Just one day after resigning as offensive coordinator at Pittsburgh, Mark Whipple has resurfaced at Nebraska in the same role under head coach Scott Frost, it was announced Wednesday.
Whipple, 64, stepped down Tuesday after his third season at Pitt, where he had mentored Heisman Trophy finalist Kenny Pickett.
The Panthers ranked third nationally in scoring and sixth in passing in 2021. Pickett, who became Pitt’s first Heisman Trophy finalist since 2003, set numerous team records this season, passing for 4,319 yards and an ACC-record 42 touchdowns. He also broke Dan Marino’s team record for career touchdown passes with 81.
Husker Nation, help us welcome Coach Mark Whipple to the Good Life!!!#GBR /// @CoachWhipPitt pic.twitter.com/73aWhbHXx2
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFBNation) December 8, 2021
Whipple previously spent five seasons as head coach at UMass, and also coached quarterbacks at both the NFL and college levels.
The Cornhuskers went 3-7 amid offensive inconsistencies, and Frost fired four offensive assistants, including offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Matt Lubick.
Offensive line coach/run game coordinator Greg Austin, running backs coach Ryan Held and quarterbacks coach Mario Verduzco were also fired.
Frost last month said stepping back and turning over the offense to someone new will not be an easy adjustment for him, but he said it’s necessary.
“There’s things about being coach at Nebraska that I haven’t been able to enjoy because of all the time I’ve been spending trying to fix problems and dig ourselves out of a hole and get the team better,” Frost said last month. “I’ve spent a lot of time offensively, too. Not that I didn’t have the right guys. I can’t say enough good about them. But I need to really trust somebody. I’ll still be involved. That will take a lot off my plate and I think help me be better in some other areas.”
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg contributed to this report.
