Joseph led the team through nine games this season and was placed on administrative leave

By Brenton Blanchet – Published on December 1, 2022 12:14 PM – for People.com

Photo: Steven Branscombe/Getty

Robert ‘Mickey’ Joseph, interim coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of third-degree domestic assault strangulation, according to authorities.

Following a domestic disturbance call at a local residence — which police responded to around 2 p.m. local time — Joseph, 54, was arrested by the Lincoln Police Department at a separate location.

The college football coach, who led the team for nine games during their current season, was booked at the Lancaster County Jail.

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“While the Lincoln Police Department does not normally provide a news release for a domestic-related arrest, due to the high-profile nature of the person involved and, in an effort, to provide transparency on an arrest involving a public figure, notification of the arrest is being made,” authorities shared in a release posted on Facebook.

Following the arrest Wednesday, Director of Athletics Trev Alberts released a statement, revealing that Joseph was placed on administrative leave given both the school’s policy and the “nature of the allegations.”

“We will have no additional comments at this time,” Alberts shared.

Joseph, who was a quarterback for the team from 1988 to 1991, became interim coach on Sept. 11 after then-coach Scott Frost was fired, per ESPN. The team went 3-6 in Joseph’s nine games as head coach, and eventually finished the season 4-8 before signing Matt Rhule to eight years in the position on Saturday.

His $74 million contact comes after his time coaching for Temple, Baylor and the NFL’s Carolina Panthers.

“I could have went anywhere in the country when I left LSU but I chose to come back to Nebraska,” he previously said at a post-game press conference. “It’s a good feeling. I love Nebraska. I love the state. I love the people. I love everything [that] Nebraska stands about.”

PHOTO: Steven Branscombe/Getty

Under Joseph’s contract, he would have become wide receivers coach again if another permanent coach was chosen. Joseph has previously coached at Alabama State in 2000, before heading to Nicholls State, Central Oklahoma, Langston University, Alcorn State, Grambling State, Louisiana Tech and LSU.

“To protect the victim in this case and in compliance with Nebraska state law, additional information, including the identity of the victim and any injuries, is not being released,” authorities shared.

As ESPN notes, Joseph was previously arrested in September 1990 on suspicion of criminal mischief for allegedly breaking an exterior window and damaging another window while trying to enter his girlfriend’s apartment. At the time, the girlfriend’s roommate told authorities that there was a domestic dispute, and no charges were filed due to an uncooperative witness. In 1989, Joseph was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving and was suspended one game, per ESPN.