By Matt AudiletShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberMatt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers made a big coaching-staff move on Monday, firing defensive coordinator John Butler after his first season in Lincoln.
Nebraska finished its regular-season schedule with a 40-16 loss to the Iowa Hawkeyes. Just one week earlier, the Cornhuskers gave up 37 points in a blowout loss to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Under Butler's direction, Nebraska ranked 135th out of 136 teams in terms of red-zone defense — allowing a 77.4% touchdown rate once their opponent reached the 20-yard line.
On Tuesday, Mitch Sherman of The Athletic published a story titled "Firing of Nebraska DC John Butler signals Matt Rhule’s plan isn’t progressing fast enough."
"Despite a fourth consecutive season of increased regular-season wins, a disconnect exists between the appearance of a functionally effective program and the results. Rhule’s plan is not progressing as fast, nor as straightforward, as he and Nebraska’s fans would like to see," Sherman wrote.
...More Football: Alex Golesh Announces ‘Plan’ for Auburn’s DJ Durkin
Clearly, there's some growing concern regarding the state of Nebraska football under Rhule's coaching tenure.
Rhule has amassed a 19-18 overall record since taking over as the program's head coach in 2023. After notching a 5-7 record in his debut campaign, the Cornhuskers have since notched at least seven wins in each of their last two seasons.
Butler was Rhule's second defensive coordinator in Lincoln, taking over for Tony White before the 2025 season. Associate HC Phil Snow has been promoted to interim defensive coordinator for the Cornhuskers' upcoming bowl-game appearance.
Rhule knows what he wants out of his next defensive coordinator in Lincoln.
“Defense is about big hits and picking balls off and sack-fumbles and scoop-and-scores,” Rhule said.
Nebraska will receive its bowl-game assignment on Dec. 7.
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