Matt Rhule believes new DL coach Terry Bradden is a home run signing

Matt Rhule remembers being a young defensive coach and striving to get better and learn more.

One day, long ago, Rhule and his close friend Phil Snow traveled to Detroit, where Rod Marinelli was coaching the Lions.

Marinelli’s defensive coach at the time was Joe Cullen, who later became an important part of Rhule’s football upbringing. Cullen, who is currently the defensive line coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, also happened to be the coach Terrance Knighton played for with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

“Joe Cullen is one of the best coaches in football,” Rhule said.

The style Rhule wants his defensive line to play with, the same style Knighton coached at Nebraska in 2023 and 2024, it all comes from Cullen.

“When I had an opening, I called Joe,” Rhule said last Thursday about his then-vacant position as defensive line coach following Knighton’s departure to Florida State. “Joe gave me some recommendations and that’s why we’re going to go with one of those guys.”

Terry Bradden happens to be the guy.

Bradden’s signing became official on Thursday, as did those of Phil Snow and Addison Williams.

Like Knighton, Bradden is young and an aspiring man. Nebraska will be his first power conference college football job, just like it was Knighton’s. Bradden spent the last eight years in the Kansas Chiefs organization, the last four as Cullen’s assistant on the defensive line.

Bradden fits exactly what Rhule was looking for as a replacement for Knighton.

“I want a guy who is in professional football,” Rhule said. “I want a man with great relationship skills. I want a man who can hold the boys accountable – they don’t need a friend, they need a coach to help them get to where they want to be.”

Bradden will enter a defensive room gutted from the transfer portal, but will also bring back young talent as well as transfers like Williams Nwaneri (Missouri), Jaylen George (East Tennessee State) and Gabriel Moore (Mississippi State).

Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher, two veteran defensive line anchors in recent seasons, have exhausted their eligibility and will not return in 2025. Other defensive linemen who have entered the transfer portal include Jimari Butler (transferred to LSU) and James Williams (transferred to Florida State), Kai Wallin, Vincent Jackson (transferred to UConn) and Brodie Tagaloa.

Notable defensive linemen currently on the roster and still with the team and eligible to return for 2025 include Elijah Jeudy, Riley Van Poppel, Cam Lenhardt, Sua Lefotu (who suffered a season-ending injury) and Keona Davis, who entered the portal but withdrew his name.

The Huskers will also sign three defensive linemen from the 2025 class in Tyson Terry, Kade Pietrzak and Malcolm Simpson.

The roster isn’t empty for Bradden, who will use his experience coaching NFL players like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis to develop the talent full of potential at Nebraska.

“I think we hit a home run,” Rhule said.