Steven Sipple: Love the ambition, but Matt Rhule’s vision for Nebraska’s rushing game this year seems a bit over the top
Please don’t expect me to heap praise on Matt Rhule for how well he’s handling two losses to begin his first season as Nebraska’s football coach.
It used to impress me how well Mike Riley handled losing — until it dawned on me that he handled it so well because he had so much practice.
My all-time favorite coach is College Basketball Hall-of-Famer Bobby Knight, who retired in 2008. He handled losing miserably. But only four NCAA Division I men’s coaches have won more games than Knight.
Granted, it makes sense to monitor a head coach in tough times. You want to see how he reacts, how well he leads. But continually praising a head coach for a good reaction to losing?
That’s for the birds.
Rhule met with media Monday at Memorial Stadium, as will always be the case this season. He’s always excellent in a media setting. He communicates exceptionally well. He’s pleasant. He sells his messages well. Along those lines, the 48-year-old on Monday offered a clear blueprint for how he wants his program to go about winning this season and presumably in the future.
Sometimes you have to listen closely to Rhule because he talks fast.
One of the parts that struck me from his Monday media appearance was his vision for what Nebraska could look like “when it all comes together.”
It was an important message for Husker fans. Many of those fans don’t seem particularly patient right now because NU has been sloppy in two games, especially with the ball — and particularly at the all-important quarterback position.
Let’s face it, Nebraska already has a full-blown QB conundrum on its hands.
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Matt Rhule and company have plenty of work to do
To be sure, Nebraska appears a ways away from having it all come together as it prepares to play Northern Illinois (1-1) at 6 p.m. Saturday in Memorial Stadium.
But at least we know the head coach’s vision.
We’ve heard it before, in bits and pieces, so consider this an update.
“I think we’re playing pretty good defense at times,” Rhule said. “We’re running the ball OK. If it all comes together, I think it’ll be pretty hard to deal with because we’ll be running the ball for about 250 yards a game, we’ll be protecting the football, we’ll be good on special teams and good on defense.
“That’s the plan. It’s just not all come together, yet.”
Out of 133 FBS programs, Nebraska is the only one that’s dropped to minus-6 in the turnover category. That’s just wonderful.
After a strong special-teams performance against Minnesota, Nebraska was on the sloppy side in that phase of the game Saturday against Colorado. Is it just me, or does punter Brian Buschini look a little spooked right now? His protection has been so-so.
Nebraska’s defense shows ample promise. It’s big and physical and active. It has 11 sacks through two games, tied with Tennessee for the nation’s lead. But all those turnovers put pressure on Tony White’s crew, in both games.
Rhule offers up lofty rushing goal
Have I mentioned that Rhule talks fast? Sometimes he talks so fast that you have to go back and consider certain elements of what he says.
To wit: Does he really think Nebraska can average 250 rushing yards per game?
I mean, it hasn’t happened for Nebraska since 2012, and I don’ think Ameer Abdullah (1,137 rushing yards in 2012), Taylor Martinez (1,019), or Rex Burkhead (675) is walking through that stadium door.
I’ve said it before: There’s a lot to like about Nebraska’s current running back group. But I don’t see two surefire NFL players in it. Abdullah and Burkhead are special talents.
What’s more, Nebraska’s 2012 offensive line produced three NFL players in Brent Qvale, Spencer Long, and Jeremiah Sirles. Each played five or more years in the NFL.
Current Nebraska center Ben Scott has a good chance to be drafted this coming spring, according to an agent with whom I spoke recently. But that agent also said Scott likely would be the only Husker offensive player to be drafted in 2024.
Nebraska is averaging 201.5 rushing yards through two games. Can it add 50 yards to that average? The Husker offensive line has been only so-so to this point, and that’s probably being kind.
Only three FBS teams averaged 250-plus rushing yards last season: Air Force (326.7), Army (289.4), and Ole Miss (256.5).
Nebraska’s 2012 offense was the only one in the past 20 years at the school to do so.
So, 250 seems a bit over the top.
Nebraska seeks to get in sync offensively
Rhule, though, didn’t rise to his lofty status in the coaching world by setting moderate goals. He apparently believes in this team. At least twice during the past month, he’s included the words “when we get to a bowl game” in answers to questions.
He doesn’t have to mention the bowl subject at all if he believes making one is a far-fetched notion.
In discussing Nebraska’s issues Monday, Rhule was his usual insightful self.
“We’re just not in sync offensively,” he said. “I 100% blame myself. Because we’re really good on defense, and we’re really chaotic on defense.
“If I would’ve planned this out better in my brain, I think our offense never quite got in rhythm in camp because they’re always kind of reacting to the blitz package … So, I think we became very reactive in camp, and we didn’t start off with an FCS school to get our rhythm.”
He points out that it’s not just turnovers that have bogged down the offense. The issues range beyond quarterback Jeff Sims, who’s limping on a bad ankle at the moment.
By the way, it appears Sims remains part of Rhule’s vision for what Nebraska can become in 2023.
In order to average 250 rushing yards, Nebraska would need Sims’ legs.
The coach’s overall vision makes sense, for the most part.
But if Nebraska really is going to reach a bowl game, that vision will have to start crystallizing quickly — as in, this weekend.
The post Steven Sipple: Love the ambition, but Matt Rhule’s vision for Nebraska’s rushing game this year seems a bit over the top appeared first on On3.
