Neil Smith expresses confidence in Nebraska rebuild under Matt Rhule

Neil Smith will forever be remembered as a Nebraska legend, and he’s hoping Matt Rhule can bring the good times back to the Cornhuskers as his son Keelan Smith begins his time in Lincoln.

After his son’s decision to commit to Nebraska, the legendary Cornhuskers defensive lineman expressed confidence in Rhule’s vision while speaking with HuskerOnline‘s Sean Callahan and Steven Sipple.

“It’s always good to have a new beginning,” explained Smith. “We’ve struggled throughout these last few years that we’ve had. … We’ve always been a powerhouse football team. We’re trying to get back to that. I think Matt, given the situation, he can build it. I told Keelan, there’s nothing wrong with going to a new rebuilding. Then you can see it from ground zero. You can be a part of turning that narrative.

“We did it even when I was there. Not winning the Big Eight title, but right behind that came all the winning and continued winning, and then the championships follow.”

Alas, only time will tell if Keelan Smith is able to have similar success to his father Neil at Nebraska over his career, but evidently both father and son are believers in the direction Rhule is taking the program.

It’d be wise if Keelan Smith follows in his father’s footsteps. After recording 49 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, and 5.0 sacks his junior season, Neil Smith leveled up his senior season with Nebraska. Smith was voted a co-captain of the team entering the season and ended the season as a First-Team All-American and a First-Team All-Big 8 selection. 

He ended the season with 65 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks along with two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, a blocked field goal, three pass breakups, and an interception. Smith was drafted No. 2 overall in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, starting a 13-year NFL career that his son is familiar with.

He led the NFL in sacks in 1993 with 15, earning the lone First-team All-Pro selection of his career. He’d go on to earn Second-team All-Pro honors three times, was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, and won two Super Bowls with the Denver Broncos in 1997 and 1998. Neil was also selected to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team and is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame.

It remains to be seen if Keelan Smith can have the immense success his father had in Lincoln, but believing in Matt Rhule to give him a chance to help turn things around is the first step regardless.

Keelan Smith is a three-star prospect out of Liberty North high school in Missouri, where he was ranked the No. 885 overall recruit and the No. 50 recruit at the ATH position designation in the 2024 class according to On3’s Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder has been playing a hybrid wide receiver/tight end role at the high school level, recording 50 receptions for 850 yards and 11 touchdowns in his junior season last year. 

On3’s Kaiden Smith contributed to this article.