What went into Mickey Joseph's decision to leave Grambling for Tech?
Holtz, Bulldogs' offense were key selling points to former Nebraska QB
What went into Mickey Joseph's decision to leave Grambling for Tech? Holtz, Bulldogs' offense were key selling points to former Nebraska QB Check out this story on thenewsstar.com: http://tnsne.ws/1RysBcv
Sean Isabella, sisabella@thenewsstar.com Published 3:10 p.m. CT Jan. 19, 2016 | Updated 6:16 p.m. CT Jan. 19, 2016
New Louisiana Tech running backs coach Mickey Joseph said the opportunity to coach with Skip Holtz something he felt he had to do.(Photo: Tony Valentino/GSU Sports)
Almost everyone Mickey Joseph has come in contact with during the past week has mentioned how the Joseph boys are on a roll in the coaching world.
They're referring to Joseph's decision to accept the running backs job at Louisiana Tech just a few days after his brother, Vance, was hired by Miami on Jan. 12 as the Dolphins' new defensive coordinator.
So, no, not a bad week in the Joseph household — a family name that also includes cousin Terry, the defensive backs coach at Texas A&M.
But why exactly did Joseph decide to leave Grambling two years in after he and the rest of the Tigers' coaching staff turned the program around? For starters, the coach hiring him helped.
"It's Skip Holtz," Joseph told The News-Star on Monday evening.
It wasn't nearly as simple as those few words, but Joseph, who received glowing recommendations from just about every person Holtz vetted during the interview process, returned the favor right back to Holtz.
"He's had a lot of success. He's been a head coach for a number of years," Joseph said. "I think I'm going to a good situation because he's doing some of the things I would want to do because I want to be a head coach again, but I want to be a head coach that runs my own offense. Seeing him work with us and doing things, showing us how to do things, is going to really help me in my career."
THENEWSSTAR.COM
Get to know Mickey Joseph: Q&A with Tech's new RB coach
Notice the word "career." Most assistant coaches rarely talk about the future and their aspirations, instead opting for the present day and worrying about the rest later.
Joseph, a former quarterback at Nebraska, made it clear he doesn't go into situations to specifically further his career, but he'd be lying if he doesn't think about where he wants to be.
"I've been doing it for 20 years and you put a lot of hard work in it," Joseph said. "Like I told coach Holtz, I don't usually chase jobs. If people want to talk to you, they talk to you and I try to go ahead and do a good job.
"Every job I get I work like it's my last one. I don't go in looking for another job. If somebody wants to talk about another job then I'll go to my boss and let him know."
That's exactly what Joseph did. Things between Joseph and Tech started heating up after Jabbar Juluke, the Bulldogs' former running backs coach, became the leading candidate for the Texas Tech job, which he later accepted last Tuesday.
Holtz wanted to discuss the vacancy with Joseph, so he called Grambling coach Broderick Fobbs for permission. Joseph interviewed with Holtz and the rest of the offensive staff, was offered the job last Wednesday and informed Fobbs on Thursday he was leaving.
Since then, he's juggled between going through the necessary paperwork and human resources clearance to get on the recruiting trail, which he started Tuesday, while also reaching out, one-by-one, to his former players at Grambling.
"You couldn't ask for a better group of kids. They understood and that's one thing I tell kids: coaches come and go but when you have a coach who is there and he's teaching you, try to learn everything you can because you never know when that coach is going to leave," Joseph said. "All the coaches at Grambling were supportive. You hate to leave but you had to. It's a great opportunity."
Holtz sought out New Orleans flavor to replace Juluke
Holtz brought in Joseph primarily due to his strong recruiting ties in south Louisiana and New Orleans. Joseph, meanwhile, had interest in Tech because he's a fan of Holtz's offense.
Joseph, who coached wide receivers at Grambling, likes the spread element of Tech's offense with the ability to go four-wide yet have the personnel to line up with a fullback and tight end and run downhill.
Holtz shares some of the same coaching characteristics as Fobbs that initially drew Joseph to Grambling back in 2013.
"Coach Holtz is open. He'll sit down and talk to you and he doesn't try to hide anything from you," Joseph said. "He wants you to know everything. He wants you to be precise with it and teach it and he wants it done the right way. That's how you develop coaches the way he's doing it. The way Broderick did it, too. That's what makes good coaches."
LDCC receives $737K grant to improve career and technical education
Special to The News-Star
Five LA Tech player poised for breakout 2019
Cory Diaz
Lincoln Parish legend Buddy Davis passes away
Louisiana Tech Athletic Communications
Ruston vigil protests immigrant separation, child detention
Bonnie Bolden
Creel leaves LA Tech, takes coaching job at USM
West Monroe QB Kahmann commits to ULM
Adam Hunsucker