Nebraska Football: Thoughts on John Butler’s addition to staff

Former Buffalo Bills secondaries coach John Butler has been reportedly tabbed “at the same position for Nebraska Football. This is following the resignation of Evan Cooper on Friday.

Butler brings a wealth of experience to the coaching staff. He has ties with not only the NFL, but also the Big Ten. That NFL experience may help him down the road, especially if the current coaching staff does not stay intact.

This hire can certainly be considered a solid one, with fall camp opening up in a couple weeks.

I offer my three thoughts on the new reported hire for the Huskers

Butler could be next Nebraska football DC

This could give Nebraska football an option for defensive coordinator once Tony White leaves the program. White is an up-and-coming coach, and we have already seen instances of teams being interested in his services. White decided to stay with Nebraska football for the next couple seasons, but it’s inevitable that white will leave the staff.

Here is where Butler can step in. He has a wide range of experience both at the collegiate and professional levels of football. He most recently served as the defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator for the Buffalo Bills from 2022-2023. His multi-faceted experience within a defensive unit certainly makes him an ideal candidate should White leave Nebraska.

Time will tell how everything pans out, but this certainly seems like a logical step in terms of coaching progression. This could be a coaching move for not only right now, but for the future.

Butler’s experience in Big Ten a positive

Butler’s experience in the Big Ten should also be viewed as a tremendous asset. He was the special teams and linebackers coach for Minnesota from 2007-2010. He also served as the defensive backs coach for Penn State in 2012, and took on an additional role as defensive coordinator in 2013.

Butler served under coach Bill O’Brien before the latter went back to the NFL. Penn State ranked seventh in points allowed defensively in 2013 with 26.2 per game. They allowed 144 rushing yards per game, and 381 yards of total offense.

Yes, he may have coached in the Big Ten some time ago. However, that experience is invaluable. Knowing how the conference plays the game of football is important. It really has not changed much over the last decade. Running the football is still a big part of the play style of the conference. Physicality is a big part of it too, especially for defensive backs.

Things are going to get interesting now with Washington, Oregon, USC, and UCLA in the mix. Those programs should be able to open up the conference a bit with their passing games. Familiarity with the conference, as well as his NFL background should only be an asset to the defensive backs. Having a well-rounded, experienced coach is important.

Matt Rhule always has a plan in place

This latest hire is just a testament to Rhule’s ability to always have a plan in place. Less than 24 hours after it was announced Cooper would no longer be on staff, Butler was announced for the position.

This must mean that something was in the works for a while. The timing of this hire is exactly where it needed to be. Camp is less than a couple weeks away. This will give time for Butler to introduce himself to the players, as well as recruits. Four-star corner Bryson Weber delayed his decision over the weekend. This could be a move to see if he wants to play under Butler.

Nevertheless, Nebraska was able to replace Cooper quickly. This is not the first time Rhule has had to do this in his Nebraska tenure. Take for example former tight ends coach Bob Wager last year. An announcement was made rather quickly that Josh Martin would be his replacement.

In any event, it seems that Rhule is prepared for any situation that may arise. Now, the trick is going to be getting Butler familiarized with the defensive system, and his players, before the opener on August 31.