Matt Rhule reveals his main focus for first spring at Nebraska

As Nebraska spring football gets underway, new coach Matt Rhule is settling in during his first spring at Nebraska.

Like with many coaching transitions, there’s been a bit of a learning curve to it. Rhule isn’t quite sure what to make of his team from a football standpoint yet, but he likes the receptiveness to his methodology.

“I’ll just continue to say I don’t know if we’re good or not, but we’re a very coachable team,” Rhule said. “I think a lot of it for us right now is just about establishing standards. We want to be a team that doesn’t beat itself. We want to be a team that goes out and executes.”

The challenge at Nebraska is no small one, and it’s been too tall a hurdle for the last few coaches through the door — Scott Frost being the latest casualty to fall victim.

Rhule has an excellent track record turning programs around, doing so at both Temple and Baylor. So what’s he looking for, exactly, as he begins to set the standard in his first spring at Nebraska?

“For me that’s everyone was in the building by 5:15,” Rhule said. “Everyone was dressed appropriately. Everybody know their assignments. That’s a great start. If we can establish that basis, that standard of, ‘Hey, we’re all going to be on time, we’re all going to practice hard, we’re all going to know our jobs’ then the talent will take over.”

Matt Rhule taking in first spring at Nebraska

As the new coach settles in, he’s just beginning to learn what some of his players can do on the field.

You get a small baseline from an athletic standpoint based on what you can watch of offseason workouts, with the NCAA allowing for a little more oversight than in years past.

Still, spring football is the first real glimpse at what some guys can do. Rhule’s taking that all in and making mental notes. Once he goes over the practice tape a little more thoroughly he can begin to have fully formed opinions on the players he’s watching.

“For me it’s the first time I’ve seen these quarterbacks throw a ball,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve seen some of these guys. I’ve seen them move, but do football things.

“Practice is kind of chaotic so I really can’t assess much until I go back and watch the tape.”