Nebraska’s secondary is heading into a season of change, and that makes it one of the most interesting rooms on the roster.
The Huskers are coming off a 2024 defense that finished with a mixed bag of numbers: scoring defense at No. 67, pass defense at No. 3, rush defense at No. 100 and total defense at No. 30.
For the record, Nebraska finished 2024 ranked 8th in rush defense. Now Matt Rhule has remade the defense, moving on from last year’s coordinator John Butler and bringing in Rob Aurich, who held that job last season at San Diego State.
Aurich has also shifted Nebraska from a 3-3-5 to a 4-2-5. The idea behind that change is more versatility, better gap control and increased speed. Nebraska also brought in a new D-line coach and an edge rusher coach, so the overhaul goes beyond the back end.
The question now is how much of that elite pass defense can survive the turnover. On paper, Nebraska still has talent in the secondary, but the room lost some real production and experience.
Ceyair Wright is gone to the Cincinnati Bengals after posting 29 tackles, one tackle for loss and five pass breakups. Marques Buford, Jr. entered the 2026 NFL draft after finishing with 21 tackles.
Malcom Hartzog Jr. transferred to the University of Arizona with one interception, and DeShon Singleton is with the Kansas City Chiefs after putting up 70 tackles, two interceptions, four tackles for loss, four pass breakups and one sack.
Addison Williams is back for his second year coaching the group. His background includes stops at UCF, Auburn and South Carolina, among others. The senior group under him includes Andrew Marshall, a 6-0, 190-pound defensive back from Eastvale, CA, who had 50 tackles last year at Nebraska, and Victor Evans IV, a 6-1, 180-pound transfer from Florida International who finished with 47 tackles last season.
The junior class features Jeremiah Charles of Ft. Worth, TX, and Blye Hill of Baltimore, MD.
Among the sophomores are Donovan Jones, the Omaha North product who had 59 tackles last year, Amare Sanders of Miami, Larry Tarver, Jr. of Miami and Kamir Prescott of Philadelphia. Nebraska also has two freshmen in the mix: Bryson Webber of Missouri City, TX, and Danny Odem III, a 5-star from Farrel, PA.
Another key piece in the secondary is Tyler Yelk, who is in his first year with Nebraska. He spent time on the staff with the NFL Eagles and also coached at Idaho and Temple from 2019-2021. His room includes senior Jamir Conn of Kansas City, MO, who ranked second in the nation with two blocked kicks last year, and Dwayne McDougle, a senior transfer from San Diego State who had 55 tackles last season.
The junior group under Yelk includes Justyn Rhett, who played two years at Georgia before arriving at Nebraska in 2025, and Jasin Shiggs, a transfer from Towson University who had 72 tackles last year. Nebraska’s sophomore class here is especially deep.
Rex Guthrie is back after shoulder surgery, and last year he made 63 tackles, becoming only the third Husker freshman to reach 60 or more tackles in a season since freshmen became eligible in 1972. Caleb Benning, the son of former Husker running back Damon Benning, had 20 tackles last season.
The room also includes Braylen Prude, Mario Buford - whose older brother Marques Buford Jr. played at Nebraska from 2021-2025 - and Thomas D’Onofrio of Kiel, Germany.
That depth matters because Nebraska can’t afford much slippage if it wants to stay near the top of the national pass-defense rankings. Odem, Conn, Jones and Benning all need to take a step forward.
Guthrie, too, has to be 100% this fall. And while the secondary gets most of the attention, the bigger story may be up front: the entire defense will depend on how well the D-line performs.
If the new system clicks quickly, Nebraska’s defensive backs could again be a strength. If the learning curve is steep, there could be some bumps along the way.
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Nebraska Defense Faces One Huge Test In Rob Aurichs New Look
Nebraskas defense is headed for a significant reset in 2026, with new coordinator Rob Aurich preparing to install a 4-2-5 look designed to sharpen the run defense and create more pressure up front without giving up the coverage flexibility that has become so important in the Big Ten. The move gives the Cornhuskers a different structural answer to some of the issues that have lingered on that side of the ball, and it also puts a premium on how quickly the current roster can adapt to new responsibilities.
The outline is promising because Nebraska does have pieces to work with at several spots, from the edge to the middle of the line and through the linebacker and hybrid roles. Still, the success of the switch will depend on how the competition sorts itself out, especially with several returners and transfers all pushing for major snaps in a scheme that asks more of the front while keeping the back end steady. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Got A Big Ten Reality Check As Rhule Doubles Down
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There is still some Nebraska flavor showing up beyond the conference stage, too, as former Huskers Emmett Johnson and DeShon Singleton are battling for roster spots with the Kansas City Chiefs. Singleton already made a small splash in camp with an interception, the sort of reminder that the programs reach extends well past Lincoln even as Rhule works to change the conversation at home. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Roster Just Earned A Level Of Respect Fans Will Notice
The latest round of East-West Bowl watch list recognition gave Nebraska a nice little snapshot of where the roster stands heading into 2026. The release included a mix of familiar Huskers and newcomers who have already made enough of an impression to get noticed, with quarterback Anthony Colandrea, wide receiver Nyziah Hunter and defensive back Andrew Marshall among the names tied to the program.
For Nebraska, the bigger takeaway is the breadth of it. Six returning players and five transfers landed on the list, a sign that the staff has more than a few pieces drawing national attention after one season in Lincoln or less. The transfer group in particular underscores how much turnover the Huskers have managed while still putting together a roster that is starting to earn respect beyond the Big Ten, even if the full payoff from that attention is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]