Film Room: How Nebraska Can Improve Its Run Defense in 2025

Nebraska’s run defense in 2024 showed flashes of promise but too often cracked under pressure—especially against downhill Big Ten rushing attacks.

As the Huskers head into 2025, defensive coordinator John Butler is engineering a full-scale overhaul, blending NFL-caliber complexity with a renewed emphasis on physicality and fundamentals. From revamped gap fits to a deeper, more aggressive front seven, Nebraska is building a unit designed to control the line of scrimmage and force offenses into uncomfortable situations. In this film room breakdown, we’ll explore how Butler’s scheme, key personnel upgrades, and tactical shifts could elevate the Blackshirts into one of the conference’s most formidable run-stopping defenses.

In 2024, Nebraska’s defense proved stout against the run, ranking 9th nationally in rushing yards allowed and 18th in total defense. Nebraska’s 2024 showing lays a solid structural foundation for further defensive growth in 2025. Nebraska must replace the interior anchor duo of Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher, whose gap integrity and disruptive power were central to the Huskers’ run defense. Replacing that type of production is a headline-challenging heading into 2025.

Nebraska defensive linemen Riley Van Poppel and Dylan Parrott go through a defensive lineman drill Monday morning. — Nebraska defensive linemen Riley Van Poppel and Dylan Parrott go through a defensive lineman drill Monday morning on the first day of 2025 fall camp. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

With Riley Van Poppel stepping into a larger role, Nebraska expects its defensive front to remain a strength despite key departures. At 6-foot-5 and 295 pounds, Van Poppel has drawn praise from Butler and the staff for his frame, technique, and readiness to take on a larger role alongside other returning contributors.

With Tony White now at Florida State, the reins of Nebraska’s defensive identity are firmly in Butler’s hands. It remains to be seen if White’s dynamic, pressure-oriented 3-3-5 will carry over under Butler’s leadership. Butler’s history at Penn State and the NFL suggests a preference for more structure, often Cover 1/ Cover 3 shells with defined roles. The question is whether he adapts to Nebraska’s personnel or reshapes it.

Butler’s Philosophy: What Might Change

At Penn State, Butler’s defensive philosophy emphasized clarity and execution over disguise. He leaned heavily on defined roles, preferring defenders to master specific assignments rather than rotate or bluff pre-snap. Up front, Butler favored four-man fronts that prioritized gap penetration and speed, relying on defensive linemen to disrupt plays early and reduce the need for exotic pressures. This approach created a disciplined, assignment-sound unit built on consistency rather than chaos.

If Butler installs a more structured system in Lincoln, expect a noticeable shift in defensive roles and responsibilities. EDGE defenders such as Cameron Lenhardt could see their responsibilities narrowed, focusing more on either rushing or setting the edge rather than toggling between coverage and pressure.

Overall, the defense would feature less post-snap rotation and disguise, with greater emphasis on pre-snap clarity, allowing players to align with purpose and execute without the ambiguity that characterized White’s simulated-pressure-heavy scheme.

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