Nebraska Football: John Butler tabbed as new secondary coach

Nebraska football is expected to hire former Buffalo Bills assistant coach John Butler as the new secondary coach. This was first reported by Sports Illustrated’s Pete Thamel. This move comes as a result of the departure of secondaries coach Evan Cooper. Cooper’s departure took place on Friday evening.

Butler has NFL experience. He served on the Houston Texans coaching staff from 2014-2017. Most recently, he was the defensive backs coach for the Buffalo Bills from 2018-23.

Perhaps most notable is his experience in the Big Ten. He served as the special teams and linebackers coach at Minnesota from 2007-2010. He was the defensive backs coach at Penn State in 2012, and took on the defensive coordinator role for Penn State in 2013.

Sources: Nebraska is expected to hire former Buffalo Bills assistant coach John Butler as the program’s new secondary coach. He’s a longtime NFL defensive backs coach with stints at the Texans (2014-17) and Bills (2018-23). pic.twitter.com/9XJtEum6Oe

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) July 6, 2024

What does this mean for Nebraska football?

This could be a very solid move for Nebraska football. For one, he could have the chance to become the defensive coordinator should Tony White leave the program. This would certainly be a solid backup plan. The Big Ten experience certainly does not hurt matters either.

This move also comes at a right time in terms of proximity to the start of the season. Nebraska is starting camp this month, and they needed somebody to fill that spot quickly. Luckily, they were able to get their guy. This will at least give him an opportunity to work with his new group before the August 31 opener against UTEP.

Time will tell how this hire works out in terms of on-field performance. Nevertheless, it’s a very solid move on paper. This is also a credit to Matt Rhule and his ability to find replacements quickly. It always seems like he has a plan when it comes to these situations, and there is certainly something to be said for that.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.