Nebraska fired defensive coordinator Erik Chinander on Sunday, a day after his unit allowed 49 points and 580 yards in a 49-14 loss to Oklahoma.
Chinander had overseen the Cornhuskers defense since 2018 after arriving with Scott Frost from UCF. Nebraska fired Frost on Sept. 11. Interim head coach Mickey Joseph made the change and appointed special-teams coordinator Bill Busch as the team’s new defensive playcaller.
“We appreciate Erik and the work and dedication he has given to our football program,” Joseph said in a statement. “At this time, I feel it is in the best interest of the Nebraska football program to take the leadership of the defense in another direction and decided Bill Busch will take over as defensive coordinator.”
Nebraska ranks 114th nationally in points allowed and has held only one of its first four opponents to fewer than 30 points. The Huskers rank 124th nationally in rushing defense and 115th against the pass. The unit has backslid sharply from last season, after which it lost several key contributors.
Chinander, a former Iowa offensive linemen, served as UCF’s defensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017 before joining Frost at Nebraska. Busch served as Utah State‘s defensive coordinator from 2009 to 2012 and held a co-defensive coordinator title at Rutgers in 2017. He is in his third stint on Nebraska’s staff.
Nebraska is still determining who will oversee special teams, sources said. The team is off this week before hosting Indiana on Oct. 1.