Wednesday’s Signing Day news conference for Nebraska Football saw the signing class overshadowed by extensive news about Nebraska’s coaching staff. Coach Matt Rhule confirmed that defensive coordinator Tony White was leaving Nebraska to become Florida State’s defensive coordinator, and that defensive line coach Terrance Knighton would be following him to Tallahassee. In addition, Rhule announced the promotion of defensive backs coach John Butler to interim defensive coordinator while still leaving the possibility open for Butler to get the job permanently, and also the hiring of Kentucky wide receivers coach Daikel Shorts.
White and Knighton’s departures had been widely reported, though Florida State has not yet announced either hiring. White and Knighton will join a new-look FSU coaching staff that features former Auburn and UCF head coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator, and former NU defensive coordinator John Papuchis as defensive ends coach and special teams coach. Rhule said White was looking to return closer to family, which contributed to his departure.
Butler was hired this summer as defensive backs coach after the dismissal of Evan Cooper. Butler served as a DC for Penn State in 2013, before coaching as the Buffalo Bills DB’s coach for six years. When the Bills passed over him for the defensive coordinator job this winter, Butler left the team and was considering taking a year off coaching before being contacted in the summer by Rhule to replace Cooper. Rhule said that Butler is a candidate to become the permanent defensive coordinator, though there is no immediate timetable for Rhule to make that decision.
Shorts, a former West Virginia wide receiver who played for offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, was hired at Holgorsen’s request once Holgorsen was hired full-time. After playing for NU’s new OC as a Mountaineers, Shorts then followed him to Houston as an assistant coach. When Holgorsen was dismissed as the head coach of the Cougars, Shorts moved on to Kentucky’s staff for one year. While Shorts will be hired as wide receivers coach, Garrett McGuire, who previously held the job, could remain on the staff, though Rhule said he is weighing several options. The former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will remain on staff too as a tight ends coach after losing the offensive coordinator title.