Op-Ed: Dear Jim Pillen, These aren't your father's Huskers
Jim Pillen seems like a nice guy on the surface. The champion of a "conservative vision" in a highly red state. The newly-elected governor is a man of the people... Well, at least for Nebraska standards.
The former member of Nebraska's Board of Regents recently spent time out of his busy day to go on the record with Adam Carriker's "The People's Show.” The two former Huskers talked about Coach Prime's emergence in Colorado and predicted how Matt Rhule will do in year one at Nebraska. It seemed pretty much how you would imagine it. The two traded insight from separate generations with the Cornhuskers football program.
One thing that stuck out from the exchange was Pillen's glowing review of Rhule's short time on campus and believes he's the right guy for the job. I hate to break the news on this one, but he's not.
Yes, Rhule had success at Baylor and even before that with Temple. But those were short-lived tenures barely amounting to a recruiting cycle at each stop. He was brave enough to jump into the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and failed miserably. Not only was it a bad tenure, but Rhule got exposed by a few of his former players along the way.
Teddy Bridgewater once said they never practiced two-minute drills in Carolina and that Rhule's approach was similar to that of a high school coach. What was your coach's response?
"You can't ask everyone to agree with everything... But I feel really good about what we do, I want to make sure to say I feel really good about the way we practice and our process."
Sounds like a real winner. He didn't deny what Bridgewater said and just things moving. "Touchdown Teddy" isn't the only one either. Steve Smith, Sr. discussed Rhule’s approach and how he didn't know how to coach up Cam Newton in 2021.
Rhule fired Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady mid-season in an attempt to save himself, except nothing changed. He doesn't have a vision and relies on others to spark his football I.Q.. Rhule’s ineptitude is his biggest weakness, and he has yet to realize it. Does he know what he's doing? Or did he come highly-favored?
Let's just call it for what it is. Nebraska had a job, and Rhule was available.
The human centipede videos in practice are pure comedy. And it's almost like watching a train rolling down the tracks, knowing there's a car not far ahead. You can see it, but you're not going to turn away.
This isn't your father's Huskers, Governor.
Rhule isn't going to turn the program around and build a winning culture. He's not even built like that type of head coach. On the other hand, Tom Osborne was a genius, and his final years coaching the Huskers will probably never be replicated, not even by Alabama's Nick Saban. You and the whole state of Nebraska are pumping faith into a guy who has tricked people into believing he can coach. Rhule will have a repeat job like he did with the Panthers. It will be like the movie 'Groundhog Day' except you can call it 'Saturday's in Lincoln'.
If you watch Rhule speak to the media, you can pick up on his inability to sustain any football knowledge. He's a grand cheerleader saying all the cliche things to make people feel good.
“I don't want to take shortcuts," or "I want to win," and even "Go Big Red."
Congratulations, Governor. Your alma mater officially got an overpriced mascot. Hopefully, you guys will realize it sooner rather than later. Good luck on Sept. 9th. We hope you enjoy your trip to Colorado.