Nebraska football: Tony White takes a step out the door

CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 06: Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Tony White and head coach Matt Rhule of the Nebraska Cornhuskers look on against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Memorial Stadium on October 06, 2023 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS - OCTOBER 06: Associate head coach and defensive coordinator Tony White and head coach Matt Rhule of the Nebraska Cornhuskers look on against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half at Memorial Stadium on October 06, 2023 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Those worried that Nebraska football Tony White might be headed elsewhere this winter aren’t going to like the latest report.

Since the coaching carousel really started spinning up, it’s been a near foregone conclusion that if Tony White wants to leave Nebraska, he’ll have that opportunity. However, until yesterday the idea that he might leave was more a hypothetical than anything. Now, it’s a real possibility.

From the beginning, San Diego State has looked like the school Nebraska football fans should be most worried about. It turns out that is 100 percent true. On Monday night a report broke that White officially interviewed with the Aztecs and appears to be one of four finalists for the head coaching job.

That White interviewed isn’t all that surprising, but it does cement that concerns about his leaving are real. And that means that even if he doesn’t get the San Diego State job, he’s got one foot out the door and the Huskers will eventually be looking for a new defensive coordinator under Matt Rhule.

The good news, for those who are hoping for one more year with him at least, is that the competition for the SDSU head man job is stiff. According to the San Diego Tribune, White is going head-to-head with former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo and two of the hottest names in offensive football.

UNLV OC Brennan Marion and Washington Huskies offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb are the other two targets.

Nebraska football defensive coordinator has a step outside

It appears who the Aztecs pick is really just going to come down to what direction they want to lean as far as offense or defense. Outgoing coach Brady Hoke was considered a great defensive mind.

Tony White’s leadership led to the Nebraska football Blackshirts posting the 14th-best defense in the country and 17th-best scoring defense.

Marion is one of the hottest names in college football because of the resurgence of UNLV, who is playing in the Mountain West Championship game this weekend thanks in no small part to the Running Rebels averaging 35 points a game.

Grubb, too, is preparing for his team to play in a conference championship game. And should the Huskies offense keep the pace it set during the regular season, he could have to prepare for the College Football Playoffs as well.

Nebraska football’s season is done after they lost to the Iowa Hawkeyes on Black Friday thanks to another heartbreaking last-second field goal.

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