Matt Rhule shares key to keeping culture in transfer portal era

The last time Matt Rhule coached in college, there was no one-time transfer rule. It’s a rule that has changed the way rosters are built and how programs are run during recent seasons, meaning Rhule will have to adapt quickly at Nebraska.

While speaking to On3’s JD PicKell, Rhule explained what he sees as the key to keeping culture in the transfer portal era.

“I think young people want to be in a positive, stable, transparent environment,” Matt Rhule said. “So, I can’t control who wants to be here and who doesn’t, but I’ve never controlled that.”

“Guys could transfer forever. They could go to FCS. They could leave and file a waiver. My thing has always been, if someone doesn’t want to be here and they don’t want this level of what we do, then that’s okay,” Rhule said.

“We don’t want them to be here if they’re unhappy. My job is to build a program that people want to be in. My job is to build a program where people feel valued and they feel they’re being poured into, and so we’re gonna try and do it that way. I believe more guys will stay than won’t. They guys that won’t, we still love them. We want them to go be happy.”

Overall, Matt Rhule doesn’t think that the transfer portal is going to have a huge impact on the culture of his program. However, he knows it’s a reality that’s coming and he’s happy that the portal also makes it easier to replace those players who left, even if he’d rather recruit from high schools.

“And, when the time comes, if someone does leave, now we have the chance, a mechanism with the transfer portal, to go out and get somebody else. We’re going to be mainly a high school recruiting team. We’re not going to be a huge transfer portal team. But, we’ll take guys at the right time and the right places,” Rhule explained.

“And, again, to me it’s all about guys having a good experience while they’re with us.”

Greg McElroy praised the Matt Rhule hire

ESPN college football analyst Greg McElroy praised the hire of Matt Rhule, calling it a great hire for Nebraska.

“I think Nebraska really sweetened the deal for him. He said no originally; they came back to him because they were persistent. Trev Alberts said I will not take no for an answer; I’m going to get it done, and they did. Could not be a better situation, I think, for Nebraska to go out and get a guy that’s done more with less and that has identified diamonds in the rough already in the past on the recruiting trail. Did a great job at Temple. Did a great job at Baylor, and will do a great job at Nebraska as well. The guy has won everywhere he’s been,” McElroy said.

“I think he is an A plus. I’m so excited about the possibility of him taking what is a crazy good NIL situation, a crazy proud fan base, and the ability to now go out and recruit in the state of Texas, where he’s familiar, I might add. What have we talked about forever with Nebraska? When they left the Big 12, they left the state of Texas behind them. So I think he is poised to win for the first time in a while. Look at the hire; it’s an A, no doubt about it.”