Matt Rhule parts ways with DL coach Terry Bradden
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule announced Tuesday that he has parted ways with defensive line coach Terry Bradden, continuing a stretch of significant staff turnover as the Huskers prepare for a bowl game and the 2026 offseason.
Bradden’s dismissal is the third major coaching change in just over a week. Rhule moved on from defensive coordinator John Butler on Dec. 1, then hired San Diego State’s Rob Aurich on Sunday to take over the defense. He also fired offensive line coach Donovan Raiola over the weekend and hired Georgia Tech’s Geep Wade. Together, the moves signal a clear reset across multiple position groups as Rhule works to retool the program heading into his fourth year.
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Nebraska’s defensive line struggled at times in 2025, finishing in the lower half of the Big Ten in sacks, tackles for loss and overall pressure rate.
Rhule also said that special teams coordinator Mike Ekeler, edge coach Phil Simpson, interim defensive coordinator Phil Snow and assistant defensive line coach Ira Savage-Lewis will all be involved with coaching the defensive line for the upcoming Las Vegas Bowl.
Nebraska will move to a 4-2-5 defense
NU is shifting toward a 4-2-5 defensive structure under Aurich, so it makes sense to go in a different direction on the line of scrimmage.
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One familiar name has already surfaced as a possible candidate: Elijah Robinson. The former Texas A&M assistant and longtime Rhule staff member coached under him at Temple and Baylor. He’s currently at Syracuse.
Robinson is widely respected for his recruiting and development work and has been linked to multiple openings nationally, including LSU. Sources indicated to HuskerOnline that he is expected to be among the names considered.
The Huskers are expected to move quickly with bowl practices beginning this week and the transfer portal window in full swing. The defensive line remains one of the most important rooms on the roster.
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