Rob Aurich Wastes No Time in Lincoln, Eyes Tougher, Smarter Nebraska Defense
Rob Aurich hasn’t even unpacked all his boxes yet, but Nebraska’s new defensive coordinator is already deep into the grind. Less than a week into his new role, Aurich is evaluating talent, installing fundamentals, and setting the tone for what he believes can be a championship-level defense in Lincoln.
And from the sound of it, he likes what he sees.
“I think we're long, I think we're athletic,” Aurich said during an appearance on Sports Nightly. “If you watch practice the last three days, there's a level of physicality that has been on display. I've been really, really impressed with how the guys practice.”
That’s not just coach-speak. Aurich isn’t handing out compliments without a purpose.
He’s already begun the process of dissecting what Nebraska’s defense did well last year-and more importantly, where it fell short. The Huskers showed flashes of high-level play in 2024, but consistency and late-game execution were missing pieces.
Aurich’s mission? Close that gap.
“We’ve got to make sure we’re able to finish the race,” he said.
Fixing the Run Defense: A Big Ten Must
Aurich knows full well that if you want to survive in the Big Ten, you better be able to stop the run. Nebraska struggled with that at times last season, and it’s an area Aurich has a track record of improving. At San Diego State, he helped turn the Aztecs’ rush defense into a strength in just one season.
“Fundamentally, there’s a level of style that needs to be played in this conference to be an elite run defense,” he said. “We’re starting to see those fundamentals show up, especially from our front.”
He credited head coach Matt Rhule, defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, and new addition Roy Manning for laying the groundwork. But fundamentals are just the starting point. Aurich emphasized the importance of discipline-of not beating yourself.
“You can’t have any misfits. You can’t beat yourself,” he explained.
“When you watch our tape at San Diego State, we weren’t giving up explosive runs because of assignment errors. We’ve got to play 11-sound football.”
That’s a message that should resonate in Lincoln. Aurich pointed out that Nebraska’s defense was often solid for 57 out of 60 snaps-but it only takes one miscue to give up a chunk play. His goal is to eliminate those breakdowns.
Build Around the Personnel, Not the Scheme
One thing Aurich made clear: he’s not coming in with a rigid system. He’s building a defense around the players, not the other way around. That flexibility helped him thrive at San Diego State, where the defensive line wasn’t loaded with size, so he leaned into movement and stunts to generate pressure.
“If we have some hosses on the inside, then you let those boys roll and you play behind them,” he said. “Our job is to take the evaluation of the guys that we have and then build it for what fits them.”
That adaptability is key in today’s college football landscape, especially with the transfer portal constantly reshaping rosters. Aurich and his staff are spending time in individual periods with players, working to identify each defender’s best pass-rushing move-what he calls their “fastball”-and then building a counter off of it.
It’s a technique-focused approach, and one that’s already paid dividends. Aurich credited Roy Manning for helping edge rushers at San Diego State develop those tools last season.
Pressure with Purpose
Aurich isn’t afraid to dial up the heat, but he’s not blitz-happy just for the sake of it. His defenses have typically brought pressure about 42 percent of the time. But last year at San Diego State, they were so effective rushing four that they only had to bring extra pressure 26 percent of the time.
That’s the sweet spot-being able to generate pressure without sacrificing coverage.
“We have to force the quarterback to play quarterback,” Aurich said. “Eliminate the run game and then force that guy to beat us.”
That philosophy fits well in the Big Ten, where controlling the line of scrimmage and forcing opponents into obvious passing situations is often the difference between winning and losing.
Getting to Work, Even Before the Bowl Game
Aurich won’t be coaching during Nebraska’s upcoming bowl game, but he’s not sitting idle. He’ll be in Lincoln through December 21, evaluating the roster and laying the foundation for what comes next. Veteran coach Phil Snow will handle defensive duties during the bowl, but Aurich is already planting seeds for the spring.
“Prior to game planning, we’re evaluating the roster-where do we fundamentally have to get better?” he said.
Transfer Portal Strategy: Quality Over Quantity
With the transfer portal set to open in January, Aurich knows how important it is to be selective. He’s not interested in just adding bodies-anyone brought in has to raise the bar.
“If you add somebody to your roster, they have to make an impact and build on the culture you already have established,” he said. “If we decide to bring in a player, we have to make sure they meet the level.”
That’s a message that aligns with Nebraska’s broader rebuild under Rhule. Build the culture first, then bring in the right pieces to elevate it.
The Journey to Lincoln
Aurich’s coaching path has been anything but linear. After winning two Division II national championships as a player at Minnesota-Duluth, he stepped away from football and worked in the private sector in Chicago for three years.
But the game pulled him back. He returned to the sidelines at Bemidji State, then climbed the ladder through South Dakota, Idaho, and San Diego State.
Along the way, he’s worked under three offensive-minded head coaches-a detail he says has helped him grow as a defensive coach by learning how offenses think.
Now, he’s bringing that experience to Lincoln, where expectations are always high and the margin for error is razor-thin. But if Aurich’s early impressions are any indication, he’s not just here to hold the line-he’s here to raise it.
And Nebraska’s defense might be ready to rise with him.