I know two things about football. Winning is fun, and it sucks to lose. Even though the Huskers were on the winning side of things last season with a 7-6 record, there wasn’t much fun.

With the departure of Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson, and D-Line coach Terrance Knighton, the Husker’s defensive line quickly became the scape goats for a porous run defense in 2025. And even though it wasn’t totally on the players, the criticism of the unit is justified. But the reason for the collapse isn’t hard to pinpoint either.

Poor if not bad coaching.

Rhule missed the mark with the hiring of NFL assistant Terry Bradden and naming an NFL secondary coach his defensive coordinator. If you don’t think so, explain the firing of both after a single season. Butler put a good secondary unit on the field. But his defensive scheme protected that unit, knee-capping the front seven. His only comeback, because of Rhule he was attempting to run the 3-3-5 scheme, whose nuances he knew very little about.

However, the numbers tell you all you need to know. Last season Nebraska ranked 96th nationally against the run and second-to-last in opponent redzone scoring percentage. Butler’s unit might’ve ended the season ranked as the No. 23 overall defense, but we all saw a unit that looked far less effective than the ranking suggest. Yes, they were second nationally against the pass (141.4 passing yards per game allowed), but they also finished the year allowing 172.6 rushing yards per game (96th). To take it a step further, the Blackshirts only limited one Power Four opponent to score less than two rushing touchdowns against them. Why pass when you can move the ball at will on the ground. The cherry on top, they forced only 13 turnovers in 13 games,

The numbers were ugly, but nowhere was the previous staff’s failure more evident than when you look at second half adjustments. There weren’t any. That’s because they had no answers for their players, causing a complete loss of confidence by the players in themselves and in their coaches. How Rhule and his staff didn’t lose more players in the portal I’ll never know.

Enter Rob Aurich

The interior defensive line room has size and talent and Aurich sees that. What was missing were coaches that could develop and elevate the players they had in the room. Coaches who can make players believe in them and the scheme they are running. Aurich didn’t clean house on his defensive assistants, but it was important to him to bring guys in that he’s worked with before. Two of those guys were Corey Brown and Roy Manning. Brown and Manning have put together a new approach as well as alignment.

“Getting them here, I think it took a lot off the plate of staff preparation,” Aurich said. “I thought it expedited our ability to teach the players, rather than teach the staff.”

Aurich also likes the fact that Corey Brown has worked elsewhere since they were on staff together, bringing new ideas and experience to the scheme.

In short, Corey Brown was a sneaky good hire. He’s going to unlock some players that have been considered – not good enough. If you doubt Brown, start with his ability to recruit. It was the first sign for me that Corey Brown is a step ahead of his predecessor. Nebraska doesn’t land 6’2”, 350-pound 4-Star Dylan Berymon without Corey Brown. And Brown topped that with three 2027 commits on the defensive line.

• Nehemiah Ombati – 6’3”, 275-pound 3-Star. Ranked as the 49th best interior defensive linemen nationally.
• Errol Demontagnac – 6’3”, 270-pound 3-Star. Ranked as the 85th best interior defensive linemen nationally.
• Jayden Travers – 6’4”, 285-pound 3-Star. Ranked as the 87th best interior defensive linemen nationally.

In comparison, the man ahead of Brown was unable bring in a single player. He was tasked with one target and yet was unable to punch the ticket on the 6’4”, 305-pound 5-Star prospect. The three players the Huskers did land were all products of Terrance Knighton’s efforts, Malcolm Simpson, Tyson Terry, and Kade Pietrzak stuck with the Huskers even after Knighton left for Florida State.

Recruiting alone tells me Corey Brown is the real deal. But then when you listen to defensive tackle Riley Van Poppel, it becomes even more apparent Aurich, Brown, and D-line assistant Dave Tollefson have the players believing again.

“They’ve put fun back in football for me, and I think when I step on the field of fun and confidence, it allows me to just work on things day to day … I’ve seen myself get better with my hands, my feet, my pad level, and those are, I think, three of the biggest things I said at the beginning of spring I wanted to work on,” Van Poppel said.

Van Poppel is especially enthusiastic when talking about Brown.

“I love the intensity he brings. We’ll have fun in the meeting rooms, and we’ll have fun on the field, but he truly knows how to flip that switch of when it’s time to go and when it’s time to have fun.”

Brown brings back to the room something Knighton had and the last guy didn’t. Brown played the game and the position. Because of that his message comes through and allows him to be relatable to the players. They don’t just see him as a coach, they see him as one of them.

“And he’s been in the exact seats we’ve been in. Like I said, played in the Big Ten, obviously at Iowa. And he knows what we’re feeling on a day-to-day basis. And he knows how to apply what we’re learning in the meeting rooms to the field. He knows what we’re going through,” Van Poppel said.

Van Poppel’s comments speak well of Brown, but the thing is, every interior defensive line player will tell you the same thing. They’ve all bought in to Brown’s message and way of coaching.

Aurich Wants Six

Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has stated he wants six interior defensive linemen that he can rotate throughout the season. When defensive line coach Corey Brown was asked about that, he had this to say.

“It’s definitely important to have, you know rotation in there. Just as you guys know the conference is heavy week in and week out. There’s a lot of demands on those guys interior wise. I think that we’ll have those guys that can rotate in and out. You don’t want there to be a drop off, in the job details that are done at a high level. That’s what we’re working on right now. The guys that come out of that I think they’ll be very consistent and not have a drop off from one to two, to like I say six guys.”

Part of what excites me is that Brown teaches attack-react versus read-react. According to him, to play attack-react you must have some dogs. By playing an attack defense, Brown wants his defensive linemen to play on the offense’s side of the line of scrimmage. What is the identity he’s looking for to accomplish that.

“Man, fast and physical. Same things along those lines. Being in attack mode up front, you know, you have to attack the line of scrimmage. You have to be heavy handed. And then IDing blocks, cuz the faster you ID them, the faster you can get off of them. We don’t want to stay stuck on blocks. We want to be able to disengage. But doing all that while really, really playing downhill. And I know you talk about our motto for the defense is simple, fast, and violent. It’s right along those lines.”

I believe Aurich and Brown have the dogs to play attack-react defense. All they have to do is let them off their chains.

The Dogs

Riley Van Poppel – 6’5”, 305-pounds

Experience: Junior (29 games, 3 starts)

Outlook: Coming out of high school Van Poppel was a 4-Star recruit and ranked as a top 25 defensive lineman by ESPN. As a senior he had 80 total tackles, 10 sacks and 17 tackles for a loss. Once he became a Husker, it appeared as if he was on the fast track as a freshman, playing in 11 games filling in for Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher. His highlight was a tackle in a goal-line stand against Illinois. However, with redshirting the next season and then the loss of defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, Van Poppel’s development came to a standstill. Playing under Bradden last season Van Poppel seemed to even take a step backward. In the last two seasons Van Poppel has recorded 19 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass breakup, and one blocked field goal. Far from the production we expected. Part of the problem was that he was never a good fit for a three-man front. Now that the Huskers are running a true four-man front Van Poppel will excel due to his elite power and run stopping capability. New defensive line coach Corey Brown is tasked with getting Van Poppel’s confidence back. The talent is still there. This could be the season Van Poppel takes a Ty Robinson type leap.

Jahsear Whittington – 6’0”, 275-pounds

Experience: Sophomore (14 games, 1 starts)

Outlook: A top defensive tackle prospect out of Pennsylvania, Whittington totaled 62 tackles, 24 tackles for a loss, and 15 sacks as a senior in high school. He played two seasons at Pittsburgh and last season recorded 11 tackles. 3.5 tackles for a loss, and 1 sack. Whittington has been described as “super twitched up” with “violent hands,” both of which will serve him well in the pass rush. But his size raises questions about his effectiveness against the run in the Big Ten. Still, he shows great potential as a player who could bring pressure on a QB. I expect he’s a tough assignment to block and think he could be a every down player, not just a pass rusher. Aurich’s take:

“Jahsear’s a dog. He has a pro attitude in the way that he approaches the game. Super competitive. Relentless in the way he gets after the passer. He’s constantly going through the process of attacking the quarterback. He’s got elite twitch,” Aurich said. “What separates him is how he approaches his work.”

Whittington on himself when talking about his size, “A lion’s mentality, where you know, you can’t weigh a lion’s heart. So, I got the heart of a lion mentality. The Mentality of a lion. You can’t measure that. You can’t weigh that. That’s just how I take the game. I may be smaller, but I actually have more leverage than a lot of guys. I might be lighter, but I’m a little bit quicker. So, there’s a lot of pros and cons. I’m just a dog. I love the game, so I think that right there, that’s going to erase all the words.”

Whittington has nicknamed himself “Bread” due to his ability to “earn his bread” by making plays. But Matt Rhule called him a “tone setter” who demands high performance from his teammates. Sound like the epitome of a Blackshirt to me.

Owen Stoudmire – 6’1”, 300-pounds

Experience: Senior (35 games, 5 starts)

Outlook: Stoudmire spent five seasons at Boston College before transferring to Nebraska. He started all three games he played during the 2025 season before he was side-lined with a season ending injury. While at Boston College he recorded 53 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and 2.5 sacks, showing he can be a solid defensive lineman. Stoudmire has experience against Big Ten offensive lines and his size allows him to handle heavy workloads and hold up against the run. He isn’t seen as someone who can play every down, but he can give you 25 to 30 plays a game.

Sua Lefotu – 6’3”, 315-pounds

Experience: Junior (9 games, 0 starts)

Outlook: In his three seasons at Nebraska Lefotu hasn’t seen a lot of action. When he has gotten onto the field he uses his raw strength to dominate one-on-one matchups and control the line of scrimmage. He displays good hand technique, and his agility enables him to maintain leverage, shed blocks, and apply pressure. His aggressive playing style could make him a force in the trenches. He’s another player that Corey Brown could turn around, making him one of the top four interior linemen that Aurich is looking for.

Tyson Terry – 6’2”, 300-pounds

Experience: Redshirt Freshman (0 games, 0 starts)

Outlook: Terry finished his high school career with 315 tackles, 48 tackles for a loss, 17 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 2 blocked field goals and a touchdown even though he missed most of his senior season due to an injury. A dual sport athlete, Terry won four consecutive Class A heavyweight state titles in wrestling, with a record of 169-0. Even more impressive is the fact he won most of those with a torn ACL. He had surgery upon his arrival at Nebraska and redshirted his freshman year. Rhule has praised Terry for having unique balance and power which was developed through wrestling and giving him unmatched work ethic and mental toughness.

“He has great balance, first and foremost, and I think that shows. He is a heavy-handed individual as well. He’s pretty consistent having his hands inside to set himself up for, you know, being able to get off blocks. His approach is second to none. He’s defiantly there. You know he really takes care of his body, gets his stuff ready to roll. Just his balance and overall strength that he has is a real, real big skill set for him,” said his position coach Corey Brown.

Gabe Moore – 6’5”, 300-pounds

Experience: Junior (11 games, 1 start)

Outlook: Playing his high school ball in Mississippi, Moore helped his team win a state title. In his senior year he totaled 116 tackles, 39 tackles for a loss, 12 sacks, 5 forced fumbles, and 2 pass breakups. He spent two seasons at Mississippi State before transferring to Nebraska. He never played for the Rebels, redshirting his freshman year and missing all of 2024 with an injury. As a Husker last season, he had seven tackles and 1 tackle for a loss. Moore’s mix of size and speed gives him the ability to be effective in both pass-rush and run-stop situations. He has recorded a 40-yard dash time of 4.93 seconds. His ability to come back and perform at a Big Ten level after setbacks suggests next level mental toughness.

In the Rotation

Dylan Berymon – 6’2”, 350-pounds

Experience: Freshman (0 games, 0 starts)

Outlook: Berymon was a 4-Star recruit out of Losuiana. He was ranked among the nation’s top 100 players and top 12 defensive lineman. During his prep career he totaled 117 tackles, 36 tackles for a loss, and 16 sacks. He decommitted from Texas and was heavily pursued by both Nebraska and Florida. His relationship with position coach Corey Brown sealed the deal for the Huskers.

“We’re looking to get him, you know, in the best shape possible to be out there and be consistent,” Brown said. “But he has really, really good skill set, and he instinctual when it comes to blocks, to fitting to the ball, and things like that that carry a defensive lineman far once he gets everything else up to par.”

Brown sees Berymon getting his share of reps this season. Especially since redshirting no longer plays a role. If he can contribute, there’s no reason for not putting him on the field.

Making an Appearance

David Hoffken – 6’7”, 310-pounds

Experience: Sophomore (12 games, 0 starts)

Outlook: Part of the Gridiron Sports organization, Hoffken worked out for the Huskers during a camp in Texas. When Nebraska made an offer, he accepted on the spot. He never played a down of football in the states before arriving at Nebraska. Playing in 11 games last season Hoffken was part of Nebraska’s defensive line rotation. Hoffken’s pure physical size makes him a deterrent in the trenches and his continued improvement will make him a solid contributor through the season.

Malcolm Simpson – 6’3”, 295-pounds

Experience: Redshirt Freshman (0 games, 0 starts)

Outlook: Playing his high school ball in Galveston, Texas, Simpson totaled 58 tackles, 16 tackles for a loss, 7 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 fumble recovery. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 9 defensive lineman and 98th overall by Rivals. Simpson has exceptional athleticism with a strong frame that gives him pass rush ability. The fact his arms measure 34 inches doesn’t hurt either. He’s someone who’s seen as a disruptive interior pass rusher with speed-to-power ability and has shown impressive closing speed. He has significant potential which he has yet had the opportunity to display.

What I’m calling the top six players have 98 games of experience and 10 starts.

Locking Down the Interior

Will the Huskers be that lock down front that was missing last season. We should find out right away against Ohio. Last season the Bobcats rushed for an average of 227.4 yards per game, at 5.3 yard per carry average and 2.5 TDs a game. They may call the MAC Conference “the poor man’s Big Ten”, but they have big offensive linemen and like to pound the rock. Game one will be a good test.

Having worked with DC Rob Aurich before, Brown understands Aurich’s expectations and what needs to happen for the interior to be successful.

“We know in this defense you got to be strong interior-wise. Us setting the tone, defiantly being in attack mode, making sure we’re not getting pushed around,” Brown said.

It feels different with these coaches. It feels right. We must wait and see, but I like the excitement I’m seeing from the players, and I like what I’m hearing from these coaches. And the guy it matters to most, he sounds pleased as well.

“Tremendous progress,” Aurich said. “Exceptionally pleased with where we’re at. They have a great competition in that room right now. They’re pushing each other every day. Every single day we’re seeing something where it’s a spark. Corey Brown and Dave Tollefson have done a magnificent job. I’m really pleased.”

It all starts in the trenches and while there are doubters out there. I like this group.

GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!

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