Nebraska Football Officially Hires New Secondary Coach

The Huskers moved on quickly after Evan Cooper's resignation as Matt Rhule added John Butler to the coaching staff.

Austin Jacobsen | Jul 11, 2024

John Butler brings NFL and college Power Five coaching experience to Nebraska football. / Nebraska Athletics via X

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Nebraska football moved quickly to supplant Evan Cooper, naming his replacement officially on Thursday.

John Butler is set to join the Huskers as Matt Rhule's secondary coach and pass game coordinator after gaining experience in both college football and the National Football League, most recently working with the Buffalo Bills.

“I am excited to join Coach Rhule, this staff and the great tradition of Nebraska Football and the Blackshirt Defense,” Butler said in the Huskers' press release. “I look forward to working with our players to develop them as players, students and young men, Day by Day!”

Sep 30, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (10) and head coach Matt Rhule talk during the fourth quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

Butler spent six of his 29 coaching years in Buffalo, finishing nearly a decade in professional football. The Bills reached the AFC playoffs each of the past five seasons and won the AFC East title in the previous four years. Buffalo was well regarded for elite talent at defensive back, including first-team All-Pro selections for Tre'Davious White and Jordon Poyer and second-team honorees Micah Hyde and Taron Johnson.

Butler also worked on the Houston Texans staff from 2014-17, helping them win the AFC South twice while ranking first in total defense in 2016.

Prior to his NFL tenure, Butler worked with Penn State on Bill O'Brien's staff before leaving to Houston. In 2013, Butler was the defensive coordinator for the Nittany Lions, taking their defense to second in the Big Ten.

Sep 14, 2013; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive coordinator John Butler instructs from the sideline during the third quarter against the Central Florida Knights at Beaver Stadium. Central Florida defeated Penn State 34-31. / Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

The longtime coach also has Power Five experience with South Carolina and Minnesota, working as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach.

The move came after Cooper's surprising resignation on July 5, with many outlets reporting Butler's deal the day after.

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Published Jul 11, 2024|Modified Jul 11, 2024

AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.