Media Days Thoughts

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

Zack Carpenter • InsideNebraska
Publisher
@Zack_Carp

INDIANAPOLIS – Matt Rhule has concluded his first appearance at Big Ten Media Days as the head coach of Nebraska football.
Husker fans hope it will be the first of many and, if Rhule has it his way, those fans will see those wishes fulfilled.
Going into the two-day event, many believed that Rhule was set to become one of the most notable stories after Media Days were over. He was right alongside Wisconsin's Luke #2ndChoice, Michigan's Jim Harbaugh and Northwestern interim coach David Braun as the most intriguing coaches to hear from heading into Indianapolis.
Well, now we have heard from him. Rhule spoke for about an hour over the course of two different interview sessions on Thursday afternoon.
Let's quickly dive into Rhule's time at the mic with three lightning-round thoughts on what he said:

Huskers' Media Days Theme: Regaining respect​

Many of the country’s most well-run, most organized college football programs will go into a Media Days event looking to hammer home some sort of theme.
In 2021 – just four months before Michigan beat Ohio State for the first time in 10 years – Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines made sure to push the narrative to the forefront that their No. 1, almost undying goal was to finally take down the Buckeyes.
This year, there have already been a trio of coaches who have emphasized that their organization is “a developmental program,” a term Maryland’s Mike Locksley, Minnesota’s P.J. Fleck and Rutgers’ Greg Schiano each labeled his respective team this week.
Well, this year’s Media Days for Nebraska quickly developed a core theme: Rhule’s goal to get the Huskers back to the mountain top of college football.
But that's Step 2.
Step 1 is leading the program back to a more reasonable level first.
Simply, Nebraska needs to gain its mojo back and play at an acceptable level – complete with winning games at a consistent clip – before it talks about becoming one of the nation's elite programs once again.
The Huskers' theme of the day: Nebraska football needs to gain back respect.
"We want to be a team that you say, you know what, that team's feared," Rhule said. "But we're not at that point yet. We're at a point where I believe we have to take back the respect of what it means to play Nebraska and to be at Nebraska.
"I want people to respect when they see that white helmet with that red N on it. I want our fans to respect us when they pay their money to come watch us to play. And I want our opponents to respect us. And I want all of college football to respect the way Nebraska plays the game."
Most importantly, Rhule says, is that he wants the guys in his locker room to "respect what it means" to play for Nebraska. To Rhule, that's the main story of this season. It's about earning back self-respect, bringing that respect back to Nebraska and then the rest of the country will follow suit.
Rhule was on record in the spring when he said he feels his first team at Nebraska is more on par with his teams in Year 2 at both Temple and Baylor. The Owls finished 2-10 in Rhule's first year before bouncing back with a 6-6 finish (with no bowl game appearance), and the Bears went 1-11 in his first season in Waco before finishing 7-6 in his second season.
Rhule had a clear-cut, definitive answer when asked what would define "a successful first season" at Nebraska.
"I've really thought about this," Rhule said. "We want to compete in every game we play. We play to win the game, as Coach (Herm) Edwards says. We're going to go out and try to win every game.
"I think there's something bigger for us at Nebraska. There was a time when Nebraska football was feared, and we certainly want to get back to that. ... Once you earn respect then you can talk about being feared. And that's the process we're going to go through."
Rhule tossed out that goal for this season – regaining respect – during his first interview of the day on Thursday, reiterated it in more detail at center stage and then again during a roughly 45-minute press conference. His players echoed that same message on Thursday as well.

How Huskers can get back to that level​

Rhule and the Huskers have been too aligned over the past 7-8 months in media settings to think that it's a coincidence when the same message is shared by the coach, the assistants and the players.
It appears very evident that Nebraska's contingent came to Media Days ready to convey that clear message/theme. And it felt like part – though one very small, extra part – of a bigger-picture goal: Put Nebraska back on the national map.
"I think our program, our entire program is built on really one purpose," Rhule said. "We have a mission that we want to be the best team in college football and the best program in college football in the way we do everything."
So...how does that happen? How does Nebraska get back on that national map? What's the first step in 2023 and, looking further, 2024 in the new ever-shifting landscape of the Big Ten?
"I think we have a responsibility as coaches to prepare our guys, obviously for life, but also for pro football," Rhule said. "When you watch the way teams play in the Big Ten, the way they play defense, the way they play up front, the schemes you see, it prepares them for the next level.
"So I think you're watching, there's a shift. There's a lot of new coaches. There will be more diversity in terms of the offenses. We're bringing in a 3-3-5 defense that not many teams are running. You'll see some differences. But to thrive in a conference as prestigious as the Big Ten, you have to be a little different and you have to evolve."
Rhule said that he and his wife, Julie, wanted two things in the next place he coached: somewhere that would be great to raise their kids, "and we wanted to be in the Big Ten."
Rhule got his wish. And now it's almost time to giddy up and go...

Last answer from final question​

...but the Huskers need to pump the brakes a bit before they go too far.
"The whole key" in the Huskers' potential success, getting back to the upper echelon of the sport and winning championships again is "not letting people get ahead of themselves."
Again, that's why Step 1 is Step 1.
"What I'll say about Nebraska – it's literally written on the side of the stadium 'Day By Day.' That's the key,'" Rhule said. "It wasn't that we ran the ball or ran option or played this defense, it was this mindset from Coach (Tom) Osborne, from Coach (Bob) Devaney, from Coach (Frank) Solich, every little detail matters every single day.
"Like we have to earn the right to even talk about playing Minnesota. We have to go to training camp, and we have to every single day be elite in every single area. That's the whole core of what we try to do, is to block out all the noise and block out all our thoughts and learn from the past, prepare for the future, but live in the present. That present focus is what will determine who we are."
That's a message that has been desperately needed to be said. This fan base is so eager to see a championship-winning team (a championship-contending team, at least) that, for far too long, so many became too eager and wanted to jump two, three or four steps in this process and instantly become contenders for national titles again.
Baby. Freaking. Steps.
That's what this new landscape of football in Lincoln is all about. That's what the Rhule Era is all about. Baby steps.
It was Rhule's most important message that resonated throughout the day.
"Right now we have to deal with the fact that guys haven't won and they want to win," Rhule said. "At some point, we're going to be winning, and we have to deal with the fact that everyone is going to lose their mind and be happy all the time. Like, you're the same person whether you lost or won, if you're a good coach and good player.
"We want to have that every-single-day, locked-in focus of 'today is all that matters.' ... For me, our guys know that you can win a national championship in Nebraska, because it's been done, but we have to concentrate on today. Not even game one or game five. Today, today, today. That's all that matters. I'm trying to do my best job today, and tomorrow I'll do tomorrow. And I can't wait for Sunday, but I can't forget about Friday and Saturday before I get there. That's our mindset. That's why I believe that we'll win."

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

Husker quarterback Jeff Sims knew from his first conversation with Marcus Satterfield they had a link.

"It just clicked instantly because me and him were speaking the same language," Sims said. "Some of the concepts that he was showing me and some of the terminology that he had, I was kind of familiar with. Even things that he introduced to me that I wasn't familiar with, I kind of picked up on quick."

As the junior spoke at Big Ten media days on Thursday, he was confident that this offense will accentuate his skills.

Beyond that, he's put the time in resources to get his body right. Trimming some fat, adding muscle. He's at 230 pounds now and expects to play around at least 225.

"Another big thing is my leadership," he said. "I've gained an aspect of leadership that I haven't had in the past."


Matt Rhule said Sims has a quiet way about him the coach likes. He wants his players to be the best versions of themselves and wants Sims to lead in a way he feels comfortable with.

"And I see him exerting his presence more and more often," Rhule said. "I think Jeff is a triple threat. He can run it, he can throw it and he can beat you with his brain. He's smart."

One other ultra important piece? Rhule has already found that the guys on the team play for him.

Sims felt "a different level of focus" in the spring gave him a really good completion percentage in practices, with a strong touchdown/interception ratio too.

"Because I know in the past I would focus on not making mistakes. And any time you focus on not making mistakes, you're going to make mistakes," Sims said. "Instead of just going out there and seeing how much better you need to get, what you need to work on and going out there and just playing football."

Nebraska's offense is more versatile than the one he was running at Georgia Tech, he thinks. And he believes it caters to his skill set to have a higher completion percentage. Beyond that, "It puts me in a greater situation to show off my arm and pass the ball," he said.

Sims added that's willing to run whenever he needs to, and there's not an exact number on how much he should run. But when he does it, he added, "I'm going to do it at a high level."

The offensive coordinator Satterfield has said it's important to Sims that he's known as a passer first and the QB most definitely agrees.

Why? He laughed.

"Because I am. A lot of times I've seen or heard stuff that I'm a better runner than a passer and that's just not true. I think people haven't seen that side of me and that's something that I'm ready to show."

 

[vailhusker]

Steve Marik • InsideNebraska
Staff Writer
@Steve_Marik

RELATED
NU, Rhule had a theme Thursday | Turd Alberts updates new facility | Media Days HQ
INDIANAPOLIS — Jeff Sims now understands what it means to be the starting quarterback of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Of course, quarterback is one of, if not the most important position to play in all of sports. But at a place like Nebraska, where there’s no professional football, basketball or baseball teams within the state’s borders to claim the bulk of people’s fandom, Husker football reigns as king. It’s college football country.
When things go well here, the starting quarterback is a rockstar. A celebrity. He gets asked to take pictures with fans — younger and older than him — out in public. And now in the name, image and likeness era, quarterbacks generally will get the best opportunities to earn extra money. Sims hasn’t even played a game as a Husker yet and already inked a deal to promote AKRS Equipment, the region’s leading John Deere dealer.
When quarterbacks don’t play well, they hear about it. It’s best to stay off social media for these guys after a bad game. Those toxic words on the Internet can eat at someone and their confidence.
No, this isn’t Georgia Tech. Welcome to the show, Mr. Sims. This 2023 Nebraska crew is your team, and we’re all waiting to see how it goes.
He’s only gone through one spring as a Husker, but that’s more than enough time for Sims to witness what this starving-for-wins fanbase is like, especially during a time with a new head coach in Matt Rhule, who, with every word he speaks, seems to excite fans and create hope in a place that looked pretty hopeless for much of 2022 and before that.
Sims said the tension on Nebraska players doesn’t compare to what he felt at Georgia Tech, a program in Atlanta, a major city with professional teams everywhere — and you can go ahead and count Kirby Smart’s program as one of those, too.
“I would say there’s more tension on us than really any other college because we’re all Nebraska has,” said Sims, who was wearing a sharp all-black suit Thursday at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “And I think that’s something I really like because the fans, they get to see how we operate on a daily basis, they’re very supportive and it makes us want to go harder.”
Sims seems ready for this journey, though. It was after April’s spring game when he felt he was the center of attention for an entire fanbase that spreads across the country and further.
“After the spring game, there were a lot more people who knew me than I would expect to know me,” said a smiling Sims. “It kind of hit me after that, like, ‘Yeah, I really love this fanbase and I’m ready to give them all I got.’”
Sims is embracing the attention. Not that he seeks it, but he understands his role in Rhule’s first season. He’s the guy who Rhule and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield are trusting to operate the offense and be the face of the program. He’s the one who won the quarterback battle over last year’s starter, Casey Thompson, though Thompson was never able to compete on the field due to offseason shoulder surgery, so was it ever a true battle?
But again, it’s not just the program. Sims is now the face of more than that, and it’s serious business.
“I know being the starting quarterback at Nebraska, I’m representing the whole state. That’s something I don’t take with a grain of salt,” Sims said. “I think it’s a real honor, and I’m very blessed to be in that position. I’m just ready to take it head on and give everything I have to the state of Nebraska.”
This offseason Sims has focused on his playing weight, getting bigger and stronger. The 6-foot-4 quarterback wants to make sure his body is as strong as it can be when he trots onto the field at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minnesota to kick off the 2023 season on Aug. 31.
Sims is listed on the un-updated roster at 220 pounds, but on Thursday he said he was 230 pounds and will likely play at 225. That extra bulk will help him compete in the Big Ten, a conference full of giants and monsters on defense tasked with knocking quarterbacks out of games.
When Sims transferred to Nebraska, Husker fans did their research. They saw an excellent athlete with size who can run like a big-bodied receiver. But they also saw a combined 57.5-percent completion percentage in three seasons as a starter. They didn’t like the ball security he showed, either, as Sims has thrown 23 interceptions in 23 career starts.
And to be fair, Sims, who was thrown to the wolves as a true freshman starter three years ago, did cut down on his interceptions in each season he played. He threw 13 picks in 2020 as a freshman, 13 in 2021 and five in 2022 before a foot injury ended his season, and Georgia Tech career, early.
Taking care of the ball has been talked about in the quarterbacks room with Satterfield. Sims said everyone on the offense was upset after the spring game when the ball hit the turf so many times they had a hard time keeping up with them all.
But with a new mindset than he had with the Yellow Jackets, Sims said he saw improvements during spring ball.
“It’s just a different level of focus and processing that helped with that,” Sims said of his ball security in the spring. "My completion percentage for spring was really good. My interception-to-touchdown ratio was really good. So I think focusing in on not focusing on making mistakes, because I know in the past, I would focus on not making mistakes. And any time you focus on not making any mistakes, you’re going to make mistakes instead of going out there and seeing how much better you need to get, what you need to work on and going out there and just playing football.”
The turnovers have led some fans and media to look at Sims and see a running quarterback who isn’t a consistent-enough thrower. Sims, who said his favorite player growing up was Michael Vick, doesn’t agree.
Sims says he’s a pass-first quarterback who will run only when he needs to, and not because he can.
“A lot of times I’ve seen or heard stuff saying I’m a better runner than a passer, and that’s just not true,” Sims said. “I think people haven’t seen that side of me yet, and that’s something I’m ready to show.”
Someone who’s seen what Sims can do up close and personal is linebacker Luke Reimer, who also made the trip to Indianapolis. At times, some of the things Sims does at practice makes Reimer shake his head.
“He can make any throw he wants to. His arm talent’s insane,” Reimer said. “He’s a great locker room guy, too.”
Reimer, who fits well as a linebacker in defensive coordinator Tony White’s fast and flying-around 3-3-5 defense, has logged a whopping 242 tackles in his career. He’s done very well for someone most fans and media didn’t expect much from when he came to the Huskers as a walk-on who spent two seasons playing eight-man football in Kansas before moving to Lincoln North Star.
Even one of Nebraska’s best players had to chuckle while describing what it’s like trying to tackle Sims at practice.
“He’s a big dude and he can move, too, and that combo is not fun to tackle,” Reimer said. “You’d like to have either one or the other, not big and can run, too. That’s not the best combination as a defender, but it’s a fun challenge.”
Sims may hear outside expectations for himself or his team, but he says none of that matters. All he cares about are his teammates — he called them his “brothers” multiple times Thursday — and what goes on inside the walls of Memorial Stadium.
If Sims starts listening to that stuff — Nick Saban famously calls it “rat poison” — then he’s not focusing on the right thing.
“Honestly, to me it doesn’t really matter. The only expectation that matters is the expectation built in the locker room,” Sims said.
And make no mistake about it. It’s Sims’ locker room.
Welcome to the show, Mr. Sims. Nebraska is watching.
https://nebraska.rivals.com/news/welcome-to-the-show-jeff-sims-you-re-not-at-georgia-tech-anymore

 

[Juro]

Steve Marik • InsideNebraska
Staff Writer
@Steve_Marik

RELATED
NU, Rhule had a theme Thursday | Turd Alberts updates new facility | Media Days HQ
INDIANAPOLIS — Jeff Sims now understands what it means to be the starting quarterback of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Of course, quarterback is one of, if not the most important position to play in all of sports. But at a place like Nebraska, where there’s no professional football, basketball or baseball teams within the state’s borders to claim the bulk of people’s fandom, Husker football reigns as king. It’s college football country.
When things go well here, the starting quarterback is a rockstar. A celebrity. He gets asked to take pictures with fans — younger and older than him — out in public. And now in the name, image and likeness era, quarterbacks generally will get the best opportunities to earn extra money. Sims hasn’t even played a game as a Husker yet and already inked a deal to promote AKRS Equipment, the region’s leading John Deere dealer.
When quarterbacks don’t play well, they hear about it. It’s best to stay off social media for these guys after a bad game. Those toxic words on the Internet can eat at someone and their confidence.
No, this isn’t Georgia Tech. Welcome to the show, Mr. Sims. This 2023 Nebraska crew is your team, and we’re all waiting to see how it goes.
He’s only gone through one spring as a Husker, but that’s more than enough time for Sims to witness what this starving-for-wins fanbase is like, especially during a time with a new head coach in Matt Rhule, who, with every word he speaks, seems to excite fans and create hope in a place that looked pretty hopeless for much of 2022 and before that.
Sims said the tension on Nebraska players doesn’t compare to what he felt at Georgia Tech, a program in Atlanta, a major city with professional teams everywhere — and you can go ahead and count Kirby Smart’s program as one of those, too.
“I would say there’s more tension on us than really any other college because we’re all Nebraska has,” said Sims, who was wearing a sharp all-black suit Thursday at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis. “And I think that’s something I really like because the fans, they get to see how we operate on a daily basis, they’re very supportive and it makes us want to go harder.”
Sims seems ready for this journey, though. It was after April’s spring game when he felt he was the center of attention for an entire fanbase that spreads across the country and further.
“After the spring game, there were a lot more people who knew me than I would expect to know me,” said a smiling Sims. “It kind of hit me after that, like, ‘Yeah, I really love this fanbase and I’m ready to give them all I got.’”
Sims is embracing the attention. Not that he seeks it, but he understands his role in Rhule’s first season. He’s the guy who Rhule and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield are trusting to operate the offense and be the face of the program. He’s the one who won the quarterback battle over last year’s starter, Casey Thompson, though Thompson was never able to compete on the field due to offseason shoulder surgery, so was it ever a true battle?
But again, it’s not just the program. Sims is now the face of more than that, and it’s serious business.
“I know being the starting quarterback at Nebraska, I’m representing the whole state. That’s something I don’t take with a grain of salt,” Sims said. “I think it’s a real honor, and I’m very blessed to be in that position. I’m just ready to take it head on and give everything I have to the state of Nebraska.”
This offseason Sims has focused on his playing weight, getting bigger and stronger. The 6-foot-4 quarterback wants to make sure his body is as strong as it can be when he trots onto the field at Huntington Bank Stadium in Minnesota to kick off the 2023 season on Aug. 31.
Sims is listed on the un-updated roster at 220 pounds, but on Thursday he said he was 230 pounds and will likely play at 225. That extra bulk will help him compete in the Big Ten, a conference full of giants and monsters on defense tasked with knocking quarterbacks out of games.
When Sims transferred to Nebraska, Husker fans did their research. They saw an excellent athlete with size who can run like a big-bodied receiver. But they also saw a combined 57.5-percent completion percentage in three seasons as a starter. They didn’t like the ball security he showed, either, as Sims has thrown 23 interceptions in 23 career starts.
And to be fair, Sims, who was thrown to the wolves as a true freshman starter three years ago, did cut down on his interceptions in each season he played. He threw 13 picks in 2020 as a freshman, 13 in 2021 and five in 2022 before a foot injury ended his season, and Georgia Tech career, early.
Taking care of the ball has been talked about in the quarterbacks room with Satterfield. Sims said everyone on the offense was upset after the spring game when the ball hit the turf so many times they had a hard time keeping up with them all.
But with a new mindset than he had with the Yellow Jackets, Sims said he saw improvements during spring ball.
“It’s just a different level of focus and processing that helped with that,” Sims said of his ball security in the spring. "My completion percentage for spring was really good. My interception-to-touchdown ratio was really good. So I think focusing in on not focusing on making mistakes, because I know in the past, I would focus on not making mistakes. And any time you focus on not making any mistakes, you’re going to make mistakes instead of going out there and seeing how much better you need to get, what you need to work on and going out there and just playing football.”
The turnovers have led some fans and media to look at Sims and see a running quarterback who isn’t a consistent-enough thrower. Sims, who said his favorite player growing up was Michael Vick, doesn’t agree.
Sims says he’s a pass-first quarterback who will run only when he needs to, and not because he can.
“A lot of times I’ve seen or heard stuff saying I’m a better runner than a passer, and that’s just not true,” Sims said. “I think people haven’t seen that side of me yet, and that’s something I’m ready to show.”
Someone who’s seen what Sims can do up close and personal is linebacker Luke Reimer, who also made the trip to Indianapolis. At times, some of the things Sims does at practice makes Reimer shake his head.
“He can make any throw he wants to. His arm talent’s insane,” Reimer said. “He’s a great locker room guy, too.”
Reimer, who fits well as a linebacker in defensive coordinator Tony White’s fast and flying-around 3-3-5 defense, has logged a whopping 242 tackles in his career. He’s done very well for someone most fans and media didn’t expect much from when he came to the Huskers as a walk-on who spent two seasons playing eight-man football in Kansas before moving to Lincoln North Star.
Even one of Nebraska’s best players had to chuckle while describing what it’s like trying to tackle Sims at practice.
“He’s a big dude and he can move, too, and that combo is not fun to tackle,” Reimer said. “You’d like to have either one or the other, not big and can run, too. That’s not the best combination as a defender, but it’s a fun challenge.”
Sims may hear outside expectations for himself or his team, but he says none of that matters. All he cares about are his teammates — he called them his “brothers” multiple times Thursday — and what goes on inside the walls of Memorial Stadium.
If Sims starts listening to that stuff — Nick Saban famously calls it “rat poison” — then he’s not focusing on the right thing.
“Honestly, to me it doesn’t really matter. The only expectation that matters is the expectation built in the locker room,” Sims said.
And make no mistake about it. It’s Sims’ locker room.
Welcome to the show, Mr. Sims. Nebraska is watching.
https://nebraska.rivals.com/news/welcome-to-the-show-jeff-sims-you-re-not-at-georgia-tech-anymore

I respect you posting the article, but we like Rivals and the staff there.

Post the link and maybe a snippet. Let's give them the views please.

But as far as On3, 247, and anyone else besides Rivals and ShortSideOption, post it all away.

 

[djw004]

The boys sure love Uncle Donnie.

What a question haha. This is great.

 

[nja13]

That girl caught my eye this morning because she was standing right next to Turd Alberts during his interview and she was being all fidgety. Didn't know who she was. But I see from that tweet it's Lauren Michelson. She was the reporter who did the digging and the "fact check" on Lauren Strivins breakfast tweet. Much respect to her.

 

[BIG TONE SOPRANO]

When is someone gonna tell those boys that really under no circumstance do you ever keep your suit or sport coat buttoned. It blows my damn mind. Looks terrible

 

[Stan Raymond]

Haven’t seen a thread yet - if I missed it, just kill this one.

Thread dedicated to all B1G Media Day interviews and happenings

I’ll start. Bielema is likable as hell and I’m scared he’s never leaving Illinois.

Bielema is a good HC, personally I think Wisconsin really screwed up when they let him go. Alvarez screwed that up.

 

[djw004]

My favorite line from Sims today:

People keep saying I’m a better runner than passer, and that’s just not true. I’m excited to show that this year

Got me JACKED. Love his poise and leadership today. Sure comes off as an absolutely great get in the off-season

 

[Blakejc]

media days is hokey.