Big Ten football coaches share unfiltered opinions on every team

[Pepe Silvia]

Big Ten football coaches share unfiltered opinions on every team, via Athlon Sports

Speaking anonymously, Big Ten coaches had some jaw-dropping comments.

247sports.com

What opposing Big Ten coaches told Athlon Sports about the Huskers ... "Matt Rhule is a legitimately good college coach. Fans who are talking about the Carolina Panthers don't get it. He changed the culture at places that were in really, really bad situations, so he's got an even better shot than an alumnus of woking up the sleeping giant. ... This is a talented offense, but we don't know if they'll click. They need a solid, proof-of-concept year with both schemes on both sides of the ball, otherwise, it's all about recruiting. They're a sleeping giant because every other staff in the league knows what they're building in NIL. They're scary. If they do it the right way and strike deals with players who can be foundational pieces, they're going to be really good down the line."

Rave reviews are in for Rhule ahead of his first season with the Huskers. Most importantly, the financial infrastructure appears to be in place for future success down the road, according to anonymous Big Ten coaches. Given his track record of success at Temple and Baylor, Rhule does come in with sizable expectations nationally that, at least by the end of the year, the Huskers put a respectable product on the field. "Sleeping giant" was said multiple times by opposing coaches, which means they believe it.

 

[Bootleg11]

This 2023 season is the biggest wildcard since...when?

The majority knew Mike Riley wouldn't work long term and was an odd hire. The majority knew that Scott Frost would work and was the long term solution.

Matt Rhule comes in...we all know his credentials at the college level. We also saw the Panthers and know that since Rhule was at Baylor the college game has changed a lot.

My Husker optimism is so excited about this hire, did they finally get it right? Is this like the last coach that was a successful P5 guy that failed miserably in the NFL and returned to awaken a sleeping giant?

My last 20 years as a Husker fan is skeptical of everything.

But if you pulled up the last few years of "what other Big 10 coaches think" I think they all said about the same thing....This team has the talent but are undercoached. Just wait form them to implode.

I don't think that's the problem anymore.

 

[Pepe Silvia]

This 2023 season is the biggest wildcard since...when?

The majority knew Mike Riley wouldn't work long term and was an odd hire. The majority knew that Scott Frost would work and was the long term solution.

Matt Rhule comes in...we all know his credentials at the college level. We also saw the Panthers and know that since Rhule was at Baylor the college game has changed a lot.

My Husker optimism is so excited about this hire, did they finally get it right? Is this like the last coach that was a successful P5 guy that failed miserably in the NFL and returned to awaken a sleeping giant?

My last 20 years as a Husker fan is skeptical of everything.

But if you pulled up the last few years of "what other Big 10 coaches think" I think they all said about the same thing....This team has the talent but are undercoached. Just wait form them to implode.

I don't think that's the problem anymore.

we've all been following the program long enough that we've seen coach after coach come through and each seems to have major flaws that show up fairly quickly

Callahan - questionable gameday coach, never seemed to embrace Nebraska and lost a lot of fans immediately
Pelini - didn't like recruiting, pissed off people every chance he got
Riley - old and low-energy. he was here for the short term and everyone knew that from day 1
Frost - teams were sloppy and undisciplined and that never improved. terrible at evaluating and developing players

with Rhule it's almost like he's made a concerted effort in every aspect of being HC to not make those same mistakes

 

[huskerj12]

we've all been following the program long enough that we've seen coach after coach come through and each seems to have major flaws that show up fairly quickly

Callahan - questionable gameday coach, never seemed to embrace Nebraska and lost a lot of fans immediately
Pelini - didn't like recruiting, pissed off people every chance he got
Riley - old and low-energy. he was here for the short term and everyone knew that from day 1
Frost - teams were sloppy and undisciplined and that never improved. terrible at evaluating and developing players

with Rhule it's almost like he's made a concerted effort in every aspect of being HC to not make those same mistakes

Totally agree, and as another way of looking at it, I actually see Rhule having some of the best qualities of each one as well:

• Callahan's organization skills, recruiting tenacity, insistence on being cutting edge and modern
• Pelini's passion for the old-school gritty parts of football, and genuine relationships with players
• Riley's gratitude to be at a place like Nebraska, and total lack of arrogance
• UCF Frost's willingness to let players be players and have a blast being part of the team (sadly Frost's brain popped when he got to NU so I can't really think of anything he did particularly well as NU Frost 😕 )

Ironically, the football part of things is really the only mystery for me. I'm reallyyy looking forward to seeing what we look like on the field. I'm not sure how confident I am yet in becoming a title contender again or anything. I don't have any bad vibes at all, I just don't have much to go off of yet. But as the guy leading Nebraska football, I think he's already shown he is going to be a perfect fit.

 

[Kaladin]

I believe that we somehow managed to hire an elite college football coach who is likely to stick around

 

[Tonkasker]

It feels so good to have complete organizational alignment

I'm not old enough to remember the last time it existed at Nebraska

 

[Mavsker]

I believe that we somehow managed to hire an elite college football coach who is likely to stick around

At least until Penn State opens up

 

[Bootleg11]

At least until Penn State opens up

If Penn St opens up in 3 years and they are interested in Matt Rhule that means he's doing a good job at Nebraska.

 

[Scarlet ObsessioN]

At least until Penn State opens up

I actually believe that Rhule means it when he says he wants to be here long term. That may be the only job I'd fear.

Who knows, maybe he falls in love with Nebraska and wants to be the guy here.

 

[Tonkasker]

If Penn St opens up in 3 years and they are interested in Matt Rhule that means he's doing a good job at Nebraska.

I don't see him leaving unless he has a 10 win season. I think it would be a hard sell for any other program otherwise. Generally speaking I am way more comfortable with the state of the program and it's ability to attract a qualified candidate after 3 years of Rhule than I am 3 years of any of the past 5 coaches. Guy has bonafides and would have to have shown proof of concept in order to get poached.

Nightmare scenario is if we show flashes (think 8-9 dubs) this year and Franklin dips for A&M, Texas, or Florida which 'could' open next year. Low likelihood but non-zero. All it would take is a 6 win season in either place for the seat to get hot enough and arguably 7. Texas moreso.

I don't know how cost-inhibitive it would be for Rhule to buy out his own contract (I don't think coaches pay full value like institutions do but I might be wrong) and leave in that situation but either way I like where we'd be relative to where we've been.

That said, my opinion is that no program is safe long-term until Saban retires and Bama names a replacement. The domino effect would impact multiple P5 schools and probably some more attractive than Nebraska.

 

[stonesak]

Well, if Rhule leaves, you know what that means.
HCGM!

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Well, if Rhule leaves, you know what that means.
HCGM!
View attachment 23678

Exactly. Even if this guy coaches here for 40 years, he can retire at the ripe old age of 46

 

[LoudHogRider]

At least until Penn State opens up

 

[Baron Winnebago]

To think we haven't had a president that athletic since 2008, shameful for a country that is so great at sports.

 

[Juro]

To think we haven't had a president that athletic since 2008, shameful for a country that is so great at sports.

He was just really good at practicing the 5 D’s: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge.

 

[Mavsker]

If Penn St opens up in 3 years and they are interested in Matt Rhule that means he's doing a good job at Nebraska.

Sure I guess. My point was that he would likely leave us for Penn State, which means he's not really all that likely to stick around long-term. I feel like you're trying to say losing him to Penn State after turning us around wouldn't be that bad because we'd have seen a couple years of success. But it would suck hard and everyone knows it.

 

[Stan Raymond]

Sure I guess. My point was that he would likely leave us for Penn State, which means he's not really all that likely to stick around long-term. I feel like you're trying to say losing him to Penn State after turning us around wouldn't be that bad because we'd have seen a couple years of success. But it would suck hard and everyone knows it.

I don't think that he would for sure leave for Penn St. It certainly sounds like he doesn't want to move for awhile because of his kids. After 5 years or so Nebraska will feel more like home than Penn St. If Rhule shows anticipated success and Franklin leaves in 3-6 years then Rhule leaving would be a concern, but outside that window I do not see him leaving for another job.

 

[Tonkasker]

I don't think that he would for sure leave for Penn St. It certainly sounds like he doesn't want to move for awhile because of his kids. After 5 years or so Nebraska will feel more like home than Penn St. If Rhule shows anticipated success and Franklin leaves in 3-6 years then Rhule leaving would be a concern, but outside that window I do not see him leaving for another job.

First, it's ridiculous to worry about this now but I enjoy talking admin/coaching destinations so idc. Let er rip

Assuming Rhule is in a position to take a job in greener pastures in three years, this is what your Nebraska looks like:
- Turd still here, administrative alignment is still in place. Rare to find.
- Better roster than when Rhule arrived
- Organizational momentum - easier situation to walk into than it was in November
- NIL is three years down the road - meaning success has only helped
- Well into the TV contract so coffers are full.
- Big Ten separates further from the B12, ACC, PAC, G5 financially, so it's an easier pull from those conferences for a sitting HC.

It would be an attractive opportunity for a guy like Chris Kleiman, or the guys I see with high stock in three years in those conferences like Kalen DeBoer, Jonathan Smith, Kenny Dillingham, or Mike Elko.

Of course Rhule has a better track record than all those guys and i've pledged my lifelong loyalty to him contingent on a playoff berth

 

[Cornicator]

At least until Penn State opens up

If Penn St opens up in 3 years and they are interested in Matt Rhule that means he's doing a good job at Nebraska.

I actually believe that Rhule means it when he says he wants to be here long term. That may be the only job I'd fear.

Who knows, maybe he falls in love with Nebraska and wants to be the guy here.

Its kind of a moot point as Rhule would need to be very successful at Nebraska and the right jobs would need to open up before you can even consider him leaving.

But, I think you guys are looking in the wrong direction.

I believe Rhule is enamored with Texas. I don't think he would leave for Penn State. I also believe Nebraska could match any compensation offered by Penn State. However, I do think Rhule would leave for the chance to coach at Texas or Texas A&M. And I don't believe Nebraska could provide the blank check offered by those two programs.

I would go as far to say that he would kill it at either school. Rhule is absolutely a better fit at UT or A&M then Sarkisian or Jimbo Fisher right now. His organzational skills matched with his connections in Texas would lead to a situation where he basically casts a net around the state with the most talent in the country.

 

[Bootleg11]

Its kind of a moot point as Rhule would need to be very successful at Nebraska and the right jobs would need to open up before you can even consider him leaving.

But, I think you guys are looking in the wrong direction.

I believe Rhule is enamored with Texas. I don't think he would leave for Penn State. I also believe Nebraska could match any compensation offered by Penn State. However, I do think Rhule would leave for the chance to coach at Texas or Texas A&M. And I don't believe Nebraska could provide the blank check offered by those two programs.

I would go as far to say that he would kill it at either school. Rhule is absolutely a better fit at UT or A&M then Sarkisian or Jimbo Fisher right now. His organzational skills matched with his connections in Texas would lead to a situation where he basically casts a net around the state with the most talent in the country.