Nebraska’s New Defensive Coordinator Impressively Connects With Huskers

Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has impressed his new charges during his short time in Lincoln. He’s got the unit fired up.

Aurich, who came to Nebraska from San Diego State, was officially hired on Dec. 12 to replace the fired John Butler. Nebraska sophomore defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel, at a recent news conference, said Aurich has been in the trenches with the fellows and it’s been all good.

And, there’s another guy getting down in the dirt (turf?) with the defense as the Huskers prepare for Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve. It’s head coach Matt Rhule, who comes from a defensive background and is using his knowledge for first-hand instruction for the Huskers.

“It’s just been competitive going after it,” Von Poppel said about Rhule taking charge of the defense. “No breaks during practice. He’s fully on the gas and so it’s a lot of fun.

“And then we’re up there in meetings and just the knowledge he has is unbelievable. And you’re also getting to connect with him even more.

“I think as a head coach he’s already really close with everyone on this team, but then it’s kind of we’re in a special spot because we’re getting to be a little bit closer to him and build that relationship with him inside that room.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, with then-defensive coordinator John Butler, keep an eye on the Huskers' defense. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

“It’s also fun to see how much he enjoys it. Like, he has his hat on backwards. He’s out there laughing, making jokes, but when it’s time to work, it’s time to work, and he doesn’t mess around.”

About Rob Aurich

Van Poppel and the defense have worked with their new defensive coordinator during bowl prep.

“I love him,” Van Poppel said about Aurich. “He’s fun. He brings another energy as well.

“From Day One, like the first day he was here, he’s out there. He’s not stepping on anyone’s toes … but he’s out there coaching.

“He met with us. I’ve sat in his office and talked to him just about life, about me, about football, about where he sees me, all that, this, that, and the third.

“So, it’s fun to have some fresh eyes in there. You connect with him real well. Just slowly starting to build that relationship but I see it just skyrocketing up from here.

“He’s out there. He’s not just sitting back and enjoying. He’s like, ‘We’re going to go win this game’ and he’s going to help us do that to the best of his ability.”

Huskers preparing for Utah

Nebraska is deep into bowl prep for No. 15 Utah (10-2). The Huskers are 7-5 and with a win will improve on their 7-6 record of 2024.

“Seasoned group,” Van Poppel said about Utah’s offensive line that has fueled the Utes to the second-leading rushing attack in the nation. “Well respected. They play together very well …

“I think it’ll be a very fun game to go play because they’re such a high-respected group. You can go out there and really test yourself. Test yourself individually, test yourself as a unit to go out there and play against someone with that skill.”

Van Poppel has 14 tackles and 1.5 sacks this season. He might have had the Huskers’ most impressive sack of 2025 when he beat a Houston Christian lineman and sacked Jake Weir, forcing a fumble. Redshirt freshman Williams Nwaneri recovered the fumble and took it 29 yards for a touchdown in Nebraska’s 59-7 victory.

New Blackshirt for Van Poppel

Van Poppel was just awarded one of Nebraska’s prestigious Blackshirts, symbolic of defensive excellence.

“Wednesday, got it for the first time and it meant a lot,” said Van Poppel, who is a 6-foot-5, 295-pounder from Argyle, Texas. “I think just the history of what a Blackshirt is for this school and this program. It meant a lot to open up my laundry locker and see that there.

“Put a lot of work in for it. I’m excited just the opportunity it gives me. The biggest piece now is, every day you’re not in one, you’re working to get one. And now it’s, you can’t let up. You got to keep going. You got to work to prove that you deserve to be in that jersey and just keep going and be someone that can represent this defense that we want to be in this program and how we want to play.”

Aurich has an obvious priority in helping the Huskers’ defense. Nebraska ranked 94th against the run, a stat that looked unseemly and a stat that hurt the Huskers on the field.

Nebraska also was brutal in red-zone defense. The Huskers ranked 133 out of 134 teams. They allowed 30 scores in 31 red-zone possessions — allowing 20 rushing touchdowns, four passing touchdowns and six field goals.

Ohio State was the nation’s top red-zone defense. The Buckeyes only allowed 16 scores in 24 attempts.

About the Utah game, Van Poppel said: “We’re going to have an attitude and that’s something that Matt has brought toward us. We’ve simplified a lot of things and we’re going to go out there it’s kill or be killed. You eat what you kill.

“That’s kind of what we talk about sometimes and we’re going to go out there and we’re going to play with a little bit of swagger and a little bit of attitude to us.”

Van Poppel said he noticed a difference in practice with Rhule running the show.

“He texted me and was like, get the D-tackles out on the field at 8:40,” Van Poppel said. “We started at 9, and we walk out there and he’s standing in the door of the weight room and, he literally had his hat on backward and he’s waiting for us … It was like 8:35 or 8:34 and you think you’re early and he’s waiting for you, like where you at.

“He starts going over things. I’m with you now and just from right then it was time to go to work. He had that energy that you could tell it was itching at him. He always talks about how he loves to be out there and actually coach.

“I remember halfway through that practice that first day I looked at him and I was like, ‘Can you just hire yourself as the full-time D-line coach? Just look at what it’s doing to the team, to the unit, to us. We are playing amazing.’

“And we’ve carried that over. And it’s just a lot of fun. You can tell it’s been digging at him. He wants to be out there and be hands-on and coach with us. And it’s also fun to receive that from a head coach.”

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