Things I know, and things I think I know: John Butler bets on himself. We know that much about the man who appears set to become Nebraska’s new secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator.
When the 51-year-old Butler was passed over this past winter for the Buffalo Bills’ defensive coordinator opening, he chose to leave the organization. He resigned. He had been the Bills’ defensive backs coach from 2018 to 2021. Then, for the past two seasons, he served as the team’s defensive backs coach and passing game coordinator.
He told The Athletic in February — following his resignation — that it was time for him to become a coordinator.
“I’m at my best when I’m in charge,” he said then. “I ran the secondary for six years (for the Bills), but there’s a ceiling there.”
Butler said in mid-February that if he didn’t land a defensive coordinator job, he might take a lateral position that offers an opportunity to advance or even sit out the upcoming season to plot his next move.
Well, well, well.
It appears Butler is ready to make that lateral move, with an opportunity to advance. I mean, I think you would call it a lateral move to join Nebraska’s staff as secondary coach and passing game coordinator (assuming that would be his title). After all, the Husker defense last season finished seventh nationally in average yards allowed per play. NU returns 14 defenders — yes, 14 — who started at least one game last season.
It returns nine players who started at least five games, and 11 who started at least four.
Evan Cooper resigns as Nebraska’s secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator
Rhule may have sold Butler on a plausible scenario
Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White was a hot name for head-coaching jobs this past offseason, and if all goes as planned, White will field offers to become a head coach following the 2024 season.
Then, Butler might get his chance to lead a defense, something that’s critically important to him.
It’s easy to imagine Nebraska second-year head coach Matt Rhule selling such a vision to Butler after it became apparent that Evan Cooper would no longer be in the Husker fold. Cooper resigned “for personal reasons,” the news coming to light Friday. Of course, rumors now abound. I’m told Rhule has been vetting candidates to replace Cooper for the last two weeks.
Butler, by the way, is convincing when he says his divorce from the Bills was legitimately amicable.
“People are probably wondering why a guy who’s had so much production and so many great things to say about the organization is leaving,” he told The Athletic. “There doesn’t have to be a crazy story behind it. I just want to run a defense in the NFL or college football. I want that opportunity, and I don’t want to wait.”
Granted, if he joins Nebraska’s staff, he would have to wait, and there obviously are no guarantees he would land a D.C. job at NU. He’s in a no-guarantee business. He knows that. He also knows the importance of positioning oneself for success.
He’s positioned himself with a set of results in Buffalo that — get ready for this — make it seem as though Rhule may have just upgraded his staff. It appears his hire of Butler may become official Sunday or Monday, with only the human-resources process remaining.
Coach produces excellent results in Buffalo
As pointed out by The Athletic, from 2018 through last season Buffalo’s defense ranks second in the NFL in points allowed, first in passing yards per game, first in yards per completion, first in yards per attempt, first in TD passes allowed, sixth in completion percentage, second in interceptions, second in receiver fumbles lost, first in opponent passer rating, first in passing first downs, first in average depth per target, second in air yards allowed per completion and fifth in yards after the catch.
“There are certain statistics you can’t really argue,” former Bills safety Jordan Poyer (2017-23) told The Athletic. “He’s one of the main reasons our secondary is where it’s been. He’s a coach that deserves to be a defensive coordinator. He deserves to land on his feet in a big role. He sees how the game is changing and evolves with it. He understands the game.”
Rhule regards Nebraska as a prime place for players to develop. Butler seemingly fits the mold in that regard, as he helped cultivate important overachievers in Buffalo. To wit: seventh-round draft choice Dane Jackson and sixth-round pick Christian Benford became full-time starters. Sixth-round safety Damar Hamlin started 13 games after Micah Hyde suffered a season-ending neck injury early in 2022.
“He’s been the guy over the last six years that’s stood up in front of all the DBs, year in and year out, relaying the mindset of what we have to bring every day through practices every week and the game plan,” Hyde told The Athletic. “As you can see, we’ve played pretty well over these past six years. J.B. was the guy who held everything together and kept us going.”
So, it’s no wonder Butler was willing to bet on himself.
Somehow, some way, I’m guessing it will pay off in the way he wants.
In the meantime, Nebraska apparently has landed a coach with an excellent background.
Butler does OK in adverse situation at PSU
Along those lines, bear in mind that Butler’s only opportunity to be a defensive coordinator at the Division I level — in 2013 for Penn State — occurred during adverse circumstances.
In July 2012, the NCAA nailed Penn State with a $60 million fine, a four-year postseason ban and a reduction of 10 initial and 20 total scholarships as a result of the “‘football-first’ culture that ultimately enabled serial child abuse to occur.”
In 2013, as Penn State finished 7-5 (4-4 Big Ten) under second-year head coach Bill O’Brien , Butler’s defense finished a respectable 42nd nationally in yards allowed per play (5.30) and 37th in passing yards per attempt (6.70). The Nittany Lions allowed 26.2 points per game (58th).
As Sean Fitz of Blue White Illustrated points out, “The fact that they were able to keep treading water enough for seven wins that should have been eight, and they were only really out of two of those losses, is a testament to the work Butler and his defensive staff did to keep that group together.”
Butler no doubt grew from the experience. How could you not?
Nebraska fans and media weren’t the only ones scrambling on Saturday for information on Butler.
Husker players surely were doing so.
This situation is far from ideal for Nebraska’s defense, particularly for the secondary. Preseason camp begins July 31. If Butler is indeed the man, he’ll need to take a crash course in White’s unique 3-3-5 system while trying to get a strong handle on personnel. Butler is a pro. He can handle the learning. But it could be a stressful period, or so one would think. White, for instance, surely will have to cut short his July vacation. I don’t think Rhule planned to take too much time off at all.
Butler would inherit a long line of key veterans in a strong secondary. That helps matters. But this situation is a jolt to the players, is my read.
Another July challenge for Rhule
This, of course, is the second straight July in which Rhule has dealt with a challenging coaching matter.
Last July — about a week before the start of preseason camp — then-Husker tight ends coach Bob Wager resigned after his DUI arrest. Fortunately for Rhule, he had Josh Martin on staff as a special-teams analyst. Martin had coached tight ends for both Arizona State and SMU. His promotion was an easy call right before the start of camp.
Granted, Cooper’s resignation occurs sooner on the July calendar than Wager’s arrest. But Cooper coaches five of the defense’s starters. It’s a bigger job than tight ends coach. And my read is, Cooper was an aggressive-natured, ultra-confident assistant who didn’t do much delegating. It was his turf, and it was his way or the highway.
“I’m not going to lie, a lot of coaches are afraid of developing players,” Cooper told me in early June. “They want them ready-made. I’m not that way at all. I want to re-make it. I want to make it better.”
His only season for Nebraska was a good one. Rhule obviously trusted him at a high level, especially when it came to talent evaluation. So, yeah, the boss is earning his paycheck right now, as camp will be here before you know it.
A quiet offseason in Lincoln suddenly got a bit noisy.
Here and there …
***Yes, of course, Bill Busch would make perfect sense for Nebraska’s current staff opening — a slam dunk, actually. Rhule, though, chose another direction. Butler appears to be his clear-cut No. 1 choice, and Butler also looks like a slam dunk.
***Here’s a glaring sign that the season is practically upon us: Big 12 Media Days is set for Tuesday and Wednesday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. I’m thinking out loud here: Are Nebraska fans interested enough in Colorado’s program to justify sending someone from HuskerOnline to Vegas to cover Prime? Or would that be too much Deion?
I’m simply tossing out a hypothetical here. We’re not sending a writer. But I am interested in what fans think. I know this: There’s white-hot anticipation for Colorado-Nebraska on Sept. 7 in Lincoln.
***Don’t underestimate Sean Padden’s influence in Butler’s name surfacing for Nebraska’s opening. Padden, the Huskers’ general manager, has a strong relationship with Rhule and a strong presence in the program. Padden isn’t afraid to share his viewpoints. Butler coached Padden in the mid-1990s at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.
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The post Steven Sipple: Somehow, some way, Matt Rhule may have found an upgrade for Nebraska in secondary coach John Butler appeared first on On3 .
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