John Butler ready for first year as Huskers defensive coordinator
LINCOLN, Neb. - Nebraska went into the off season with a hole to fill on the defensive side, when defensive coordinator Tony White announced his departure for Florida State.
When it comes to a replacement, why not someone with NFL experience, who's also been in the program for a full season? - enter John Butler. After spending last year as secondary coach, Butler is ready to lead the Blackshirts in 2025.
"We know who we want to be defensively from a culture stand point," Butler said. "We want to be big, we want to be physical, we want to run to the ball like nobody's ever seen. From an execution standpoint we've gotten out of the install realm, meaning installing these plays... Now we're more polishing them and executing them better."
The biggest question mark of the Husker Defense is the offensive line, with many wondering how the group will rebound after the losses of mainstays Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher. Butler says the group ins’t listening to outside noise.
"We don't care what anyone says outside of this building," Butler said. "We don't evena ddress that their is a narrative... Our message to us is about what we do on a daily basis and highlighting their performance and improvement."
One of those linemen looking to uphold the standard is Riley Van Poppel, one of several members of the defense working under butler for the first time.
"He's fiery," Van Poppel said. "He's out there coaching, being a coordinator... I love his lay calls and he's not afraid to send some guys at the offense. He's great to have around because he knows so much about the game."
Johnson Named to Doak Walker Award Watch List
Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson was on the initial list of candidates for the 2025 Doak Walker Award announced Tuesday. The award is presented to the nation’s most outstanding college running back.
Johnson comes off a sophomore season where he played in all 13 games, including five starts, and led the Huskers with 908 all-purpose years. His 39 catches were the most by a Husker running back since 2007.
He flourished following the hiring of Dana Holgorsen as offensive coordinator in November, averaging 78.5 rushing yards per game over NU’s final four contests while also averaging 5.8 receptions in that span. Johnson rushed for a career-high 113 yards against Wisconsin while catching six passes for a career-high 85 yards in the bowl-clinching win over the Badgers. Three of his four highest rushing totals of the year came in NU’s last three games, as he rushed for 71 yards on nearly four yards per per carry against a Hawkeye defense which was fourth nationally against the run and had 75 yards on 15 carries in NU’s bowl win over Boston College.
The PwC SMU Athletic Forum Board of Directors will name 10 semifinalists in November, and three finalists, as voted on by the Doak Walker Award National Selection Committee, will also be announced in November. The committee will cast a second vote in December to determine the recipient. The National Selection Committee consists of past recipients, former NFL All-Pro and college All-America running backs, media members and selected special representatives. The recipient of the 2025 Doak Walker Award will be announced live on The Home Depot College Football Awards on December 12, 2024.