The arrest of Mickey Joseph has shocked Husker Nation, leaving fans and former players grasping for ways to come to terms with what happened.
“It is stressful," said former Husker Damon Benning on his podcast Coffee & Cream. "Because I am human and I am going to have those moments where, you know yesterday, I sat outside, I had just hung up with you. I am sitting outside my kiddo's tryouts and I don’t want to go inside because I don’t want to have any discussions.”
The arrest of Joseph is, unfortunately, just the latest hurdle to hit the team and comes after a season that was already filled with uncertainty and coaching changes.
“The one thing athletes love is routine," said Tim Bennett, a certified mental performance coach for Focus Therapy & Performance Coaching. "They want to keep doing the same thing again. It's a great source of confidence. When that routine and stability is shaky they tend to lose their way.”
Tim Bennet is a performance coach who utilizes sports psychology to get athletes to perform at their best. He is also a former Division 1 coach and knows firsthand what kind of pressure the players are under.
“It is incredibly different now. Everything they do is magnified and, a lot of the times, they can't make mistakes. They can't make mistakes off the field, they can't make it on the field and that has a way of seeping in,” said Bennet.
With so many unknowns it is likely the team will see more turnover than just coaches.
It might seem frustrating to see players leave a bad situation, but Bennet says it is the best thing for the athletes.
“Players have to do what is in their best interest. Sometimes it is staying and sometimes it is seeing what else is out there,” said Bennet.
The pressure on the team in a normal year is intense, let alone in a year like 2022, but Bennet says that trial by fire could be helping players get through these tough times.
“The game is complete chaos. They adapt, they change, they overcome. Now what they will do is use all those skills they built up through this season — and they built a lot up — that they are now going to be able to employ off the field,” said Bennet.
Turning the chaos of the football program back into order won't be an easy task but Bennet said a new coach, and a full offseason, are just what the team needs to bring their focus back to the football they play.
“A lot of people look at the offseason as a way to get faster, stronger and quicker and it is real physical. But now with this transition, they can get stronger mentally,” said Bennet.
SEE MORE: 4-star WR recruit Coleman decommits from Huskers
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