Matt Rhule is back at his alma mater with the Nebraska Cornhuskers this weekend. He went from football walk-on at Penn State to a jump in the coaching ranks.
This homecoming comes without the swirling rumors about taking over at Penn State. But there still is a bit of chatter if Rhule will stay in Lincoln? Rhule signed a two-year contract extension with Nebraska through the 2032 season in October, which includes a new $15 million buyout if he leaves before next season. The new deal does not change his base salary but adds a few new incentives.
The former NFL and now college head coach says he is zeroed in on prepping his Huskers while rejecting the outside noise. Nebraska faces a pivotal stretch of its season and Rhule’s renewed focus could help the program during a new era in college football.
Nebraska faces Penn State with both sides missing their starting quarterbacks from the start of the season. Drew Allar's year got derailed with a season-ending ankle injury. This came before Nebraska's Dylan Raiola went down two weeks ago.
Rhule has worked to encourage his young signal-caller. “I just keep encouraging him. I’m like, ‘Hey, journal, bro.’ Just write down everything right down,” Rhule said via On3. “I think it’s one of the best things men can do, is to just write down every day how they’re feeling. What they’re going through, what they’ve learned in the good times and in the bad.
“When I told the team I was staying, I read off like the journal from the day I got fired in Carolina, what I thought was my darkest moment. (It was) just the way I felt. So you can’t be the competitor that he is and not have some tough days. At the same time, it’s an unbelievable opportunity for him to see football from another standpoint.”
Nebraska heads to Happy Valley to face Penn State on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET, NBC).