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Nebraska Football: Huskers Officially Hire John Parrella, Billy Devaney To Mike Riley's Staff

The Huskers make two hirings official, including another name that may bring back the old times.

By Brian Towle
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Well, the secret is out for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Nebraska, through a release, confirmed the hiring of former Huskers All-American and NFL star John Parrella to coach the Defensive Line. Parrella, who was hired from his job at Northern Michigan, replaces Hank Hughes, who was released by Mike Riley on February 5th.

The release states:

Riley has hired John Parrella as Nebraska’s defensive line coach, completing the 2016 coaching staff. Parrella comes to Nebraska after two seasons as the defensive line coach at Northern Michigan University. A native of Grand Island, Neb., Parrella was an All-Big Eight defensive tackle at Nebraska and played 12 seasons in the NFL.

That was also not the only hire that Riley announced on Wednesday, as he announced the hiring of Billy Devaney, who will have a job title of "Executive Director of Player Personnel & Special Assistant to the Head Coach"

The release lists the background of Devaney very well:

In his role with the Huskers, Devaney will work with Riley to develop, implement and oversee a comprehensive football player personnel program. Devaney will head up the process of identifying prospective student-athletes, allocation of scholarship offers and assist the head coach with roster management. Devaney will directly oversee the Huskers’ player personnel and recruiting staffs...

Devaney has worked in the Falcons organization in 2014 and 2015. He served as the general manager of the St. Louis Rams from 2008 to 2011, and was also the Rams’ executive vice president of player personnel in 2008.

Devaney got his start in professional football as a scout with the Washington Redskins organization from 1979 to 1990. He got his start in the front office as the director of pro personnel for the San Diego Chargers from 1990 to 2000.

During his stint with the Chargers, the team appeared in Super Bowl XXIX following the 1994 season. Devaney was also in the Chargers’ front office when the organization hired Riley as head coach before the 1999 season.

Devaney spent time inthe San Francisco 49ers (2001-03) and Atlanta Falcons (2006-07) front offices before taking over in St. Louis in 2008. He also worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN during the 2013 season and for CBS Sports in 2004 and 2005.

No word on salary was mentioned for either Parrella or Devaney was mentioned. And it looks like Parrella has hit the ground running on the job.

UPDATE: Eric Olson of the AP has discovered the contract length and amount Parrella will be paid.

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