Matt Rhule could be losing one of his top assistants to a head coaching job.

Rhule shared in his Monday press conference that he got a call from a search firm about Nebraska defensive coordinator Tony White.

“Yes, you should hire Tony White,” Rhule relayed. “Tony White should be a head coach. He’s excellent.”

White, 44, has been in college coaching since 2007, when he got his start as a UCLA graduate assistant. He has also coached at New Mexico, San Diego State, Arizona State and Syracuse. San Diego State and Syracuse both have head coaching vacancies.

While Rhule is a vocal supporter of White landing a head coaching job, he advised his assistant about the importance of fit.

“Don’t take the wrong job, now,” Rhule offered publicly. “Don’t take a job with no resources. Don’t take a job with no support. Don’t take a job with no recruiting base. Don’t take a job — hear me now when I say this, this is deep — where the expectations outweigh the commitment.”

Rhule is also confident that future Husker defenses can help White land a job if he chooses to stay in Lincoln.

“We’re going to be really good on defense for a while if Tony decides to stay,” Rhule said.

If the firm takes Rhule’s advice and hires White, the head Husker will hug his assistant and wish him the best.

White’s unit has been among the nation’s best in scoring defense. Those numbers are likely to get better as Nebraska wraps up the 2023 regular season against Iowa.