Nebraska football and the university have cut ties with Mickey Joseph, the Huskers’ former interim head coach who was arrested in November and is facing felony charges stemming from allegations of domestic violence.
Nebraska initially placed Joseph on administrative leave following his arrest, but he has now officially been dismissed.
“Coach Joseph is no longer part of the University of Nebraska football program or an employee of the University,” Nebraska Athletics said in a statement on Friday. “We have no additional comment at this time.”
Joseph was arrested by the Lincoln Police Department on Nov. 30 and was later charged with felony assault by strangulation or suffocation. Joseph is accused of strangling his wife, pulling her hair and punching her, according to a police affidavit. Joseph, who denied assaulting and strangling his wife, is facing up to three years in jail. He was released on bail on Dec. 1 and is scheduled for his next court appearance on Jan. 30.
Joseph, a quarterback at Nebraska from 1988-1991, spent five years at LSU before returning to his alma mater in last December. He was hired by former coach Scott Frost as the Huskers’ associate head coach and receivers coach for the 2022 season. Joseph was tabbed as the interim head coach by Nebraska AD Trev Alberts on Sept. 11 following the firing of Frost. Joseph served as the Huskers’ interim head coach for the final nine games of the season.
Sources told Inside Nebraska on Nov. 30, just hours prior to Joseph’s arrest, that Joseph was unlikely to return as an assistant coach on Matt Rhule’s staff. Sources told Inside Nebraska that Rhule met with Joseph on Nov. 29 but that Joseph was likely to move on from the Huskers’ program of his own accord and seek another college coaching job.
Joseph was under contract with Nebraska through Dec. 31, 2023 for an annual salary of $600,000. The contract states that the university would not have to pay Joseph’s remaining salary if he was fired for cause. Nebraska did not comment on whether or not Joseph would receive any or all of the remaining salary on his contract.