Nebraska hires QO grad as football assistant

Former Cougars QB Papuchis will follow Bo Pelini from LSU to Lincoln

‘‘It’s been a little bit of a wild schedule,” Papuchis said. ‘‘We’ve got four or five weeks to get this thing going, and in between that, try to win the national championship game. ... It’s been really exciting.”

Pelini was introduced as Nebraska’s new coach on Dec. 2, and immediately offered positions to Papuchis and fellow LSU graduate assistant Mike Ekeler. Once the staff fully takes shape, Papuchis will coach either defensive backs or defensive linemen. It will be his first full-time coaching position.

After graduating from Virginia Tech, Papuchis spent three years as a graduate assistant at the University of Kansas, while also earning a Masters degree. He has spent the past four years at LSU in a similar role.

‘‘That’s basically video breakdown, scouting, anything administrative that [Pelini] needed help with,” Papuchis said. ‘‘Has it set in yet? Not really. Seven years as basically an intern is a long time.”

Papuchis played football, basketball and baseball at Quince Orchard, including two seasons as a quarterback on the varsity football team. At Virginia Tech, he volunteered for three years as an assistant football coach at nearby Blacksburg High School, and began his pursuit of a coaching career the fall after he graduated.

Nebraska has won five national championships, most recently in 1997, but in 2007 suffered through a 5-7 season and will not play in a postseason bowl game.

‘‘We know we’ve got to get back to reestablishing the great tradition they’ve had,” Papuchis said. ‘‘There used to be a pride that went along with playing defense at the university. It somehow slipped away, and we’ve got to get it back.”