, 225, Senior

OL–Matt Mitchell-Dalton Leyton, 5-9, 235, Senior

QB–Brandon Holtorf-Prague, 5-10, 165, Senior

RB–Jared Franzluebbers, Dodge, 6-0, 205, Senior

RB–Carl Jarecki-Lindsay Holy Family, 5-9, 175, Senior

Kicker-Brad Schlegel-Shickley, 5-10, 200, Senior

Class D-2 All-State

Defense

DL–Mike Smith-Sargent, 6-4, 205, Senior

DL–Kory White-Nebraska City Lourdes, 6-1, 205, Senior

LB–Mat Korth-Greeley, 5-9, 175, Senior

LB–Tyson Cox-Dunning-Sandhills, 6-0, 160, Senior

LB–Matt Woodward-North Loup/Scotia, 6-0, 185, Senior

LB–Reggie Twarling-Dalton Leyton, 6-2, 190, Junior

DB–Tim Wiese-Lindsay Holy Family, 5-10, 175, Senior

DB–Brian Selting-Elgin Pope John, 6-1, 180, Junior

Punter-Adam Schueth-Ewing, 5-10, 185, Senior

A Nebraska woman who won her second big lottery jackpot prize in five years can thank mistakenly printed tickets for her wins.

Lori Sailors of Lincoln won $220,000 from the Nebraska Lottery’s Nebraska Pick 5 game June 22, according to a release from the Nebraska Lottery.

Sailors bought her ticket at Casey’s General Store in Lincoln and bought three quick plays for the drawing, the Nebraska Lottery said.

MARYLAND MAN WINS $50,000 PLAYING LOTTERY NUMBERS FROM STRANGER’S LICENSE PLATE

But the ticket printed at the time was actually by mistake, she told the Nebraska Lottery. Still, she purchased it. 

“I don’t let the mistakes go,” she told the Nebraska Lottery. “I don’t just let them sit there.”

One of the plays on the ticket matched all five of the “Nebraska Pick 5” numbers, winning her the jackpot.

And while this story would be unbelievable enough as it is, it is actually not the first time Sailors has won a huge lottery prize from a mistaken ticket.

MARYLAND MAN WINS $32,000 AFTER ‘MISTAKE’ PURCHASE OF KENO TICKET

In 2019, she won a $54,000 “Nebraska Pick 5” jackpot from a ticket that was also printed by mistake, the Nebraska Lottery said.

Sailors told the Nebraska Lottery she and husband Monte intend to use her winnings to pay off their daughter’s student loans and put the rest in the bank. 

The location where Sailors bought her “mistake” lottery ticket and won big. (Google Maps / Google Maps)

“Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska’s unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers,” the Nebraska Lottery’s website said.

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Each play costs $1. A player picks five numbers between one and 40, or a computer can automatically pick the numbers. 

The Nebraska Pick 5 game is drawn seven days a week. (iStock / iStock)

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The jackpots for each game start at $50,000 and increase by $10,000 each time there is no winner. The current jackpot is $180,000. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle

The Nebraska Pick 5 numbers are drawn seven days a week. 

The chance of winning the jackpot is 1 in 658,008, according to the lottery, and the chance of winning any prize is 1 in 9.2.