Matt Rhule Names John Butler as Nebraska’s Interim Defensive Coordinator for Bowl Game

Butler joined the staff in July as coach of the secondary. His new designation comes after Tony White's departure for Florida State.

John Butler was defensive coordinator at Penn State before moving to the NFL, where he was a defensive backs coach for 10 seasons. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule announced Wednesday that secondary coach John Butler will serve as the team’s defensive coordinator for the upcoming bowl game. The decision comes after Tony White, who held the role throughout the 2023 and 2024 seasons, departed earlier this week to take the defensive coordinator position at Florida State.

Rhule spoke highly of Butler during his announcement, praising the veteran coach’s readiness to step into the role and his impact on the team since joining the staff.

“John is definitely a candidate for the job. I brought him in knowing that at some point Tony (White) was going to leave whether it was a coordinator job or a head coaching job,” Rhule said. “John has been a DC before, so right away I said ‘Here you go John, take this over and run with it.’ He’s done a great job this season with putting together game plans and passing game plans with Tony.”

Butler joined Nebraska’s staff in July after the resignation of Evan Cooper. His previous experience as a defensive coordinator at the collegiate and professional levels makes him a natural choice to take over the role on an interim basis. For Butler, the bowl game represents not only a chance to lead Nebraska’s defense on a national stage but also an opportunity to prove himself as a candidate for the full-time position.

Rhule indicated that the decision to give Butler the interim role was influenced by both the coaching staff’s trust in him and the players’ support.

“I have talked to some people," Rhule said. "I’ve had some players come in and voice their opinions. A lot of guys love John on the staff, on the team. It was one of the reasons we hired John in case this happened, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Nebraska’s defense will look to continue its strong performance as the team prepares for its first bowl game since 2016. As for when a permanent coordinator will be named, Rhule said he has "no timetable other than to just get it right."

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