Think of this as an intermission, if you will, in the fall practice 4-part review series and look back and forward at 2025 and 2026 Husker Football.
(If you’re playing catch-up on the series, CLICK HERE for PART 1 and/or CLICK HERE for PART 2.)
The reason? Simple – in Parts 3 and 4, I’ll being reviewing incoming an outgoing players and, quite frankly, adding the coaches in all that will turn one of them into a bathroom read which will require a Seinfeld Big Salad made of the potty lettuce and/or the scorn and disgust of your family or roommate(s).
Or you could just read it in two parts, but that should never happen. Two articles is what that should be and so it is. Everyone thanks you. And me.
The first thing which sticks out is Matt Rhule letting three assistants go, with another one leaving, following the 2025 regular season – and then bringing in seven new coaches from the outside. The actual total of new faces to the official coaching staff list was 13, but I didn’t count those who were already here, such as Nick Humphrey and Brett Maher who take over for Ekeler or others already serving in their previous positions, but are now listed since they can assist in on-field at practices and games.
And that leads into why there is a much larger number now. In summer of 2024, a major change was made as far as “countable” coaches; that is, those could be on the field. Prior to that, there was a limit of 11 countable coaches; a head coach and 10 assistants. Any other assistants, analysts or friends of Nick Saban who desired an office and a six-figure salary were limited to film sessions and meetings and such.
Now? Bring ‘em on.
So anyway, here’s an accounting of the subtractions from the 2025 coaching staff and additions for 2026. The descriptions will be minimal, but for deeper divers, the biographies Huskers.com are a good start. And Google is never a bad starting point either – but trust me when I say to verify what that Google AI tells you before quoting it word-for-word. It gets confused about sports and I’ve made a monkey of myself by rushing something to print, a double-check be damned.
So here we go, and we’ll start with the guys who received the bad news:
THOSE MOVED BY WHETHER BY CHOICE OR BOOT
JOHN BUTLER – Defensive Coordinator – Fired – On the plus side, the former Bills and, for one year, Nebraska defensive backs coach, had the nation’s #3 pass defense nationally holding quarterbacks such as Jayden Maiava and Brendan Sorsby to miserable nights through the air. This was more amazing given that his front groups put very little pressure on opposing QB’s ranking 98th nationally in sacks (Javin Wright led the team with a paltry 3).
Against the run, they were abysmal with the also #98 ranked rush defense. The latter coupled with a pre-Iowa press conference, in which he hinted at a lack of talent and size on the current roster by saying they needed to go after both hard in the transfer portal, likely combined to force Rhule to make a move.
MIKE EKELER – Special Teams Coordinator – left for USC – With Ekeler at the special teams helm, the group made amazing leaps after several years of being more of a hindrance than a weapon. But after one season, the oft-traveled coach was packing his bags again. Reasons speculated included him possibly wanting more money, a position to coach or both. He is now in charge of the linebackers at USC in addition to the ST’s
TERRY BRADDEN – Defensive Line – fired – The former Chiefs assistant was also out after one year in his new position. See “John Butler” for reasons.
DONOVAN RAIOLA – Offensive Line – fired – On the surface, this didn’t look like a job badly done. The O-line blocked for Emmett Johnson, the Huskers’ first 1st-Team All-American RB since Mike Rozer in 1983. Emmett’s 1451 rushing yards provided their first 1000 yd rusher since Devine Ozigbo in 2018 and most rushing yds since Ameer Abdullah in 2014,
However, the pass protection was suspect as Nebraska tied for 112th nationally in fewest sacks allowed/game and many of the ones which weren’t the fault of the line could be placed at the feet of his nephew Dylan. And, despite Emmett’s numbers and heroics, the team only ranked 80th nationally in rushing yds/game. The up and down results in Raiola’s years coaching the offensive line in Lincoln plus an apparent desire to sever ties with the Raiola family made this decision inevitable.
THOSE WELCOMED ABOARD FOR 2026
As CN’s Jon Johnston wrote and talked about HERE, Coach Rhule has made some questionable hires since coming to Lincoln. As he grows the staff in accordance with guardrails removed on building one, here are
ROB AURICH – Defensive Coordinator – Previously: D-Coordinator SDSU 2024-5, Idaho, South Dakota, Bemidji,
COREY BROWN – Defensive Line Coach – Previously: D-Line Miami Ohio 2023-25, South Dakota, Cornell College, Rutgers, Notre Dame
ROY MANNING – Defensive Edges – Previously: Edges SDSU 2025, USC, Oklahoma, UCLA, Washngton St, Michigan, Cincinnati
LONNIE TEASLEY – Run Game Coordinator – Previously: O-Line Coach South Carolina 2023-25 (@SC 2021-25), UNCC, Arkansas – PB, Tennessee Tech, Baltimore Ravens, Temple, Delaware St
GEEP WADE – Offensive Line Coach – Previously: O-Line Georgia Tech 2023-25, Appalachian St, UT-Martin, East Carolina, Middle Tennessee, Marshall, Chattanooga, Midwestern St, Tennessee, Mars Hill
TYKER YELK – Safeties – Previously: Def Asst. Philadelphia Eagles 2023-25, Idaho, Temple, Northern Illinois, South Dakota, Western Illinois, Minnesota-Duluth,
DAVE TOLLEFSON – Defensive Analyst – Previously: 1st Year, 6-year NFL career, HOF as player for Minnesota-Duluth
