Matt Rhule: Nebraska players are 'sick and tired of being sick and tired'

Matt Rhule knows what the task at hand is for him at Nebraska. He’s just as happy, though, that his players seem to know what the bottom line is too.

Rhuel addressed the energy and mindset of some of the more experience Cornhuskers while discussing their play on the first day of fall camp today. From his point of view, he senses an overall focus considering how tired some of them are with the previous outcomes at Nebraska.

“They’re so focused,” said Rhule. “The older guys here are really focused. And I think that they’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Even so, he said that doesn’t want them to get too ahead of themselves. All he wants them to do is to focus on being ready to change the narrative come their opener. From there, it’s about earning the outcomes that come their way considering how much support is behind them in Lincoln.

“As I said to them, all we’re trying to do is earn the right to walk into Minnesota with confidence. That’s all we’re trying to earn,” Rhule said. “One thing about being at Nebraska? It’s a great place but we’re all given a lot. People care about us, Trev (Alberts) gives us all this stuff. We have scholarships, some guys have NIL stuff. We get a lot of stuff but they don’t give you wins. You’ve got to earn wins.”

Nebraska went 4-8 last season to post their sixth consecutive losing campaign. That’s why Rhule is now in the building and, to his relief, it doesn’t sound as though he’ll have to do much to motivate them to go play the right way at the start of this season with where their heads are currently at.

“I like the way that they have a sense of, ‘Hey. Let’s get this done. Let’s just talk about today’. I was pleased,” said Rhule. “I had a lot of fun with them out there today.”

Rhule reveals the first step toward Nebraska’s championship mindset

When Matt Rhule stepped up to the podium for the first time at Big Ten Media Days this week, he told the group of reporters — and those watching on the Big Ten Network — about his long-term plan at Nebraska. It might not happen overnight, but he made it quite clear he wants the Cornhuskers to look like the teams of years past under Bob Devaney, Tom Osborne, and Frank Solich.

“There was a time when Nebraska football was feared,” Rhule said. “And we certainly want to get back to that.”

To get there, though, it will take time. That’s why Rhule’s first year as the Huskers head coach will be so important.

Rhule further explained what he meant during his second session with reporters at Lucas Oil Stadium. He remembers those years when Nebraska won five national championships, including three between 1994-97 under Osborne. Rhule’s first season will be all about laying the foundation to get back to those levels.

“For me, when I think about Nebraska, I just think about that helmet,” Rhule said. “It’s iconic, to me, all across college football what that means. Are we being talked about right now? Are people talking about — I’m not talking about Nebraska. I’m talking about nationally. So for me, this is about us as a program from the way we practice to the way we travel to the way we carry ourselves. I told [sports information director] Keith Mann, I wanted to be the first guy here this morning. I just want us to do everything better than everyone else.”