To fix an ailing defense, Nebraska is turning to San Diego State's Rob Aurich, sources told ESPN Sunday night, a coach who produced one of the season's best defensive turnaround arounds in 2025.
Aurich agreed to a three-year deal to be the Cornhuskers' next defensive coordinator, sources said. The hiring comes in the wake of one of the most impressive defensive performances in the country with the Aztecs this past season, as San Diego State finished No. 5 in scoring defense.
The Aztecs gave up just 12.6 points per game and ranked No. 5 nationally in scoring defense, a distinct improvement from finishing No. 97 the season before at 29.6 points. Also this season, San Diego State finished No. 7 nationally in total defense, No. 5 in passing yards allowed and No. 12 in third-down conversion defense.
Aurich ended up as a Broyles Award nominee (top assistant coach) for his work, and Nebraska will turn to him to replace John Butler, who was fired after Nebraska lost three of four games down the stretch and had the Big Ten's No. 12 scoring defense.
Aurich was promoted to defensive coordinator at SDSU in 2025 from edges coach, and the defense soared accordingly. He also brings coordinating experience from his time at Idaho under Jason Eck in 2022 and 2023.
The Idaho defense showed marked improvement under Aurich, as the year before he arrived they yielded 31.5 points and that dropped to 25.4 and then 22.1 in his two seasons. Idaho ranked No. 28 in scoring defense when he left after being No. 93 before his arrival.
Rhule is entering his fourth season at Nebraska with the need to toughen up on the lines of scrimmage, as Nebraska gave up a combined 77 points to Penn State and Iowa to close the season.
Nebraska won seven regular-season games for the first time since 2016, and it has a chance to win an eighth against No. 15 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.