JD PicKell: Nebraska defense must show toughness under Matt Rhule

Nebraska brought Matt Rhule to Lincoln to make a lot of changes. If nothing else, though, On3’s JD PicKell says one area of improvement is specifically going to make the difference in how successful the Cornhuskers can be in his first season there.

PicKell addressed his concerns on the Husker’s defensive line in a recent episode of ‘The Hard Count.’ He pointed out how fixing that issue is exactly why the athletic department hired Rhule to lead the program in the first place.

“There’s gotta be some improved physicality on the defensive side. (There) just has to be. That’s one of the reasons you brought Matt Rhule in,” PicKell said. “Trev Albert said it. When they were hiring a head coach and they were on the head coach search, he emphasized getting better in the trenches. Matt Rhule is exactly that. A guy that has coached all over the staff when it comes to his history as a football coach. But a defensive line man? I promise you there’s a little bit of extra pride on the defensive line for Coach Rhule.”

Still, in the conference they’re in, PicKell continued to emphasize their need to be stronger on the defensive line. He brought up the numbers from last year’s defense, which finished 13th in the Big Ten against the rush, as justification as to why the program needs their solutions to that issue need to be present and make themselves known quickly.

“Last year for Nebraska? They were not up to par. You know it, I know it, everyone in that locker room knows it. They allowed 190 rush yards per game. That’s not gonna cut it. (It’s) not gonna cut it at any level of football. But in the Big Ten Conference especially? Where you play the teams that have a history of playing downhill?” PicKell said. “The Big Ten is a line-of-scrimmage league. College football is a line of scrimmage game, but especially in the Big Ten. That’s how the sausage is made there, man. They play in the trenches. And if you don’t have what you need to be successful? If you don’t have enough oomph up front to get it done? You’re not gonna have a prayer.”

“Personnel-wise? We need the guys that transferred in to step up here. Because you transferred in for a reason. You transferred in because you believe there’s an opportunity to make an impact. Approach is one thing. But, in addition to that, personnel? 190 yards given up a game? There’s some personnel issues basked into that number,” PicKell added. “So the guys that are now new to this roster? Let’s pick it up here. Let’s help raise the floor of what this defense can be when it comes to stopping the run. You have to stop the run to be competitive in the Big Ten. Otherwise? You get eaten alive.”

Only Northwestern, just by a hair though, finished worse in the league against the run than Nebraska. If Rhule wants to post the school’s first winning record since 2016, PicKell believes in the trenches is where he can best make an impact can and can ultimately help the Huskers to accomplish that feat.

“I like the moves they made, obviously, on the staff. I love bringing in Coach Rhule to be the head coach to get that flipped around,” said PicKell. “But, in 2023, to make a bowl game? That’s gotta happen fast.