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The article says White had a decision to make this off-season. It doesn't say whether that was for USC DC, HC at SDSU, Syracuse or UCLAbia, or Door #3. White says all the right things about the defense for the coming season: what we did last year means nothing this year.
theathletic.com
By Mitch Sherman
LINCOLN, Neb. — A moment of inflection for Tony White and the defensive staff at Nebraska arrived in late November of last year as the coaching carousel began to spin and White’s profile gained attention.
Moves happen fast in the college football offseason. Offers fly. Choices must be made.
As White considered his future — yes, he said he had a decision to make — coach Matt Rhule came to the 44-year-old defensive coordinator with a simple question: Do you think we are going to be better next year?
“I said that I believe in him. I believe in us. I believe in this process,” White said this week, recounting the conversation as he sat in the defensive meeting room at Memorial Stadium. “I believe in Nebraska right now.
“I sat back and I said, ‘Coach, I believe we’re going to be better. I truly believe it.’”
OK, said Rhule, who promised that he’d reward the Huskers’ position coaches on defense in addition to White. And with that, it was a “fairly easy decision” to stay and coach in 2024 at Nebraska.
White got a 60 percent raise to $1.6 million annually for the two remaining years on his contract, making him the highest-paid assistant coach in Nebraska history. What opportunity did he turn down? White’s not saying. He was speculated to be a candidate for the top jobs at San Diego State and Syracuse — and in February at his alma mater, UCLAbia — and White’s name surfaced in talk around the USC defensive coordinator job.
His head-coaching aspirations remain. But White said he’s not chasing money. He believes in his ability to grow as a coach at Nebraska and that the Huskers will win again soon.
“There are a lot of decisions that guys in this (defensive) room had that people have no idea about,” White said. “Any one of them could have been gone.”
Only Phil Simpson, a quality control assistant, departed from the defensive staff. He’s now at Florida State. The Huskers retained defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek and secondary coach Evan Cooper, all of whom helped direct the best statistical defensive unit at Nebraska since it joined the Big Ten in 2011.
The Huskers held nine of 12 opponents last year to 20 points or fewer and rated among the top five most improved teams nationally in rushing defense and total defense.
“It’s not my defense,” White said. “This is our defense. I’m the biggest beneficiary of (the defensive assistants). When the defense does well, people assume it’s Tony White. I can’t talk about these guys enough.”
In advocating for Knighton, Dvoracek and Cooper, White follows the lead of his boss. Rhule consistently voiced support for White, publicly and in conversations with outside athletic directors.
Rhule said in multiple interviews that he would push for White to land as a head coach in the right fit.
In his 15 years as an assistant coach at New Mexico, San Diego State, Arizona State and Syracuse, White said he grew accustomed to fending for himself in the quest to advance.
“I worked for (Rhule) not even a full year and he’s over there telling people, telling ADs that he believes I can do it,” White said. “I’ve never had that done for me.”
Former NFL head coaches Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis, in White’s time at ASU, helped him learn the ropes as a defensive coordinator. Rhule has gone a step further.
“He’s the first guy who sat down with me and worked to come up with a plan,” White said.
Rhule talked with White about what a head coach needs to watch. About what to remember and whom to know within and around the organization.
The experience in his first 15 months with Rhule has humbled White.
“I’m not even deserving of that,” White said.
As a result, White said, he’s more committed than ever to building the next Nebraska defense into a group that outperforms his first in Lincoln.
“There is no head coach (talk),” White said. “Anybody who mentions that to me, there is no such thing. If we do a good enough job and somebody wants my profile, then that will come. But everything goes away if you don’t produce. There is no anything.
“Right now, I’m the s—tiest defensive coordinator in the country.”
As Nebraska readies to open spring practice March 24, White plans to apply the same principle with his defense.
Take cornerback Tommi Hill, who enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, leading the Huskers with four interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
“Everyone believes that he’s put himself in position to be one of the top corners in the country,” White said. “But it means nothing if you don’t act that way in everything you do. How do you balance the expectations and confidence in yourself against the actions?”
With second-year defenders Riley Van Poppel, Princewill Umanmielen and Cameron Lenhardt, White said he’s wary of a sophomore slump. He’s pushing them to stay hungry and play with the same edge that helped them excel as true freshmen.
Likewise, linebacker Stefon Thompson, a standout early in his career under White at Syracuse who came to Nebraska this year via the transfer portal, must understand that standards are higher for him with the Huskers.
“This is not the time to take a breath,” White said.
Coaches have split their responsibilities since early February into:
“This defense has not done anything,” White said. “I don’t care what plays they made last year. Every single time you line up to play, you have to treat it like it’s the first time. Because the first time you are not humble in this game, you will get your ass smoked.
“We’ve got to be even harder on those guys. They’re supposed to make more plays than they did last year. But you’re not going to do that by patting yourself on the back and walking around here like you’ve arrived.”
Why Nebraska DC Tony White wants to go 'even harder' after his decision to return to Lincoln
Last season, White directed the best statistical defensive unit at Nebraska since it joined the Big Ten in 2011.
theathletic.com
Why Nebraska DC Tony White wants to go ‘even harder’ after deciding to return to Lincoln
By Mitch Sherman
LINCOLN, Neb. — A moment of inflection for Tony White and the defensive staff at Nebraska arrived in late November of last year as the coaching carousel began to spin and White’s profile gained attention.
Moves happen fast in the college football offseason. Offers fly. Choices must be made.
As White considered his future — yes, he said he had a decision to make — coach Matt Rhule came to the 44-year-old defensive coordinator with a simple question: Do you think we are going to be better next year?
“I said that I believe in him. I believe in us. I believe in this process,” White said this week, recounting the conversation as he sat in the defensive meeting room at Memorial Stadium. “I believe in Nebraska right now.
“I sat back and I said, ‘Coach, I believe we’re going to be better. I truly believe it.’”
OK, said Rhule, who promised that he’d reward the Huskers’ position coaches on defense in addition to White. And with that, it was a “fairly easy decision” to stay and coach in 2024 at Nebraska.
White got a 60 percent raise to $1.6 million annually for the two remaining years on his contract, making him the highest-paid assistant coach in Nebraska history. What opportunity did he turn down? White’s not saying. He was speculated to be a candidate for the top jobs at San Diego State and Syracuse — and in February at his alma mater, UCLAbia — and White’s name surfaced in talk around the USC defensive coordinator job.
His head-coaching aspirations remain. But White said he’s not chasing money. He believes in his ability to grow as a coach at Nebraska and that the Huskers will win again soon.
“There are a lot of decisions that guys in this (defensive) room had that people have no idea about,” White said. “Any one of them could have been gone.”
Only Phil Simpson, a quality control assistant, departed from the defensive staff. He’s now at Florida State. The Huskers retained defensive line coach Terrance Knighton, linebackers coach Rob Dvoracek and secondary coach Evan Cooper, all of whom helped direct the best statistical defensive unit at Nebraska since it joined the Big Ten in 2011.
The Huskers held nine of 12 opponents last year to 20 points or fewer and rated among the top five most improved teams nationally in rushing defense and total defense.
“It’s not my defense,” White said. “This is our defense. I’m the biggest beneficiary of (the defensive assistants). When the defense does well, people assume it’s Tony White. I can’t talk about these guys enough.”
In advocating for Knighton, Dvoracek and Cooper, White follows the lead of his boss. Rhule consistently voiced support for White, publicly and in conversations with outside athletic directors.
Rhule said in multiple interviews that he would push for White to land as a head coach in the right fit.
In his 15 years as an assistant coach at New Mexico, San Diego State, Arizona State and Syracuse, White said he grew accustomed to fending for himself in the quest to advance.
“I worked for (Rhule) not even a full year and he’s over there telling people, telling ADs that he believes I can do it,” White said. “I’ve never had that done for me.”
Former NFL head coaches Herm Edwards and Marvin Lewis, in White’s time at ASU, helped him learn the ropes as a defensive coordinator. Rhule has gone a step further.
“He’s the first guy who sat down with me and worked to come up with a plan,” White said.
Rhule talked with White about what a head coach needs to watch. About what to remember and whom to know within and around the organization.
The experience in his first 15 months with Rhule has humbled White.
“I’m not even deserving of that,” White said.
As a result, White said, he’s more committed than ever to building the next Nebraska defense into a group that outperforms his first in Lincoln.
“There is no head coach (talk),” White said. “Anybody who mentions that to me, there is no such thing. If we do a good enough job and somebody wants my profile, then that will come. But everything goes away if you don’t produce. There is no anything.
“Right now, I’m the s—tiest defensive coordinator in the country.”
As Nebraska readies to open spring practice March 24, White plans to apply the same principle with his defense.
Take cornerback Tommi Hill, who enjoyed a breakout season in 2023, leading the Huskers with four interceptions and 13 pass breakups.
“Everyone believes that he’s put himself in position to be one of the top corners in the country,” White said. “But it means nothing if you don’t act that way in everything you do. How do you balance the expectations and confidence in yourself against the actions?”
With second-year defenders Riley Van Poppel, Princewill Umanmielen and Cameron Lenhardt, White said he’s wary of a sophomore slump. He’s pushing them to stay hungry and play with the same edge that helped them excel as true freshmen.
Likewise, linebacker Stefon Thompson, a standout early in his career under White at Syracuse who came to Nebraska this year via the transfer portal, must understand that standards are higher for him with the Huskers.
“This is not the time to take a breath,” White said.
Coaches have split their responsibilities since early February into:
- Work on the team DNA through time invested with the Huskers in activities outside of football.
- An exhaustive self-scout aimed to make the operation more efficient.
- Studies and staff presentations on various college teams that ranked among the best nationally in situational football.
“This defense has not done anything,” White said. “I don’t care what plays they made last year. Every single time you line up to play, you have to treat it like it’s the first time. Because the first time you are not humble in this game, you will get your ass smoked.
“We’ve got to be even harder on those guys. They’re supposed to make more plays than they did last year. But you’re not going to do that by patting yourself on the back and walking around here like you’ve arrived.”
