(Lincoln, NE) — After a disappointing end to the season, Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule has fired his Defensive Coordinator John Butler effective immediately. Butler will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant Phil Snow.
Snow is in his first season as Associate Head Coach under Rhule. Snow has been the Defensive Coordinator in the college and pro ranks, working in the position for Boise St., Arizona St., UCLA, Washington (Huskies), Eastern Michigan, Temple, Baylor and in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers from 2020 through 2022. Snow was Rhule’s DC when he was Head Coach at Carolina.
Nebraska lost 3 of their last 4 games of the regular season and Butler apparently is the scapegoat. The Huskers allowed 77 points in the final two games both losses — 37-10 to Penn St. and 40-16 to Iowa. Butler has been with Nebraska for two seasons after replacing Tony White as Defensive Coordinator when he left for Florida St. Butler had been with the Buffalo Bills as Defensive Backs Coach from 2018-2023. He parted ways with the Bills and was hired by Rhule as Secondary Coach and Passing Game Coordinator in 2023 before being promoted to DC before this season.
Nebraska with a 7-5 record has qualified for a bowl game and will find out its destination when the bowl schedule will be released this Sunday.
