The Nebraska defense has taken a hit in its coaching staff.

As ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported and a Nebraska Athletics spokesperson confirmed, Nebraska assistant coach Evan Cooper has resigned from his position as of Friday. He was the Huskers’ secondary coach and defensive pass game coordinator.

The 37-year-old Cooper was set to enter his second season working with head coach Matt Rhule in Lincoln, after having previously having played for Rhule at Temple and then serving on his coaching staff for 12 consecutive seasons. Cooper had built a significant résumé after serving three years on an NFL sideline with the Carolina Panthers and coaching in major Power Five conferences with Baylor and Nebraska.

Cooper was also highly regarded in his ability to recruit and evaluate players, playing a large role as Baylor’s recruiting coordinator in 2019. He aided the Bears in securing three consecutive top-35 classes.

Nebraska’s secondary aided the Huskers in their best statistical season since joining the Big Ten in 2011, limiting their opponents to 6.1 yards per passing attempt, ranking the defense in the top 10 nationally. The Huskers also held two opponents under 100 yards passing and seven fewer than 200 yards.