Nebraska gives DC Tony White a 60 percent raise, likely ensuring continuity for 2024

LINCOLN, Neb. Nebraska has awarded defensive coordinator Tony White a 60 percent raise to $1.6 million annually for the remaining two seasons on his contract. White, 44, directed the Nebraska defense this year to its best statistical season in more than a decade. The Huskers finished 14th nationally in yardage allowed per game and

LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska has awarded defensive coordinator Tony White a 60 percent raise to $1.6 million annually for the remaining two seasons on his contract.

White, 44, directed the Nebraska defense this year to its best statistical season in more than a decade. The Huskers finished 14th nationally in yardage allowed per game and ranked seventh in allowing 2.8 yards per rushing attempt.

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White had been a candidate for head-coaching jobs at Syracuse and San Diego State, both of which have been filled, and he was mentioned in speculation as a candidate for the open USC defensive-coordinator role.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule was outspoken last month in pushing White’s candidacy as a head coach. Rhule hired White, who played at UCLA, from Syracuse, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2020 to 2022. He previously spent time at Arizona State and San Diego State.

White was hired last year on a three-year deal that paid him $1 million per year. The Huskers’ offensive coordinator, Marcus Satterfield, earns $1.4 million per year. The bump in pay for White makes him the highest-paid assistant coach in Nebraska history.

What does White’s new deal mean for Nebraska?

It means he’s likely in place for another year after the Huskers’ 5-7 finish this season. And that’s big for a Nebraska defense that could return eight senior starters, led up front by defensive linemen Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher.

White possesses “all the attributes you look for in a coordinator or assistant coach,” Rhule said in a statement released Friday.

“He builds relationships with his players and fellow coaches and is an elite teacher and communicator,” Rhule said. “We made great strides on defense this past season, and I look forward to continuing to work with Tony as we move forward and build this program.”

White’s contract calls for him to pay 100 percent of his remaining salary in liquidated damages if he resigns to accept a position in coaching other than head coach at a Big Ten program, a program in the process of joining the Big Ten or a school within 250 miles of Lincoln.

Why is the timing significant?

It’s no coincidence that Nebraska announced a restructured deal for White on Dec. 1, the day that signals the start of a contact period in recruiting. Coaches are allowed to see recruits away from college campuses as of Friday.

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White was set on Friday to visit Omaha Westside, the two-time defending large-class state champion in Nebraska. The school produced two freshman starters on the 2023 Huskers. It’s also home to 2024 Nebraska safety commit Caleb Benning and linebacker Christian Jones, a four-star prospect in the 2025 class coveted by the Huskers and several Big Ten rivals.

With a new deal, White can use the Huskers’ strides on defense in his first year to flex his recruiting muscle — with prospects out of high school and in the transfer portal, which opens fully on Monday.

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(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

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