Matt Rhule makes bold claim about Nebraska's standing as a national power

The Nebraska Cornhuskers made a bold change at head coach, bringing in Matt Rhule. Rhule has made a name for himself at the college level, turning around various programs. And that’s precisely the task Nebraska has brought him all to do.

In order to turn around the once prestigious Cornhuskers football program, Rhule will need a laundry list of items such as better play on the field, more talented players, and confidence.

Over the offseason, Nebraska has been working on quality of play and on-the-field execution throughout spring ball and summer workouts, and that has caught the eye of experts across the country. Rhule brought in several key players in the talent department, including two former Georgia Bulldogs with national championship pedigree.

So what about confidence? Well, the Cornhuskers’ headman himself has that in spades. Recently, Rhule addressed the possibility of Nebraska becoming a national power in football again.

“We can absolutely be a national power,” Rhule said. “I think we can be relevant in the [new world], as the College Football Playoff goes to 12 teams.”

The Nebraska headman did not just leave this as a one-sentence statement. Instead, he furthered his point, highlighting how he will achieve this and how his previous successes and failures will play into him leading Nebraska into a new golden era of football.

“I’m so confident in what I believe in. I’ve seen it work, I’ve seen it not work. I’ve seen the highs, the lows. If I learned one thing in Carolina it was do what you think is right and don’t ever acquiesce to something that you don’t think is right.”

Rhule’s confidence making its way to the Cornhusker players

Rhule’s level of confidence has bled into the players, which will be huge for Nebraska for seasons to come. One of which is Gabe Ervin Jr. According to Ervin, while struggling with a drill during spring practice, Rhule approached him with a pep talk that turned on the light for him upstairs.

“I was dying tired when he said something that clicked in my brain, like I’m going to get through this, I got to be that dog.” Ervin said.

Nebraska’s new headman has proven himself to have the skills at the collegiate level to elevate a program to the top of their conference. His two previous spots, Baylor and Temple, were not known for being competitive between the lines. But after he left both programs, their trajectory became one of a team that could compete for conference championships at a bare minimum.

With the level of confidence that Rhule has in Nebraska and the level of confidence that he’s instilled in his players; regardless of the outcome in 2023, which should expect for the Cornhuskers to be a difficult challenge on the field and for many years to come. As for being national power, the tools are there to achieve that too.