Anonymous Big Ten coach explains why Nebraska is a 'sleeping giant'

It’s been more than a decade since Nebraska has won 10 games and six since the last time the Cornhuskers appeared in a bowl game. But that hasn’t slowed the optimism that new head coach Matt Rhule is poised to return Nebraska to a spot at the winner’s table.

After building success at Temple and resurrecting Baylor in a matter of years, Rhule struggled in the NFL. But one Big Ten coach quoted anonymously in Athlon Sports’ 2023 preview thinks fans need to look past the NFL hiccup and focus on what Rhule can do at the FBS level.

“Matt Rhule is a legitimately good college football head coach. Fans who are talking about the Carolina Panthers don’t get it,” the coach said. “He changed the culture at places that were in really, really bad situations, so he’s got an even better shot than an alumnus of waking up the sleeping giant.”

At his two prior college stops, Rhule navigated programs from the depths to double digit wins in a matter of seasons. After going 2-10 in his first season at Temple in 2013, he made a bowl at 6-6 in 2014 and then lead the Owls to back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2015 and 2016.

That got him the nod for the Baylor job, where he went 1-11 in Year 1 in 2017. Two seasons later, the Baylors reeled off an 11-3 2019 season. He parlayed that success into a NFL head coaching job with the Carolina Panthers, where he assembled an 11-27 record in two-plus seasons.

With a proven track record in college, this anonymous Big Ten coach was able to overlook the NFL struggles for Rhule. And they pointed to the work Nebraska has done with NIL, the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail so far.

“They’re a sleeping giant because every other staff in the league knows what they’re building in NIL,” the coach said.

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So far, the returns have been very promising. In the 2024 recruiting cycle, the Cornhuskers currently rank 19th nationally in the On3 Team Rankings and have the fifth-best class in the Big Ten.

Just this week, Rhule and Nebraska earned a commitment from Top 100 tight end Carter Nelson from Ainsworth, Nebraska. The four-star offensive weapon was being recruited by a bevy of programs and the Cornhuskers beat out Penn State, Notre Dame and Georgia, among others, for the in-state recruit.

More recruiting wins like that can be parlayed into success on the field — and Rhule has a track record of righting the ship at a number of schools. Now he’s got the chance to do it at a place that’s as rabid and willing to invest in football as any.

“They’re scary; if they do it the right way and strike deals with players who can be foundational pieces, they’re going to be really good down the line,” the coach said.