Matt Rhule didn’t walk into Big Ten Media Days with a fireworks show. No bombshells, no headline-chasing declarations. What he did offer was a clear picture of where Nebraska football is trying to go - and why he believes this roster can finally start moving in the right direction.
The message was pretty simple: the Huskers need to be better when the calendar flips to November.
That’s not been Nebraska’s strong suit under Rhule. The Huskers are 2-10 in November during his time in Lincoln, and that kind of finish won’t get the program where it wants to go.
If Nebraska is going to push into the eight-, nine-, or 10-win range, it has to close stronger. Rhule made it clear that nobody came to Nebraska hoping to settle for 7-6, and he said there’s no secret formula for turning November into a strength.
His answer was more basic than that. Be a better team.
Win up front. Get quarterback play.
Do the things good football teams do when the season gets tight. It sounds obvious, because it is.
But that’s also the point.
Rhule also sounded genuinely encouraged by what he has in the quarterback room, and that matters because Nebraska has been searching for the right fit there. He said he likes Anthony Colandrea, and he likes the room around him, too. Rhule pointed out that the Huskers have three different coaches who have started FBS games, and he said he’s excited to watch Colandrea play.
That part stands out because Rhule clearly sees Colandrea as the kind of quarterback Nebraska needs. The Huskers, as he described it, don’t have the structure to support a pocket passer.
Dylan Raiola is a great talent, but Oregon is a better fit, at least right now. Nebraska needs someone who can create, someone who can turn a broken play into something useful.
For the first time in Rhule’s tenure, it sounds like he believes he has that kind of X-factor at quarterback.
And maybe that’s the biggest reason there’s real optimism around this team: experience.
For much of Rhule’s run, Nebraska has been one of the youngest teams in the Big Ten. That’s no longer the case.
Colandrea brings starting experience. Nebraska added four offensive players who have started double-digit games in college, and there are a few on defense who fit that same description.
Up front, every expected starter on the offensive line has at least 11 career starts, and there’s even a backup with double-digit starts, too.
The same general theme shows up across the defense. The line has it.
The other levels have it. Even the roster spots that aren’t locked down by proven veterans still don’t look like they’ll be filled by players who haven’t been around the block.
The notable exceptions are freshmen such as Danny Odem.
That’s why this feels like Rhule’s best roster so far. The schedule is still tough.
The pressure is still there. But this is the most experienced group he’s had, and that gives Nebraska a better chance to turn talk into actual progress.
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