John Butler has been promoted to defensive coordinator at Nebraska after coaching the secondary for one season, coach Matt Rhule announced on Tuesday night.
Butler replaces Tony White, who became Florida State’s defensive coordinator on December 2.
The 51-year-old Butler spent six years as a defensive assistant with the Buffalo Bills before joining Nebraska’s coaching staff in July. He also worked for two years at Penn State, where he was the defensive coordinator in 2013.
Under Butler’s guidance, the Huskers ranked among the top 20 in the country for rushing defense, total defense, and scoring defense this season.
“John Butler has been a great addition to our staff this season and has proven he is the right coach to lead our defense,” Rhule said. “John has previous success as a defensive coordinator in the Big Ten Conference and has a history of coaching elite defenses throughout his career.”
While coaching the secondary, Butler helped the Huskers score three touchdowns from interceptions, their most since 2013.
“I appreciate the confidence Coach Rhule has shown in me to lead the Blackshirts!,” Butler said. “I knew Nebraska was a special place before I got here, but it is better than I imagined.
I look forward to our continued work with our players to develop them on and off the field. The Blackshirt tradition is one of the best in college football, and we are committed to playing great defense at Nebraska.”
Before coming to Nebraska, Butler spent 10 years in the NFL, including six seasons with the Buffalo Bills. He also has experience as a power-conference assistant at South Carolina and Minnesota.
