Nebraska football will be looking for a new defensive line coach.

Defensive line coach Mike Dawson has taken an outside linebacker coaching position with the New York Giants. The NFL franchise announced the hire on Monday morning.

Nebraska head coach Scott Frost thanked Dawson for his service with the Huskers, and during Frost's time at UCF, in a statement announcing the move.

“Coach Dawson informed me late last week he had chosen to accept a coaching position with the New York Giants,” Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said in a statement on Monday. “Mike has been a key part of our staff the past three seasons at Nebraska and UCF. He is a man of great character, an outstanding teacher, relates well to players and is a tremendous asset for any coaching staff.

“When you are fortunate to have outstanding coaches on your staff, they are going to have other opportunities in this profession. We will miss Coach Dawson, but wish him and his family the best as he takes the next step in his career with the Giants.”

Dawson, a native of the northeast, has been an assistant coach for more than 20 years at both the NFL and college ranks. Dawson went to UCF with Frost prior to the 2016 season, then followed the staff to Lincoln during the last offseason. Prior to going to UCF, Dawson was on the staff of the Philadelphia Eagles as a defensive quality control coach and two as a defensive line assistant. Current New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur was the Eagles' offensive coordinator during that stretch. Before joining the Eagles, Dawson coached at Boston College from 2009-11, Akron from 2006-08, and New Hampshire from 2000-05.

Attrition from the coaching staff has been rare during Scott Frost's time as a head coach. The entire coaching staff came from Orlando to Lincoln with Frost, with Dawson being the first assistant to move along to another opportunity.

In Dawson's first season at Nebraska in 2018, his defensive line featured a pair of All-Big Ten performers and helped key a Blackshirts unit that moved up 27 spots in the national scoring defense rankings from the 2017 season. The line helped Nebraska total 25 sackles, 11 more than the Huskers recorded the previous season, and played a role in the Huskers ranking 34th nationally in pass efficiency defense.

On the recruiting trail, Dawson's connections in the Northeast were key in helping Nebraska land Rahmir Johnson in the 2019 class, as well as securing the commitment of defensive lineman Casey Rogers in the 2018 recruiting class.

The Huskers will have to work quickly to find a replacement for Dawson, as the Big Red will begin spring practices in a little less than a month.