Who Are Nebraska’s Top Options for Defensive Coordinator? Adam Carriker Breaks It Down

Adam Carriker takes a deep dive into the top options Matt Rhule and Nebraska football have for a new defensive coordinator. The Huskers need to get this decision right, or Nebraska may have a rough 2026. Ffans might be surprised by what Carriker says, so don't miss this installment of the Carriker Chronicles.

Hit the play button to watch and listen, and scroll down for a synopsis.

Adam Carriker spent a lot of time prepping for this show and did quite a deep dive into all the potential candidates who could be Nebraska’s next defensive coordinator. A lot of very good options are out there. The fact that teams can just poach coaches from other teams also means there’s really no limit to the number of options Nebraska might have.

Adam gives you the most likely and least likely guys to be hired, then he gives you the guys he thinks are some of the most solid candidates. He also tells you the coach who would be his preferred overall No. 1 pick. He also tells you the coach who would be a home run hire but because of outside reasons is very unlikely to be hired at Nebraska, except for the fact that he actually does have a decent relationship with Matt Rhule.

Adam discusses the coach that Nebraska media and national media are talking the most about as Nebraska’s next defense coordinator.

Adam also shares some insight as to why John Butler was fired, and whether Butler is a scapegoat or not. Carriker also discusses why there are a lot of stats where the Huskers' defense actually outperformed Nebraska’s offense this year. But Adam believes he’s figured out exactly why Butler was fired; there was one key statement Matt Rhule made at his press conference that just stuck out.

Carriker explains the difference between coaching in the NFL and college and why even though Butler has a phenomenal NFL pedigree, he just wasn’t the right fit at Nebraska, in college football. The biggest thing going forward will not be the X's and O's and scheme; it will be how Nebraska plays, the physicality they play with or don’t, how much they buy into the concept of legalized violence, and if they play with a pack mentality or not.

If you want to hear who the most likely candidates are, this is the best breakdown anyone has put out there yet. Adam shares unique insights on what makes a good collegiate defensive coordinator, what needs to happen at Nebraska, who fits that description and what potential defensive coordinators do not fit that description.

Adam also goes into why Power Four, Big Ten and SEC experience is a gigantic plus for this position. That being said, there’s a potential defensive coordinator out there with no Power Four experience and another with zero Big Ten or SEC experience, while other potential candidates not only have a ton of those very experiences, they have years' worth of head coaching experience as well.

There are almost too many good options out there for the Huskers to screw it up. The question is, which one will they pick? Do not miss this episode of the Carriker Chronicles, ladies and gentlemen. Go Big Red, and remember to Throw the Bones!

☛ Get more Carriker Chronicles here on Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, at Adam's website and on YouTube.

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