Steven Sipple: Although it’s far too early to say with certainty he’ll succeed at NU, it’s easy to appreciate Matt Rhule’s ways of building
Matt Rhule keeps it real. As real as he possibly can in his position. That much has become apparent about Nebraska’s first-year head coach.
That’s my read, anyway.
“If we’re going to be the type of team we want to be, we’re going to have to win the turnover margin,” he said last week. “We’re going to have to win the penalty battle. We’re going to have to win on special teams.
“We’re going to have to do everything right to have a chance to win games.”
That’s right, to have a chance to win games.
Someday, Nebraska might have a level of talent across the board that allows for more imperfections during autumn Saturdays. With ample talent comes more leeway, especially when playing against programs with markedly less talent. It’s just common sense.
Right now, there’s precious little leeway for a Nebraska program that last played in a bowl game in 2016. The Huskers have a lot of good players — perhaps enough of them to reach a bowl game — but lack star power. If there’s an obvious All-American on the roster, he hasn’t presented himself. How about a surefire All-Big Ten first team pick? Is there one? You know the answer.
Rhule knows it, too. He’s building accordingly, with “building” being the key word.
Matt Rhule emphasizes strong line play
Nobody can possibly know whether Rhule ultimately will succeed for Nebraska. Many of us size up Husker head football coaches with more caution in the wake of the program’s massive struggles under Mike Riley and Scott Frost.
I do know this: I like how Rhule is going about building his program.
If you watch “A Look N” — Nebraska’s clean and tidy version of “Hard Knocks” — you probably will like what you see. Go to YouTube and try it. Granted, it’s a NU production, so if you’re a Husker fan you’re supposed to like it. But there’s footage that can’t be faked. Rhule isn’t trying to dupe anyone. It’s not his style.
If you listen to Rhule’s appearances in front of the media, you hear his philosophies and the way he’s trying to lay a foundation for the program.
His message is different than the past couple Nebraska head coaches in that he’s emphasizing the trenches.
Heavens, I appreciate that part.
“You can’t be the type of team we want to be if you don’t have great offensive and defensive line play,” he said.
He includes tight ends and linebackers in the discussion.
It’s a front-seven matter.
Your front sevens must be stout, he said, “or you’ll just never be built on a solid foundation.”
Jim Harbaugh surely would agree — you know, the guy who’s led Michigan to the past two Big Ten crowns.
“If your team follows your O-line and D-line, you’re usually pretty good,” Rhule said.
New Nebraska coach also emphasizes special teams play
Rhule also emphasizes special teams, something that Frost seemed at times to give only passing interest, until it was too late. Bottom line, Nebraska was 129th out of 130 FBS teams in expected points added on special teams during Frost’s tenure.
Rhule delights in talking about special teams.
“On good teams, their starters play special teams,” Rhule said. “But at the same time, you have core guys.”
He means guys that play on all the special teams.
“That’s their life,” Rhule said.
Rhule notes Nebraska assistant Ed Foley is a special teams coach who coaches no other position group.
“That signifies our commitment to it,” Rhule said.
George Darlington, the former Nebraska assistant, told me long ago there’s no way you can win consistently unless you consistently win two of football’s three main phases on a given Saturday.
Even if a team lacks star power, it still can be good on special teams.
If a team lacks star power, it had better be exceptionally detail oriented and always willing to do the dirty work.
Rhule is all about the dirty work. He’s about all the work.
You get the feeling that Rhule pays attention to everything. If a player goes in front of dozens of media with a towel over his head, the head coach is going to ask someone about it, and it probably won’t happen again.
Student-athlete recovery from competition emphasized
Rhule came to Nebraska and immediately noticed that student-athletes’ recovery from practice and games wasn’t emphasized enough. It’s been addressed. It’s now emphasized in cutting-edge forms. Yeah, it makes sense.
How can a player be expected to improve 1% every day — a popular Rhule mantra — if the player’s body is dragged down after going hard the previous day?
You frequently hear his players repeat Rhule’s messages, which is a sign he’s getting through to them.
That’s good because his messages make sense.
My favorite part of “A Look N” was one of the moments when Rhule gathered his team after practice. He told the group that if any player is blaming his performance on being with the second or third string, “you’re the worst teammate there is, just so we’re on the same page.”
OK, then.
Bottom line, Rhule doesn’t want any of his players ever playing the victim card.
He told the team he wants guys on his side who say, “This sucks, it hurts. My legs hurt, my neck hurts, my back hurts, I’m tired, but I’ve got to go through all this to be different than everybody else.”
If you’re going to win big in big-time football, there’s a steep price.
If a player’s heart’s not in it — as Zavier Betts told Rhule before the talented receiver left the program – college football could be complete drudgery for that person.
Rhule, you see, wants roaring lions on his team.
Phalen Sanford says standards are clear
“We’re bought in,” said Nebraska senior defensive back Phalen Sanford, an example of a roaring lion. “We know what the standard is, and we’re doing what we can to live up to that standard every single day. We know when something isn’t up to par, and we own it. Everyone knows if they took a play off or if they didn’t do their job, they say, ‘That’s my bad, that’s on me,’ and they fix it.
“Nobody’s pointing fingers, but we’re holding each other accountable and owning our own stuff.”
Sanford notes Rhule is dynamic speaking in front of a group.
Nobody questions that part of the coach. If you haven’t watched him speak, find time.
“He can make about any of us run through a brick wall, for sure,” Sanford said.
It’s more than that, though.
“He’s approachable,” Sanford said. “And everything he does, he’s pretty factual about. I like that when he talks to us, he brings stats into it. He always brings numbers to show the ‘why’s’ and ‘how’s.’”
Again, I’m guaranteeing nothing in terms of wins and losses under Rhule.
But one can guarantee Rhule has a plan, a well-defined plan, one that appears to make sense on a lot of levels.
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