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Now that the season is officially wrapped, I wanted to take a step back and look at where this program actually stands—and what, if anything, we can confidently say Nebraska is building on.
Last year, it felt like Rhule had established a few clear pillars in his first two seasons: a physical defense that could stop the run, and a commitment to cleaning up special teams. You saw that defensive identity immediately in Game 1 vs. Minnesota. Then he made two strong hires: Ekeler (a home-run hire) to overhaul special teams, and Dana to take over the offense—an offense that improved, but still didn’t meet expectations.
So the real question becomes:
What Does Rhule Have in Place to Take That “Next Step” in Year 4?
We didn’t get Mozee or Nelson 5+ touches a game to develop them or prepare for an EJ injury. We were lucky EJ stayed healthy all year; next year we could be in trouble. Nebraska will need to absolutely crush it in the portal at RB—but the “NFL model” we use for NIL isn’t exactly friendly to running backs. Curious to see what happens here.
It was very odd how their usage changed later in they year. It is laughable that Barney regressed stat wise from his Freshmen year. Hunter went from basically averaging 5 catches a game to having 5 catches total his last 3 games with TJ.
Elijah – LG? – Evans – Gunner – Knaak
…isn’t unrealistic. You’ll need to evaluate Peters, Sledge, Tamula, Pyle, Brix, etc., and then determine your portal needs.
And Donnie? Keep him, don’t keep him—I honestly don’t care. You can argue both sides. But the numbers matter:
So yes—OL looks like the one offensive unit with a true foundation. Kind of scary to say that given the full context.
When Rhule arrived, Nebraska quickly developed a culture of physicality and run-stopping toughness. That seemed like the footing he installed right away.
Then came the Butler hire… and the footing suddenly wasn’t solid.
The numbers tell the story:
This isn’t the identity Rhule built early on and the need for the change was obvious. Need to get back to having physicality and stopping the run being at the core of this defense.
Archie needs to improve, sure—but he also did a great job with placement, helping Nebraska allow only 22 total punt return yards (8th nationally). Net punting wasn't great, but as Archie matures I expect this to improve.
Outside of Barney’s late Cockeye mistake, this unit was borderline elite.
Honestly?
It feels a lot closer to a Year 1 reset than the year-four progression we all hoped for.
When you look at the roster, the regression in defensive identity, the offensive uncertainty, and the portal questions—it’s hard to identify many established pillars outside of:
Year 4 shouldn’t feel like starting over… but right now, it kind of does.
Last year, it felt like Rhule had established a few clear pillars in his first two seasons: a physical defense that could stop the run, and a commitment to cleaning up special teams. You saw that defensive identity immediately in Game 1 vs. Minnesota. Then he made two strong hires: Ekeler (a home-run hire) to overhaul special teams, and Dana to take over the offense—an offense that improved, but still didn’t meet expectations.
So the real question becomes:
What Does Rhule Have in Place to Take That “Next Step” in Year 4?
Offense: What Are We Building On?
To me, the one obvious bright spot was EJ. I said before the season he was a top-3 RB in the Big Ten, and he lived up to it. Outside of EJ, though? I’m struggling to see a foundation.Quarterback
Dylan is likely gone, leaving you with TJ or a portal guy. The passing game basically evaporated when Dylan wasn’t on the field. TJ flashed ability, and I think he can be a good QB at this level—but this year made it clear he has to be used more in the run game to be effective at this time. Can you truly build a successful 2026 season around TJ as QB1? That’s a real question.Running Back
EJ should go pro. His stock won’t get higher, and he doesn’t need extra mileage. Behind him? That’s where the concern hits hard.We didn’t get Mozee or Nelson 5+ touches a game to develop them or prepare for an EJ injury. We were lucky EJ stayed healthy all year; next year we could be in trouble. Nebraska will need to absolutely crush it in the portal at RB—but the “NFL model” we use for NIL isn’t exactly friendly to running backs. Curious to see what happens here.
Wide Receiver
Barney and Hunter are dudes—no surprise. Maybe you can build around them. But you have to keep them here. With Dylan gone and how underutilized they felt late in the year… are they happy? Rumors are going that these guys are looking at hitting the portal.It was very odd how their usage changed later in they year. It is laughable that Barney regressed stat wise from his Freshmen year. Hunter went from basically averaging 5 catches a game to having 5 catches total his last 3 games with TJ.
Offensive Line
If there is a group to build around, it’s probably the OL. They moved Cockeye last week. Yes, you lose both guards and your RT, but a future line of something like:Elijah – LG? – Evans – Gunner – Knaak
…isn’t unrealistic. You’ll need to evaluate Peters, Sledge, Tamula, Pyle, Brix, etc., and then determine your portal needs.
And Donnie? Keep him, don’t keep him—I honestly don’t care. You can argue both sides. But the numbers matter:
- 13th in yards before contact
- 26th in pressure rate allowed
- And they got better as the season went on.
So yes—OL looks like the one offensive unit with a true foundation. Kind of scary to say that given the full context.
Defense: What Happened to the Identity?
When Rhule arrived, Nebraska quickly developed a culture of physicality and run-stopping toughness. That seemed like the footing he installed right away.
Then came the Butler hire… and the footing suddenly wasn’t solid.
The numbers tell the story:
- 8th in missed-tackle rate (the good)
- 96th in yards before contact
- 110th in yards after contact
- We were good at getting guys down, but we were often hitting for a 2 yard gain and it ended up being a 5 yard gain. Just a lack of physicality.
- 103rd in short-yardage / goal-line defense
- Last in the Big Ten in red-zone defense
- Top-10 in 3rd down early, but finished 55th — massive collapse down the stretch
- 104th in sacks
- 93rd in turnovers gained
- 53rd in scoring defense, but helped by:
- 10th in net field position
- Opponents running the ball more due to our offensive issues
- 25th in success rate
- 51st in EPA per pass
This isn’t the identity Rhule built early on and the need for the change was obvious. Need to get back to having physicality and stopping the run being at the core of this defense.
Special Teams: The Lone Rock-Solid Unit
Absolutely no complaints here. Ekeler did a miracle job. Special teams won us multiple games this season.Archie needs to improve, sure—but he also did a great job with placement, helping Nebraska allow only 22 total punt return yards (8th nationally). Net punting wasn't great, but as Archie matures I expect this to improve.
Outside of Barney’s late Cockeye mistake, this unit was borderline elite.
So… What Exactly Is Rhule Building On Going Into Year 4?
Honestly?
It feels a lot closer to a Year 1 reset than the year-four progression we all hoped for.
When you look at the roster, the regression in defensive identity, the offensive uncertainty, and the portal questions—it’s hard to identify many established pillars outside of:
- Special teams (elite)
- OL (trending up, with two crucial positions looking strong)
- A couple of WRs (if retained)
Year 4 shouldn’t feel like starting over… but right now, it kind of does.
