Allowing 200+ rushing yards per game in their final two losses was the final straw for HC Matt Rhule to take action. Nebraska’s search for a new defensive coordinator began abruptly on Monday as it fired John Butler after just one season leading the Blackshirts. Butler, who came to Lincoln in 2024 as a defensive backs coach after spending six years with the Buffalo Bills, was promoted to defensive coordinator last December and immediately faced challenges he couldn’t overcome.

While his defense excelled against the pass, the rushing defense was an absolute disaster. They allowed 171.3 yards per game and 4.8 per carry, ranking No. 95 across college football. Now Matt Rhule must find someone who can stop opponents from running the ball down Nebraska’s throat. Here are three coaches who could step into the role and restore the Blackshirts’ reputation.​

Justin Wilcox

Justin Wilcox might be fresh off firing himself, but his defensive coordinator resume reads like a masterclass in building elite units. Before taking the Cal job in 2017, Wilcox spent an entire decade as a defensive coordinator at multiple high-profile programs, and that’s where he truly made his name. During his time at Boise State from 2006 to 2009, Wilcox’s defenses led the Western Athletic Conference in total and scoring defense every single year while the Broncos went an incredible 49-4. He then moved to Tennessee for two seasons, Washington for two more, and USC for two years. And then finally, Wisconsin in 2016. In each of these spots, he showcased his brilliant defensive prowess.

The fit for Nebraska makes sense on multiple levels, especially when you think about what the Cornhuskers need. At USC, Wilcox’s defenses ranked in the nation’s top 20 in red zone defense and third-down conversion defense. And in 2014, his unit scored five defensive touchdowns, the third-best in the country. While he only spent one season with the Badgers, Wisconsin ranked in the Top 10 of several defensive categories and finished 11-3. This is the turnaround that Matt Rhule needs. Wilcox could bring a veteran defensive mind and a proven track record that Nebraska desperately lacks.

Brent Pry

Brent Pry just got fired from Virginia Tech. But his defensive coordinator background is about as impressive as it gets in college football. A 30-year coaching veteran, Pry has been part of programs that qualified for 15 bowl games and finished in the FBS top 25 in total defense nine times throughout his career. His most notable run came at Penn State, where he served in various defensive coordinator roles from 2014 through 2021. It included the full defensive coordinator role from 2016 to 2021. During that stretch, he helped the Nittany Lions win the 2016 Big Ten Championship by defeating No. 6 Wisconsin.

And his defenses consistently ranked among the nation’s best. In 2014, the Penn State defense finished second in the entire FBS in total defense. His 2017 unit finished seventh nationally and second in the Big Ten in scoring defense. The connections and track record make Pry an intriguing option for Nebraska. His expertise as a defensive coordinator over three decades could make him worth a conversation if he’s interested in returning to that role.

Phil Snow (Interim DC)

Phil Snow is Nebraska’s interim defensive coordinator for the bowl game. But he’s been Matt Rhule’s defensive right-hand man for over two decades. Snow is currently in his second season as Nebraska associate head coach. And his relationship with Rhule dates back to 2001. Both Snow and Rhule worked together at UCLA. Snow was the defensive coordinator, and Rhule was a defensive assistant. That 2001 UCLA defense was a thing of beauty. They led the Pac-10 in total defense and ranked second in both rushing and scoring defense.

Snow then served as Rhule’s defensive coordinator at Temple from 2013 to 2016, at Baylor from 2017 to 2019, and with the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022. That’s 11 seasons coaching together over the past 24 years. The case for keeping Snow as the permanent defensive coordinator essentially comes down to his proven success within Rhule’s system.

Snow has coordinated defenses at eight different schools. And let’s not forget his three years in the NFL. This gives him a wealth of experience across multiple levels and schemes. His track record of building brilliant defenses makes him impossible to dismiss. And he’ll get his audition during the bowl game to prove he deserves the job permanently.​

Rhule has said he plans to name a new defensive coordinator “in the coming weeks.” And the decision will probably define whether Nebraska can take the next step in 2026 or remain stuck in mediocrity. Whatever direction Rhule chooses, he can’t afford another year of opponents gashing the Blackshirts on the ground. The program’s bowl game performance under Snow’s interim leadership might just provide the answer to which direction he should go.​