Before he ever coached a down for the Nebraska Football team, Bob Elliott has resigned as an assistant coach. Elliott is stepping down not because of poor job performance, but because of recurring health problems according to a release sent out by the University on Tuesday afternoon. The former Notre Dame assistant coach, who joined the Huskers shortly after they hired new defensive coordinator Bob Diaco will apparently stay on in some capacity as an "analyst."
In his place, the Cornhuskers have promoted Scott Booker. Booker was a defensive analyst with the school prior to Tuesday and has been officially named a full-time assistant.
Booker was also a former assistant at Notre Dame until the end of last year.
Nebraska football plays musical chairs before the season starts
The announcement by the Huskers that they are changing coaches might appear to be sudden one, but reports indicate the staff were far from shocked by this development. “We are sorry to see Bob Elliott leave our full-time on-field staff,” his boss, Mike Riley said in the Tuesday release. “Bob is a wonderful man and a great football coach and he has built a great rapport with our staff and the players in our program." Riley went on to say he respected Elliott's decision and said he still believed the now analyst would be able to continue to have a positive effect on the program.
Here's what Bob Elliott himself said this spring of Scott Booker joining Husker staff. The two worked together at ND. pic.twitter.com/pON6Rqb9TO
— Brian Christopherson (@HuskerExtraBC) June 20, 2017
As the Omaha World-Herald points out, Booker was actually brought in shortly after Elliott, though he's kept a low profile. Elliott, Booker, and Diaco all worked together when the Huskers current defensive coordinator was coaching the defense for the Golden Domers.
Despite Cornhusker fans being unfamiliar with Booker, he's hardly a neophyte.
Nebraska football shouldn't miss a beat
While Booker spent the last four years as special teams coordinator for Notre Dame, he's got some years as a defensive backs coach. Before coming to the Fighting Irish, Booker coach the defensive backs at Kent State from 2005 to 2008 at Kent State and the secondary at Western Kentucky in 2009.
He doesn't have the 38-year career Elliott had but he does bring a personality that is known as fun and outgoing. He's also considered a heck of a recruiter. That last part, especially when he's officially now someone who can indeed hit the recruiting trail could be key in continuing to improve 2018 class that is already in the Top 10. Since Booker was already an analyst with the team, it doesn't appear much is going to change with the Nebraska football team when it comes to the current players.
