'If We're Not Good, Blame It on Me': Matt Rhule Talks Nebraska’s 2025 Outlook

In a recent sit-down with Mike’l Severe on The Let It Fly Show, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule opened up about the pressure surrounding his third season in Lincoln. What began as a light conversation about the College World Series quickly shifted into a deeper discussion about expectations, and how Rhule plans to manage the weight that both he and the national media place on Nebraska in year three under his leadership.

Rhule didn’t shy away from the growing expectations. In fact, he leaned into them with a simple message for his players and fans alike:

“If we’re not good, blame it on me.”

That line wasn’t just a throwaway comment; it was a window into how Rhule views pressure and leadership. It’s also a reminder of the track record he’s built when given time to establish his culture, and quite simply what he expects of himself heading into the 2025 season.

Temple Owls head coach Matt Rhule hoists the American Athletic Conference football trophy during a post-game celebration. — Temple Owls head coach Matt Rhule hoists the American Athletic Conference football trophy during a post-game celebration after defeating Navy. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

While it’s not arrogance, Rhule’s quiet confidence isn’t rooted in blind faith, it’s built on a track record of turning struggling programs into winners. He’s done it before, and he believes his system can do the same in Lincoln by 2025.

Take Temple, for example. In 2013, Rhule took over an Owls program coming off a 4–7 season and started his first year 0–6. Still, signs of growth emerged. His team held a fourth-quarter lead in each of its final six games ultimately finishing 2–10 but clearly trending upward. By year two, the Owls had learned how to close: they allowed just 23 fourth quarter points all season and became bowl eligible at 6–6.

From there, Temple took off. In 2015, the Owls beat Penn State for the first time in 73 years and spent eight weeks ranked in the AP Top 25, finishing with 10 wins, the first of two straight 10-win seasons under Rhule. In 2016, his final year, Temple won the American Athletic Conference title for the first time in nearly four decades. That success earned Rhule the head coaching job at Baylor.

Baylor Bears head coach Matt Rhule talks to Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart before the Sugar Bowl. | Chuck Cook-Imagn Images

Coming off a conference championship in 2016, Rhule became one of the hottest names in coaching. His proven ability to rebuild a program made him a natural fit at Baylor, where he took over a team in disarray following the high-profile sexual assault scandal linked to former head coach Art Briles.

Rhule’s first season in Waco saw just one win, but the foundation was quietly being laid. Freshman quarterback Charlie Brewer was named Big 12 Co-Offensive Freshman of the Year, and the team showed flashes of resilience. In year two, Baylor made a major leap, finishing 7–6 and winning the Texas Bowl over Vanderbilt, leading all Power Five programs in win improvement from the year prior.

Then came 2019. Baylor started 9–0, the best start in school history, and reached its first Big 12 Championship Game. The Bears also earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl and finished the year ranked No. 13 nationally. Sixteen players earned All-Big 12 honors. Once again, Rhule had flipped the script by year three, and this time, it earned him a shot in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule on pressure he faces in year three at Nebraska. | Design by Trevor Tarr, Image provided by Kaleb Henry.

Though his time in Carolina was ultimately derailed by COVID-19 challenges and the inability to secure a franchise quarterback, Rhule has, and always will be, best suited for the collegiate game. His return to the college ranks at Nebraska wasn’t just about rebuilding another program; it was about building one the right way.

As he put it: his job is to "put the right people on the bus", whether coaches or players, "and then let them do their jobs". That philosophy has guided every step of Nebraska’s transformation under Rhule, and now, with a foundation in place and a culture that reflects his values, the program is poised for takeoff.

Now entering year three in Lincoln, the blueprint has already been drawn, just like Temple, just like Baylor. The foundation is in place, the culture is set, and as Rhule said himself in his interview with Severe, “Now we just gotta go win.”

If his past is any indicator, year three is when the results start to match the vision. And while Nebraska presents a different set of challenges than Temple or Baylor, with NIL, revenue sharing, and a rapidly evolving college football landscape, it's also a place uniquely positioned to thrive in this new era. With elite facilities, passionate fan support, and a clear alignment from the athletic department down to the coaching staff, Nebraska has everything it needs at its disposal to win at a high level again. The foundation is there, now it's just about turning belief into results.

Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. catches a pass against a UCLA Bruins defensive back. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

While no one can predict exactly how 2025 will unfold, there’s reason to believe Nebraska is poised to take a meaningful step forward. All three coordinators will be new faces this fall, but that fresh leadership, paired with a strong offseason and a renewed energy inside the locker room, may be just what the program needed.

Offensively, there's been a clear shift in philosophy, and special teams is no longer being overlooked. If Nebraska’s defense continues to be the steady force it has been, there's every reason to believe this team can stack wins the way Rhule’s year-three squads did at Temple and Baylor.

Yes, the Big Ten presents a tougher weekly grind than the AAC or Big 12, but this staff has spent two years learning what it takes. The belief inside the building is real, and it’s backed by visible cultural buy-in from the top down. Rhule wasn’t hired to win overnight; he was hired to build something sustainable. As year three approaches, Nebraska finally feels aligned in the ways that matter most. The groundwork is done. Now it’s time to win.

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