Frost Announces Two New Assistants to His Staff

Nebraska Head Coach Scott Frost announced Wednesday, Dec. 8, the addition of two assistants to his offensive staff. Mark Whipple will serve as the Huskers’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, while Donovan Raiola will serve as the offensive line coach on Frost’s Nebraska staff. The hirings are pending the completion of a University of Nebraska background check.

“We are excited to add Mark Whipple and Donovan Raiola to our offensive coaching staff,” Frost said. “Mark has four decades of coaching experience and brings a long record of offensive success to Nebraska. Donovan is an outstanding offensive line coach who has a history of winning as both a player and coach. I am confident their addition will have a positive impact on the young men in our program and the success of our offense.”

Whipple comes to Nebraska after three seasons in the same role at Pitt, where he directed an explosive Panther offense that helped the school to its first ACC Championship in 2021, and its first league title in any conference since 2010. The Panthers will finish the season in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, the school’s first trip to a New Year’s Six Bowl since the 2004 campaign.

Whipple’s Pitt offense ranked among the nation’s most prolific units in 2021. The Panthers ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (43.0 ppg, 3rd), total offense (502.9 ypg, 5th), passing offense (350.2 ypg, 6th) and passing efficiency (8th). Pitt scored more than 40 points eight times in 2021 and converted 88 percent of its red-zone trips into scores.

Raiola comes to the Husker program after spending the past four seasons with the Chicago Bears as an assistant offensive line coach. In addition to his time in the National Football League, Raiola also brings four years of collegiate coaching experience to the Husker program.

Raiola has helped the Bears to two playoff appearances since joining the staff in 2018. In his first season in Chicago, the Bears posted a 12-4 record and captured the NFC North Division title. The Bears offensive line allowed just 33 sacks, tied for the third fewest in the NFC, while Chicago averaged 26.3 points per game, the fourth-best average in the NFC.

Raiola is the younger brother of Dominic Raiola, an All-America center and Rimington Trophy winner for the Huskers. Dominic Raiola played 14 seasons in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions.

Share: