Phil Snow

Phil Snow is in his second season as Nebraska's associate head coach in 2026. Snow brings a wealth of experience to the Husker staff, including eight years in the National Football League.

Snow has served as a defensive coordinator at a total of eight schools plus three years coordinating the Carolina Panthers defense. He was successful as a defensive coordinator at three Power Four programs: Arizona State, UCLA, Washington and Baylor.

Snow will be coaching under Matt Rhule for the 12th season in 2026, and the pair's relationship dates back to 2001 at UCLA when Rhule was a defensive assistant and Snow was the defensive coordinator. Snow served as Rhule's defensive coordinator at Temple, Baylor and with the Carolina Panthers. 

NEBRASKA (2025)
Snow helped Nebraska to a winning season in 2025 in his first season as the Huskers' associate head coach. He also played a pivotal role in Nebraska's switch to a new defensive scheme, serving as the Huskers' interim defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas Bowl, when Nebraska debuted its new scheme.

Nebraska ranked in the top 30 nationally in total defense in 2025, and the Huskers shut out Akron to post their first shutout in 16 seasons.

BEFORE NEBRASKA
CHICAGO BEARS: Snow spent the 2023 season as a senior defensive analyst with the Chicago Bears. The Bears led the NFL in rushing defense in 2023.

CAROLINA PANTHERS: Snow was Rhule's defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers for three seasons from 2020 to 2022. In 2021, the Panthers ranked second in the NFL in total defense. In 2020, Carolina led the NFL with 15 fumble recoveries and tied for the league lead with three fumble returns for touchdowns.

BAYLOR: Snow served as the defensive coordinator for each of Rhule's three seasons at Baylor from 2017 to 2019. Snow's defense played a major role in Baylor becoming the first team from a power conference to go from 11 losses to 11 wins in two or fewer seasons, as Baylor went 11-3 in his final season.

Baylor improved its national ranking in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense and rushing defense in each of Snow's three seasons. In his three seasons Baylor improved by 72 spots in total defense and 94 spots in scoring defense.

In 2019, Baylor reached the Big 12 Championship Game with the Bear defense finishing second nationally in takeaways, third in interceptions, eighth in sacks and 19th in total defense. Defensive tackle James Lynch finished fifth in the nation in sacks (13.5) and was named the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year.

TEMPLE: Prior to Baylor, Snow spent four seasons as Rhule's defensive coordinator at Temple. Snow's defense helped Temple play in the first two conference championship games in program history, set a school record for season victories and post back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in Temple history.

Snow's squad led the American Athletic Conference in defense in both 2015 and 2016. The 2016 defense ranked third nationally in total defense (282.5 ypg) and 11th in scoring (18.4 ppg) to help lead the Owls to an AAC championship and a 10-4 record. Snow coached All-AAC linebacker and eventual first-round NFL Draft pick Haason Reddick.

Snow also coached linebacker Tyler Matakevich, who won the 2015 Chuck Bednarik Award and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy. Matakevich was just the third consensus All-American in Temple history.

EASTERN MICHIGAN: Snow was the defensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan for three seasons from 2010 to 2012. In 2011, the Eagles ranked 34th nationally in total defense.

DETROIT LIONS: Snow's first coaching stint in the NFL came with the Detroit Lions for four seasons from 2005 to 2008. He was the linebackers coach for his final three seasons on staff after serving as a defensive assistant in 2005. 

WASHINGTON: Snow coordinated the Washington defense for two seasons in 2003 and 2004. The Huskies ranked in the top 25 nationally in interceptions in 2003 and 17th in passing defense in 2004.

UCLA: Snow first coached with Rhule at UCLA in 2001, where Snow was the defensive coordinator and Rhule served as assistant defensive line coach. In 2001, the Bruins led the Pac-10 in total defense and ranked second in rushing and scoring defense. Linebacker Robert Thomas was the 2001 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.

ARIZONA STATE: The longest stop of Snow's coaching career came at Arizona State, where he was on staff for nine seasons from 1992 to 2000. He served as the defensive coordinator for his final five seasons after coaching the defensive backs in his first three years.

Snow's defense ranked in the top three in the Pac-10 in scoring defense in three of his final five seasons. In his second season as defensive coordinator in 1996, Arizona State went 11-1, won the Pac-10 title and finished with a No. 4 ranking. That season, the Sun Devils had a shut out victory over Nebraska, the only time the Huskers have been shut out spanning the 1992 through 2024 seasons.

In 1997, Arizona State led the Pac-10 in scoring defense behind by Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year Pat Tillman. In his final season in 2000, ASU led the nation in fumble recoveries and ranked third in takeaways.

CALIFORNIA: Snow coached the defensive backs at Cal for five seasons from 1987 to 1991. The Bears won back-to-back bowl games in his final two seasons, the first time in program history Cal had won a bowl game in consecutive years. The Bears finished with a top-10 ranking following a 10-2 record in 1991.

BOISE STATE: Snow spent four seasons on the staff at Boise State from 1982 to 1986, when the Broncos were a Division I-AA (now FCS) program. In 1986, Boise State ranked fourth nationally in rushing defense and sixth in total defense.

LANEY COLLEGE: Snow's first coaching job at the collegiate level came at Laney College in California. He spent three seasons at the school, serving as the defensive backs coach in his first season before being promoted to defensive coordinator for his final two seasons.

HIGH SCHOOL: Snow spent three seasons coaching high school football in California before entering the college ranks. He was an assistant coach at Winters High School in 1977 and 1978 after beginning his coaching career as an assistant at Berkeley High in 1976.

PLAYING CAREER (SACRAMENTO CITY COLLEGE/CAL STATE HAYWARD)
Snow was a quarterback at Sacramento City College and then California State Hayward in the 1970s.

PERSONAL
Originally from Winters, Calif., Snow earned his degree in physical education from Cal State Hayward in 1978. He and his wife Debra have two children, Phillip and Jacob. 

Snow's nephew, Dustin Pedroia, played 14 seasons for the Boston Red Sox and is a member of the Red Sox Hall of Fame. Pedroia was the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year, the 2008 American League Most Valuable Player, a four-time All-Star, four-time Gold Glove winner and a two-time World Series champion.

COACHING CAREER
2025-present: Nebraska (Associate Head Coach)
2025 Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska (Interim Defensive Coordinator)
2023: Chicago Bears (Senior Defensive Analyst)
2020-22: Carolina Panthers (Defensive Coordinator)
2019: Baylor (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
2017-18: Baylor (Defensive Coordinator)
2013-16: Temple (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
2010-12: Eastern Michigan (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2006-08: Detroit Lions (Linebackers)
2005: Detroit Lions (Defensive Assistant)
2004: Washington (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
2003: Washington (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Cornerbacks)
2001-02: UCLA (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
1995-2000: Arizona State (Defensive Coordinator)
1992-94: Arizona State (Defensive Backs)
1987-91: California (Defensive Backs)
1983-86: Boise State (Defensive Coordinator/Safeties)
1982: Boise State (Defensive Backs)
1980-81: Laney College (Defensive Coordinator)
1979: Laney College (Defensive Backs)
1977-78: Winters High School (Defensive Backs)
1976: Berkeley High School (Defensive Backs)