When Nebraska HC Matt Rhule signed a two-year extension, the team was 6-2, hoping for another bowl run. The third-year charm factor was looming, but the team lost the last 3 of the 4 games. The Cornhuskers had to make some changes, and DC John Butler was let go.

Butler’s defense came under scrutiny, and on Dec. 1, he was fired. According to his contract, his buyout is $1.1 million. In Jan 2025, he was promoted to defensive coordinator with a two-year contract. If he were to coach by the end of his contract in 2026, his salary would have increased to $1.1 million from $1 million in 2025.

Lincoln welcomed John Butler as a pass game coordinator in 2024. A year later, he was promoted to defensive coordinator after Tony White left for Florida State. This year, he had signed a two-year extension with the Huskers after his promotion to DC. But shortly after the regular season wrapped up, he parted ways with the program.

Armed with NFL experience, Butler was supposed to turn Nebraska’s defense into an elite unit. However, a 7-5 record uncovered a glaring reality. Losses against Michigan, Penn State, USC, and others drowned those hopes. On Monday, Rhule informed of Butler’s firing.

“I informed John Butler earlier today that he will not be retained as defensive coordinator effective immediately,” he said. “We thank John for his contributions to our football program over the past two seasons and wish him the best moving forward in his coaching career.”

As of now, associate head coach Phil Snow has been named the interim head coach ahead of the bowl game. Over the course of the season, Butler’s unit defended the passing attack well, ranking No. 2 in FBS. However, they failed to limit the ground attack. There was an incredible drop-off from last season. The Huskers went from allowing 101.2 yards per game and 3.4 per carry to 171.3 yards per game and 4.8 per carry, ranking No. 95 across college football.

Moreover, they ranked 91st in turnover gains and 90th in tackles for loss. Although the QB room has been sacked 30 times so far, the defense could not churn out such numbers on the other side of the ball. They rank No. 102nd in sacks.

The Huskers had a decent run initially, with Rhule’s name being tossed around in the Penn State head coach search carousel. However, since then, the program has lost four of the last six games. Star QB Dylan Raiola was injured, and freshman TJ Lateef took charge. The offense faced an unexpected setback, but the defense couldn’t stop the opponent’s ground attack.

DC John Butler’s rush defense costs him his job

On the other side of the ball, Butler’s defense failed to stop the opponent’s offense. Penn State, which was coming off a challenging season with a six-game losing streak, rushed for 231 yards against the Huskers.

Following the loss, Butler admitted the major 10-37 upset, calling it, “I think they (PSU) kicked our a-.”

Similarly, against Iowa, the Hawkeyes covered 213 yards on the ground, allowing four rushing touchdowns. Matt Rhule’s program lost by 24 points against a No. 120th-ranked offense. Following the loss, Butler stressed the players’ execution on the field.

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“This is a game that comes down to their players versus our players,” Butler said after sustaining a 16-40 loss to Iowa. “We’re not going to be over overly complicated on defense. Not to say that we really were. We might been a little bit too complicated last week just to try to stop the run, but we’re going to line up and know that the run’s coming and get off blocks and try to make tackles.”

However, before he could execute on that promise, he parted ways with the program. His arrival in Nebraska was met with enthusiasm. Locked and loaded with 10 years’ worth of NFL experience, including a six-year stint with the Buffalo Bills as the secondary coach. But the Cornhuskers’ 2025 season did not match that hype.