3 Moves Matt Rhule Must Make To Get Nebraska Football Back On Track

New Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has fairly a bit of labor to do.

It has been a long time since Nebraska was the usual that faculty soccer groups had been measured in opposition to. The times when Tom Osborne would trot out a crew that was larger, sooner and meaner than the opposition are gone, and the one-sided beatings that crew would ship are a distant reminiscence.

However the Cornhuskers are nonetheless a crew with an excellent soccer legacy, and there’s no motive why they will’t get again to an especially aggressive degree. There’s no motive they shouldn’t contend for a Massive Ten title, and the concept they’re close to the underside of the convention’s West Division is ridiculous.

Rhule has had different reclamation tasks in his teaching profession at Temple and Baylor earlier than his temporary tenure within the NFL with the Carolina Panthers, and Nebraska might develop into his career-defining project. Listed here are 3 issues he should accomplish to get the Cornhuskers again on observe.

3. Set up the facility operating recreation

That is faculty soccer, and whereas the sport has advanced fairly a bit, a crew with highly effective offensive linemen and operating backs who mix strikes and pace can nonetheless trigger a number of harm. This isn’t a name to return to the choice recreation that was the signature throughout their glory years below Bob Devaney and Osborne.

There’s something to an excellent crew taking part in to its legacy. No crew ran with energy higher than Nebraska, and there’s no manner that Rhule ought to run away from that. Let opponents know that if they don’t seem to be ready to cease energy, they’re going to be in for a really lengthy afternoon.

2. Rhule should increase recruiting 

Nebraska nonetheless has a giant title on the earth of school soccer and Rhule has proven he has the participating character to be a first-class recruiter. Whereas he targeting discovering the very best native expertise whereas at Baylor, he demonstrated the talents to show recruits into glorious gamers that had been extremely revered NFL prospects.

He must increase his recruiting efforts with the Cornhuskers. Rhule must go after the very best gamers from California and Texas, along with Illinois, Georgia and New Jersey. The latter 3 states have been stable for Nebraska through the years and he might want to preserve them, however the abilities place stars from California and Texas are important to returning Nebraska to glory.

Recruiting is the lifeblood of any nice soccer program, and the Cornhuskers should increase their footprint if the return to glory goes to be accelerated. Rhule understands this and he must make it occur.

1. Diversify the offense

Whereas energy operating will probably be vital below Rhule and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, the Cornhuskers can’t be predictable.

Satterfield has proven the flexibility to assault with a variety offense at South Carolina, and his assault allowed the Gamecocks to engineer upsets over high-powered Tennessee and Clemson. One of many facets of Satterfield’s offense is to make use of a number of tight ends, and that’s one thing that Nebraska has had success with previously.

Within the Massive Ten, a crew that lacks energy will discover itself getting steamrolled within the second half frequently. Rhule is aware of this can not occur to Nebraska any longer and should reverse that state of affairs. Establishing the facility recreation whereas additionally displaying it could actually unfold opponents out and damage them with huge performs by the air is the best way Rhule can deliver Nebraska again into rivalry.

As Matt Rhule will get established in Years 2 and three, rivalry will flip this crew into a way more assured unit, one that may push Michigan and Ohio State to the restrict.