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Dave Feit: To-Do List for Matt Rhule and All Stakeholders
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By the time you read this, Matt Rhule will have been formally introduced as the new coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Much has already been written and said about Rhule - a guy who was not on a lot of "hot boards" when Scott Frost was fired in September. I think it is time to get to work. Today. Now.
To that end, I have some to-do items and friendly suggestions for all of the stakeholders in the Nebraska football program.
Head coach Matt Rhule
You have the most to do, so you go first.
Hire the best damn staff you can. To me, the perfect assistant coach is equal parts ace recruiter and technical guru. They can land the four stars or turn a walk-on into an all-conference player. Everybody who comes through - and puts in the work - leaves noticeably better than when they arrived.
Hire a bunch of these guys.
You’re going to pressure from a lot of fans to retain Mickey Joseph in some capacity. While I fully endorse and support that decision, I'll understand if it doesn't work out.
I assume you’ll bring some guys from your Baylor and Carolina staffs, and that’s fine – especially if they are the best person for the job. But I would humbly suggest that you give serious consideration to a handful of the previous assistants. There are some guys already here - notably Joseph, Bill Busch and Bryan Applewhite - who can help on the practice field and on the recruiting trail.
At the end of the day, I don't care how many assistants have Nebraska ties. I care about who will refill the cupboards and carry out your vision.
Decide what you want to be, and build your team around that. We all have our ideas on the best offensive and defensive systems to be successful at Nebraska, but you’re the only one getting paid $9 million a year to do it.
Two key things to keep in mind: a) The conference you’re playing in, and b) the weather concerns of this great state. I'm not saying you need to run a "three yards and a cloud of rubber pellets" offense to be successful here. But a large chunk of the league does, so being able to stop strong running games should be a defensive priority.
Beyond that? Just build a sustainable winner.
Learn the current roster and help them make the decision for everybody. Good news: there are more than 100 players on the current roster with eligibility for 2023. Retaining them should be easier than identifying, recruiting and signing a new player. Bad news: Some of the current players are already looking at the transfer portal. Others might not be a fit your system or have the skillset you’re looking for.
Your job is to quickly identify the guys who can contribute to this team in 2023 or beyond. Then, have an open and honest conversation with the current roster.
If a guy has a chance to compete here, sell him, and keep him.
If not, thank him for his dedication and help him find a better opportunity.
I suggest tasking a staff member to look into how NCAA rule 15.5.1.7 (the "Aid After Departure of Head Coach" bylaw) can help flip the roster. It allows players from a previous staff to remain on scholarship, without counting against the 85-scholarship limit. The Athletic had a great write-up about it in May.
Recruit, recruit, recruit. Salvage this class and land some surprises. Make a statement for how you will do things at Nebraska. I’m optimistic that you will be a really good X's & O's coach, but your job – and your ability to meet the standards of Nebraska fans – will be much easier if you bring in NFL-caliber talent.
Be visible in Omaha. The Metro is producing some strong talent right now. Show up, make connections and rebuild the in-state talent pipeline. Have somebody get you a tape of the most recent Class A state championship, and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Understand Nebraska's culture and traditions - but don't be a prisoner to them. Nebraskans value and cherish the rich history of this program. A healthy understanding for where Nebraska has been before will serve you well.
Honestly, a lot of things still happen here because "that's the way it's always been done." (Or more specifically, "that's how it was done under Bob Devaney and/or Tom Osborne.")
While Bob and Tom were very successful, it has also been 25 years since Osborne retired. If something doesn't make sense or needs updating, take the opportunity to change things up. Your A.D - who played under Osborne - will likely have your back.
For example: I know you were a walk-on, so I suspect you'll maintain the walk-on culture that many Nebraskans take pride in. But maybe having 150 guys on the roster is too much. Feel free to trim the program to something manageable.
Also, when you talk about former Huskers, be sure to give some love to the players who have played in the last 25 years. There are lots of good guys from those teams that are worthy of your respect, even if their teams didn't win a lot of games.
Look forward, not back. Have you ever started a home improvement project (or massive renovations) only to find that one of the previous homeowners wasn't very handy?
Maybe what you thought was going to be a simple fix looks like it will be a major rebuild. The temptation can be very strong to blame that previous owner for every little thing that goes wrong for as long as you live there.
Don't do that.
Once the introductory press conference is over, you have the keys to the program.
In his time as interim head coach, Mickey Joseph did a great job of practicing accountability. He reminded the players and fans that the buck stops with the current head coach. I'd like to see that continue.
Let the fans and media embrace your program and throw their tremendous support behind you.
Current players
With COVID, close losses and a coaching change, it's been a rough few years. It’s okay to feel love and loyalty for Coach Frost and/or Coach Joseph. I’ll tell you that it is okay to question if Nebraska is the best place for you going forward. These things are natural.
Here is what I suggest:
Think about your future. Consider what is best for you – academically, athletically, and financially. Maybe you think that your skill set will not work in Coach Rhule's schemes. Maybe you don’t feel a connection with the new coach. As I said, it’s natural to question these things.
But…
Don’t make hasty, impulsive decisions. You have time. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the portal. Take a breath and make a smart decision. Remember: you came to Nebraska for a reason. I'm guessing that reason is more than just a coach.
Meet with Coach Rhule, his coordinator(s), and your new position coach. Be honest with each other and see where things are at.
Next, talk to your family and other people you trust. Think not only about your playing career, but about your education and life after football. Where do you want to be, and how will you get there?
If, after all of that, you believe Nebraska is not the right place, do what is best for you. Ignore the small percentage of “fans” in your mentions who are hurt by your decision. Know that most Nebraska fans will respect your decision and wish you well.
Buy in and ball out. If you’re staying with the Huskers (and I hope you do) then my advice is simple: go all in. Throw your faith in Coach Rhule and his staff.
The 2023 season starts now. The slate is clean. Be a leader in the weight room, and memorize the playbook. Be ready to earn a starting job in the spring, and be a part of the turnaround in the fall.
Former players
With former Cornhuskers from (at least) seven different head coaching eras living all across the country, this is probably the most divergent group on the list.
Instead of a big to-do list, let's do a single "either/or" task:
Ask how you can help. Find out what your alma mater needs to be successful. This could be NIL donations, peer recruiting, social media, or anything else. Remember: a return to prominence reflects well on former players, regardless of when you played.
OR
Continue to sit quietly. If you sat in silence while the previous coach (allegedly) made poor choices, this should be easy to accomplish.
Nebraska media
Help us get to know the new coach and his staff. Matt Rhule seems like an interesting guy with a lot of experience and expertise. Write the stories and profiles that help us know who this man is, what he stands for, and what his strategies and core beliefs are.
Keep the criticisms fair and constructive. Right, wrong or otherwise, the local media has a stigma with many in the fan base. Some fans felt the media was too hard on Scott Frost. Others wished they would have asked tougher questions earlier on.
Nobody will deny that the media has a job to do, and that job sometimes involves being critical of decisions and asking tough questions. That’s fine. I hope the majority of Husker fans understand and respect this.
A new hire is a great time to erase the slate and start fresh. For everybody.
Try to avoid Frost comparisons. With every decision, change and strategic move Rhule makes, it will be very easy to compare and contrast that to what Scott Frost did.
I guarantee that somebody is going to make a snarky tweet the first time Nebraska does not onside kick with an 11-point lead. That stuff will happen. But the 2023 season does not need to be a compare and contrast exercise with the previous head coach.
Most Husker fans are more than ready to flush the memories of the Frost era. We know Frost was a bad coach who made numerous missteps. We're ready to move forward.
Limit the coaching search second guessing. Luke Fickell was rumored to be a candidate for the Nebraska job. A day after Rhule was officially hired at NU, Fickell was hired at division rival Wisconsin.
Could Trev Alberts have gotten Fickell? That is a fascinating topic, but it won't change the reality of NU's situation. I'd love to read more about the coaching search, but the challenge is writing a piece without it turning into "Trev really screwed up by not hiring X, Y or Z." Tell me why Trev did what he did without using hindsight to see how Jeff Monken is turning into Nick Saban 2.0.
Trev Alberts
You got your guy, and you’re going to win the press conference.
But your job’s not done:
Take a bow. Give credit to Trev for running an extremely tight search. For the majority of the search, the rumor mill was nonexistent.
While the lack of "insider sources" made it frustrating for people wanting a juicy rumor to chew on, it signals a big improvement in Lincoln. Previously, the athletic department - especially under Bill Moos - had more leaks than a submarine with screen doors.
Open the checkbook to let Rhule hire a top-notch staff. The rumor mill is churning out some big names who would make a splash. It’s unlikely that all of them will come to Lincoln, but do your part to help Rhule be successful by giving him a big, big budget for his assistant coaches.
Say “Yes.” No matter what Coach Rhule asks for, say yes.
He needs private jets for a late recruiting push? A need is identified for three additional analysts? You betcha. Rhule brings a mock-up for a something in the new football facility? Let's set a meeting with the project manager! Does he want Frings instead of fries with his first Runza order? Good call, Coach!
If you truly want this program to win conference championships and compete at a national level, be sure to say “Yes” when the coach asks for something. Most athletic directors only get to hire one football coach. Therefore, you had better be all-in on whatever the coach needs to succeed.
Share the gift baskets with your staff. Given the number of head coaches who received contract extensions and/or raises in the last few weeks (Lance Leipold, Lane Kiffin and Mark Stoops, to name a few), I would hope you are getting some gift baskets from grateful coaches or agents.
Be sure to share the goodies with the hardworking folks in the department who do amazing work behind the scenes.
Be prepared to do it all again in the near future. I want Fred Hoiberg to succeed as Nebraska basketball's head coach. The hardwood Huskers are off to a 4-3 start and are playing better than Hoiberg's previous teams.
Hopefully, that is a sign of improvement that will carry over to the Big Ten schedule. If not, here's hoping Alberts can complete another coaching search in the coming months/years.
Nebraska fans
I’ve saved us for last, but that does not diminish the work we have ahead of us.
Rhule fans, understand that not everybody is where you are at. The biggest challenge of a coaching search with no clear-cut, home-run hire is that other people became very invested in their preferred candidate(s). We had over two months to dissect resumes, so know that others may feel underwhelmed.
Take the time to learn more about Matt Rhule. I know many of you were hoping for a different coach (Fickell, Urban Meyer, Dave Aranda, etc.) or are underwhelmed by Rhule’s résumé or record. I get that.
There's a reason this podcast - where Rhule gave a speech on his personal and coaching philosophy at a coach's convention - is making the rounds. It's worth your time.
I'm not saying you have to buy a shirt with a Matt Rhule pun or change your social media avatar to his face. It's okay to be skeptical. But give him a chance.
Besides, nobody cares if you're the first - or loudest - person to say that Rhule won't work out.
Be honest about where Nebraska is at right now. Over the last five seasons, our Huskers been the fourth-worst team in the Power 5. This job isn't like taking over LSU, Southern Cal or even Arizona State. NU is a full-on, from-the-ground-up rebuild. Not every coach is cut out for that.
The good news is everything I've read about Matt Rhule tells me that he's a great choice to get it done.
Let Frost go. We're nearing three full months since Scott Frost was fired. The book has been officially closed on his Nebraska tenure. At this point, each of us feels the way we feel about Frost and his time as head coach. No amount of facts and statistics, nor excuses and Mike Riley blaming will change anybody's mind.
It is time to scrape the "ScoFro" sticker off your bumper and put the Frost Era in the rearview mirror.
Relax on the local media. You’ll notice I asked the media to take it easy on Rhule and the players. I think it’s needed. But you need to reciprocate.
Not every article, column or blog is an attack on the program. Let go of your grudges against Mitch, Dirk, Sipple or any other writer who doesn’t agree 100% with your point of view.
We are fortunate to have some talented folks in the local media, and I have a hard time believing that any of them are intentionally stirring up conflict for clicks or kicks.
Embrace and support NIL. Most of us are not in a position to write a big check* to the NIL collectives, and that's okay.
*But if you are, I'm sure the folks at Big Red Collective and 1890 Initiative would love to chat.
Even if you and I are not giving thousands of dollars, we can still support the local businesses that are in the NIL space. Patronize them. Engage with the social media posts featuring NU athletes. Share that Decoldest Crawford video. Have Casey Thompson send your kids a message via Cameo. Get some Pipeline beef jerky.
NIL can be a differentiator for Nebraska in recruiting. Our passion plays a big part in that.
Be patient. I have no idea how Matt Rhule will do in his first year or two. Maybe we’ll win the West and go to Indianapolis. Maybe we’ll struggle again and miss another bowl game. I don’t know.
But I do know that judging his first year or two solely by wins and losses is going to be a narrow-minded, short-sighted approach. I’m more curious to see how his system is put in place and grown, how he and his staff develop the talent they have into something more, and if they can narrow the gap against ranked teams.
Relax, take a deep breath, and be patient.
Now … how many days are left until the Spring Game?
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