Mike Dawson Returns To Nebraska As Outside Linebackers Coach

Nebraska football announced today that Mike Dawson has returned to Nebraska and will take over coaching outside linebackers. He fills the position left by Jovan Dewitt when Dewitt left for North Carolina. Dawson left a year ago to join the New York Giants to coach outside linebackers, but was left without a job when Giants head coach Pat Shurmur was fired after two seasons in which the team had only nine wins.

Dawson was at Nebraska in 2018, and coached with Scott Frost at UCF in 2016, 2017. He has 21 years of coaching experience at FCS, FBS, and in the NFL. That’s a lot of experience in a lot of places.

Scott Frost said this about Dawson (from the Nebraska press release):

”I am thrilled to bring Mike Dawson back to Nebraska to re-join our coaching staff,” Frost said. “Coach Dawson has a great history with our coaching staff and brings all of the attributes we look for in an assistant coach. He is a man of great character, has outstanding defensive acumen and knowledge of our defensive system, is a proven teacher and recruiter and relates well to his players.”

Also from the release:

Nebraska has also completed contract extensions for assistant coaches Greg Austin, Travis Fisher and Ryan Held, extending each of their contracts through Dec. 31, 2021. Austin has added the title of Run Game Coordinator in addition to his role as Offensive Line Coach. Fisher and Held each received salary increases, with Held adding the title of Recruiting Coordinator.

Dawson’s statement:

”I am excited to rejoin Coach Frost and the rest of the Nebraska staff in Lincoln,” Dawson said. “The opportunity to coach at a school with Nebraska’s football tradition and commitment is special. I am fired up to represent the N, and sell Husker Football and the University of Nebraska to young men around the country. ”Our family fell in love with Nebraska during our one year here. The passion of the fans and the culture Coach Frost has brought is extraordinary. We look forward to making it home again.”

So.... what y’all think?

Is this Frost giving one of his buddies a job (as if he couldn’t have found one somewhere else with that much experience) or is this a good hire that left and came back?

I like that Dawson looks a lot like Tony Soprano, which means you’d damned well better play well.

Contract extensions - do they deserve them?

I’ve always loved Greg Austin. Guy was a tough SOB when he played for Nebraska. The offensive line improved throughout the 2019 and we look to be much better come 2020.

What about special teams?

WHAT SAY YE!?