First-year Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler will face Nico Iamaleava and the UCLA Bruins in Week 11 this season. The Cornhuskers visit the Bruins in search of revenge after UCLA won in Lincoln last season.
Butler joins Matt Rhule’s staff, with Rhule having a lot to prove entering his third season with the Cornhuskers. Since coming to Nebraska the Cornhuskers have gone just 12-13. With Dylan Raiola leading the way for the Nebraska offense, the time is now for Nebraska to take a jump.
Butler was promoted after serving as Nebraska’s secondary coach and pass game coordinator last year, so much of the Cornhusker defense will look the same with the new defensive coordinator. Nebraska allowed the seventh-fewest points per game in 2024, giving up 19.5 a game. The Cornhuskers were stout against the run but were middle-of-the-pack against the pass, which was Butler’s main focus.
Nebraska did bring in former five star recruit defensive end Williams Nwaneri to its defense. While Nwaneri didn’t play much with Missouri as a freshman, he adds talent to the Cornhuskers’ line. The Cornhuskers also brought in last year’s Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, who comes to Nebraska from Georgia Southern. Also joining the linebacker room is Dasan McCullough, who was named to the freshmen All-America team in 2022 with Indiana and now returns to the Big Ten after a stint at Oklahoma.
This article originally appeared on UCLA Wire: Nebraska has first year DC, but it will be tough sledding for UCLA offense in Week 11
Reporting by Dylan McNeill, UCLA Wire / UCLA Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
