One of the biggest additions to the Nebraska football program following the completion of the regular season didn’t come from the transfer portal or the 2025 high school recruiting class.
After being part of Matt Rhule’s debut staff at Nebraska in 2023, Phil Simpson left Lincoln for a place much closer to home, Florida State.
Simpson served as a senior defensive analyst in 2024 with the Seminoles, who went through a rough campaign that produced just two wins. But then, Simpson’s phone rang.
On the other end was Rhule, and he wanted Simpson back.
“When he called me, it was almost like a no-brainer, it was weird,” Simpson told Huskers Radio Network this week at Fordham University, one of the sites the Huskers used to practice ahead of Saturday’s Pinstripe Bowl against Boston College at Yankees Stadium in New York City.
One of the first orders of business after Rhule asked Simpson to return to Nebraska involved his 16-year-old son, PJ. Dad wanted to see what his son thought about the whole thing.
Do we want to stay in Tallahassee, or would Lincoln work out? Phil got the answer he was hoping for.
“The first thing he said was, ‘Let’s go, we’re moving back to Nebraska,’” Simpson said. “They loved the first experience here. They loved coach Rhule, he’s great to the boys. The experience was amazing here, and just coming back to have an opportunity to have a room and work with the guys and be in this environment. I know the culture here with the guys I work next to, and the type of players we have here. It’s a no-brainer.”
And just like that, Simpson was N. He rates as one of the biggest additions to the program.
Perhaps one sizable reason for making his return is the fact that Rhule is giving Simpson his first chance at being a position coach at the power conference level in college football.
Simpson showed what he could do as a high school head coach in Florida, helping guide Homestead High School to its first state championship appearance in 2022 before working for Rhule as a defensive quality control coach and recruiter in 2023. Homestead went 23-4 over Simpson’s final two seasons, and he was named the Miami Herald Coach of the Year in 2021.
The recruiting part comes easy for Simpson, Husker fans know that. But what about Simpson as a position coach? He’ll be coaching the outside linebackers at Nebraska in 2025, and is currently doing so for the bowl practices.
One person who has been critical for Simpson’s transition is going to be playing his final game as a Husker on Saturday: MJ Sherman.
Sherman is the leader of the Jack linebackers, a group that might now be called simply outside linebackers under DC John Butler. Sherman is headed out, but he’s doing his best to teach the next wave at the position, including Willis McGahee IV and Maverick Noonan. New Oklahoma transfer Dasan McCullough could potentially play that position as well, but Nebraska could continue mining the transfer portal for more help at outside linebacker.
“MJ Sherman has been amazing for me,” Simpson said. “He’s been walking me through the process, kind of helping me sharpen my tools again in terms of the playbook.”
But there’s also sort of a reunion feeling for Simpson. When he was in the process of leaving for Florida State last year, some of the players he helped recruit to Nebraska were just arriving to Lincoln.
Simpson played a key role in recruiting the five true freshmen from Miami — Barney, linebackers Vincent Shavers Jr. and McGahee IV, and defensive backs Amare Sanders and Larry Tarver Jr. — who have bright futures.
Barney doing what he did as a true freshman is no surprise to Simpson.
“I coached his big brother in high school, known Jacory’s family for a while,” Simpson said. “He’s no surprise to me, I expected him to come in and do exactly what he’s doing.”
Simpson is excited to start reconnecting with those young guys.
“Some guys came in right when I was walking out. So we were looking at each other like, I know you, I know you,” Simpson said with a laugh. “So, now just building relationships and getting to know them a little more and just having those good conversations.”
This will be Simpson’s first experience coaching under Butler. Since he hasn’t known Butler long, Simpson has been watching and learning about his new coordinator.
“Butler’s been amazing,” Simpson said. “I watch him, just observing him and learning him and his style, things he desires around here from the staff and the players.”
One thing that Simpson said stands out about Butler is the DC’s energy level. It’s high.
“He runs to the ball, he gets on the guys when they need to be held accountable,” Simpson said. “But in the same token, he has a great relationship with those guys and they respond to him well. So he’s a really good guy to work for.”
With Simpson now back in Lincoln and recruiting talent to the program, perhaps more players like Barney will be headed to Nebraska in the future.
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