For the second year in a row, Nebraska football will be searching for a new defensive coordinator.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule and DC John Butler have parted ways. Butler spent only one season leading the defense at Lincoln.
“I informed John Butler earlier today that he will not be retained as defensive coordinator, effective immediately,” Rhule said in a release. “We thank John for his contributions to our football program over the past two seasons and wish him well as he moves forward in his coaching career. Phil Snow will serve as the interim defensive coordinator for our upcoming bowl game. We will work toward naming a new defensive coordinator for the 2026 season in the coming weeks.”
The Blackshirts finished the year as one of the best pass defenses in the country, allowing 141.1 yards per game through the air. The only team to do better is Ohio State.
But those numbers declined over the final two weeks against a pair of run-dominant offenses. Penn State rushed for 181 yards while Iowa rushed for 166 yards. Nebraska lost that game by a total score of 77–26.
The most burning issue throughout the season was Nebraska’s run defense. Five different opponents rushed for over 200 yards, while three others passed for 150 yards. Only two opponents—Houston Christian and Michigan State—were placed in double-digit rushing yards.
Nebraska’s rush defense finished the regular season No. 95 in the country, giving up 171.2 yards per game. The 2024 team ranked eighth, allowing 101.2 yards a game on the ground.
The Blackshirts were also outside the top 50 in third down conversion rate (55th), fourth down conversion rate (119th), points allowed (53rd), turnovers gained (91st), tackles for loss (90th), sacks (102nd), and red zone defense (133rd).
Butler took over the defense before the Pinstripe Bowl last December when Tony White left for the same job at Florida State. He joined Roulette at Nebraska in 2024, leading the secondary and coordinating the pass defense.
Prior to Nebraska, Butler spent a decade in the NFL between the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. His last college job before Nebraska was Penn State defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach in 2013.
One of Rhule’s previous defensive coordinators is already on the staff in Phil Snow. The associate head coach has nearly 50 years of coaching experience, including time spent as DC for Roulette at Temple, Baylor and in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.
Nebraska finished the year at 7–5, an improvement on the record from the previous year’s 6–6 regular season. The Huskers will find out their bowl destination this weekend after the conference championship games are played and the final College Football Playoff rankings are released.
Have a question or comment for Caleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking nebraska cornhuskers on sito subscribe HuskerMax on YouTubeand visit HuskerMax.com Daily.
<a href=