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KEARNEY, Neb. — In Tim Schaffner’s defense, there’s one rule that trumps all others.

You better play fast.

“We check out guys running on every play," Schaffner said. "When the ball is live and in action, that they gotta be running. I always tell them that they’re never wrong if they’re running.”

The players on the defensive coordinator’s Nebraska-Kearney team are hearing him.

“Just making sure that everyone is going as fast as they can," linebacker Zach Schlager said.

“Man, it’s fast. Fast and controlled violence," safety Tre O'Guinn said. "We want to be out there, we want to get around, get through blocks, do everything (fast).”

Schaffner built a brand around his fast defense during his 17 years at Butler Community College in Kansas, first as a coordinator and then as head coach. He calls it chaos tempo.

“Chaos tempo is really just no matter what, even if you do something wrong on a play, you’re running," Schlager said. "If everyone’s running to the ball, it’s going to work out.”

The brand even has a phone number.

“1-800-I-GO-FAST. Yes sir,” O'Guinn said.

Fast is often more closely associated with offenses and the no-huddle systems. Why make it work with defense?

“Because defense is about attitude. It’s about getting to the quarterback," Schaffner said. "It’s about getting to the ball. It has a lot to do with your mindset every time the ball is snapped.”

A highly-specific brand like Schaffner’s, requires a highly-specific look to go with it. For the coach, that’s a bucket hat and a towel.

“I don’t have any hair so I’m bald, so I need the bucket hat," Schaffner said. "I sweat a lot so the towel just goes with me. Then it just becomes where you feel naked without it.”

“The towel, I think it’s just a little bit of that JUCO in him, honestly. He’s that JUCO coach. He was down at Butler forever and he’s just got kind of got these different swag things about him that he just kind of reps it.”

“He be out there running around. So he gets to sweat, he’s gotta have his towel there. That’s a little trademark," O'Guinn said. "That towel’s long, too. It touches the ground when he walks.”

“What I really need, I need to get him a bucket hat — I need to get him a Loper one if we’re being honest because he doesn’t have a Loper one yet. So we’re working on that,” Schlager said.

Schaffner’s unique approach needs buy-in from his players. That’s not a problem for the Lopers.

“Off the field, he’s one of the chillest guys I know," O'Guinn said. "But on the field, he’s going to get after you but he’s going to get after you in a way you can learn from it. He’s bringing that chaos tempo with him everywhere he goes.”