Riley Van Poppel knows that despite two straight bowl games, the 2025 season wasn't all that fun for Nebraska football fans. It apparently wasn't all that fun for the players either. Granted, considering how much Van Poppel and his defensive line mates struggled, it's not hard to imagine they weren't enjoying things. However, things have changed with the new staff. Van Poppel talked right after Saturday's spring game about exactly what changed and how that's going to lead to success for the Huskers and the defensive lineman specifically.
In speaking to Jessica Cody, Van Poppel said that the new defensive coaching staff had made a real difference. Rob Aurich, Corey Brown, and Roy Manning have especially put together a much different approach as well as alignment.
"I think I've grown a lot, Van Poppel said. "Just looking back last year, I wasn't, you know, I've been open. I wasn't happy with how I played, with where I executed, and where my game was. So I think coming into this year, I had an open mindset, I knew I needed to work on a lot."
"They put the fun back in football for me."@Riley_VanPoppel shares how the new staff has allowed him to approach every day with a new mentality. pic.twitter.com/6ngu8tFy2A
— Huskers Radio Network (@HuskersRadio) March 28, 2026
Riley Van Poppel says Nebraska football’s new defensive staff put fun back in football
Van Poppel was expected to have a big season for Nebraska in 2025. That didn't materialize. He had just 16 tackles and 1.5 sacks despite playing the entire season. But he believes he's unlocked the potential he showed leading up to 2025, and he knows why.
"They've put fun back in football for me, and I think when I step on the field of fun and confidence, it allows me to just work on things day to day…I've seen myself get better with my hands, my feet, my pad level, and those are, I think, three of the biggest things I said at the beginning of spring I wanted to work on."
Van Poppel had especially glowing things to say about Brown, who is his direct position coach as a defensive tackle.
"I love the intensity he brings. We'll have fun in the meeting rooms and we'll have fun on the field, but he truly knows how to flip that switch of when it's time to go and when it's time to have fun."
"And he's been in the exact seats we've been in. Like I said, played in the Big Ten, obviously at Iowa. And he knows what we're feeling on a day-to-day basis. And he knows how to apply what we're learning in the meeting rooms to the field. He knows what we're going through."
Riley Van Poppel exits the Nebraska football team's spring session full of optimism. This fall will be put up or shut up time.