Nebraska Adds Former Hawkeye Miles Taylor to Defensive Staff, Bolstering Secondary Rebuild
While Nebraska continues to fend off interest from USC in keeping linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, Matt Rhule has quietly made another strategic move to reinforce his defensive coaching staff. The Huskers have brought in Miles Taylor - a former Iowa Hawkeye safety and rising coach - to assist with the safeties under Rob Aurich and Addison Williams, adding another key piece to a secondary that went through its fair share of highs and lows in 2025.
Taylor’s addition isn’t just about filling a role - it’s about injecting a specific kind of defensive DNA into the program. As a former Iowa standout, Taylor brings with him the gritty, disciplined mindset that’s long defined the Hawkeyes’ defensive identity. That’s something Rhule clearly values as he looks to mold a Nebraska defense that can consistently hold its own in the Big Ten.
Rhule confirmed the hire earlier this week during an appearance on the Zach Gelb Show, noting that Taylor will work directly with the safeties group - a unit that will be under the microscope in 2026 after an up-and-down campaign last fall.
Taylor reunites with Rob Aurich, Nebraska’s current defensive backs coach, after previously working together at South Dakota. Taylor spent five seasons with the Coyotes, coaching the secondary and earning a promotion to co-defensive coordinator in January of last year.
But instead of staying in the FCS ranks, he took a leap to the NFL, joining the Los Angeles Chargers as part of a coaching fellowship in 2025. That experience - even in a developmental role - adds another layer to his coaching resume as he returns to the college game.
As a player, Taylor was a steady presence in Iowa’s secondary from 2013 to 2017. He appeared in 50 games, starting 32, and racked up 169 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack, five pass breakups, and an interception.
He wasn’t flashy, but he was reliable - the kind of player coaches trust to anchor the back end of a defense. That foundation carried over into his post-playing career, which began with a graduate assistant role at Iowa in 2018.
Now, he brings that experience - both as a Big Ten player and a coach who’s seen multiple levels of the game - to Lincoln. He joins a defensive staff that’s undergone a noticeable transformation this offseason. In addition to Taylor and Aurich, Nebraska also added Roy Manning from San Diego State to coach the rush ends and Corey Brown from Miami (Ohio) to lead the defensive line.
For Rhule, it’s clear there’s a vision here: build a defense that’s not just athletic and aggressive, but fundamentally sound and cohesive from front to back. Taylor’s hire fits that mold - a young coach with a strong pedigree, Big Ten roots, and the kind of experience that can help elevate a secondary looking to find its identity.
With spring ball on the horizon and key position battles looming, the Huskers’ revamped defensive staff will soon get to work shaping a unit that can match the physicality and discipline of the conference’s elite. Taylor’s arrival might not have made national headlines, but it could end up being one of those under-the-radar moves that pays dividends when the games start counting.