The decision to leave the Nebraska Huskers after 25 seasons was not an easy one for John Cook. However, the 68-year-old volleyball coach wanted to have the answer ready for his four-year-old granddaughter. “I got a four-year-old granddaughter now, who asked, ‘When am I going to see you?’… That starts wearing on you a little bit,” Cook confessed on the Volleyball State Podcast.

While the coach has already moved to Wyoming to spend more time with his granddaughter, he isn’t leaving Nebraska entirely. As per columnist Tom Shatel, the AVCA Coach of the Year winner has kept “a condo” to his name in Nebraska. Despite retiring as the head coach of Nebraska volleyball, Cook will continue to be involved with NU athletics. One of them will be enjoying football.

“I still want to come back for football games. That’s one of the things I want to spend more time doing — watching football,” John Cook told the Huskers Extra columnist. The legendary coach explained how during his time as head coach, he barely got time to attend any football games. What’s worse? Coach Cook couldn’t even catch the full game whenever he attended.

“I used to get to go to one game a year and usually I had to leave by halftime. I love being down there,” explained the retired coach. The former Husker mastermind now has enough time to watch the football in Nebraska. Yet, if you’re wondering where Cook’s love for football originates, you’re in for a surprise.

John Cook revealed his love for football in a previous interview with Huskers Extra. His passion for football far outweighed that of volleyball in the early days. “As Cook told me years ago, football was his love. And the San Diegan wanted to coach it,” Shatel wrote about the former Huskers coach in January. However, football won’t be his only focus whenever Cook visits Nebraska.

John Cook’s role in Nebraska volleyball isn’t over yet

Despite retiring and Dani Busboom Kelly already taking his place as the Huskers head coach, there are still a few things Cook would like to see through. One of them is the spring volleyball match in Ord, Nebraska. Cook had worked on making that match happen in his final week as head coach. “I want to go to the Ord (spring volleyball) match. It was kind of my baby,” said Cook.

The 76-year-old also expressed his desire to be part of the “AVCA Showcase,” which is slated to happen in August at Lincoln. John Cook was also involved in planning the 2025 First Serve Showcase in Pinnacle Bank Arena. However, the former volleyball coach doesn’t need to worry as NU’s Athletic Director Troy Dannen is keen on keeping him on as a mentor.

“Troy says he has some projects he wants me to work on, but we haven’t talked and he hasn’t sent me a contract,” Cook said. “I’m still going to be involved,” added the football lover. Troy Dannen explained that Nebraska still needs Coach Cook’s leadership skills. “We need that. We need that for our student-athletes, and not just the volleyball team,” said Dannen.

The National Championship-winning coach is also interested in helping Busboom Kelly. “If they ask for help, I’m there,” John Cook told Huskers Extra. So, while it’s not confirmed what role Cook will be playing in the future, he’ll still be part of NU.