Tag: Matt Rhule

Matt Rhule has high expectations for rising freshman

Vincent Shavers was one of the top players in the Miami area.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule has been impressed by one freshman in particular over the course of preseason. Linebacker Vincent Shavers stands out as the Huskers look for more depth at the position.

Shavers was a December addition to the Huskers. He officially committed and signed with Nebraska on December 20 after flipping from the Miami Hurricanes following a visit the prior weekend.

Shavers was a decorated high school player, recording more than 170 tackles in his prep career. According to his biography on the Nebraska Athletics website, he had 46 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, and seven sacks as a senior last season.

Now, it appears he is making an early impact on Nebraska’s football defense. The linebacker room is undoubtedly one to watch, with a mix of younger players and transfers in the room and the usual upperclassmen. Rhule likes what he has seen from the freshman, as Husker247’s Brian Christopherson noted.

While talking about guys possibly filling in with the Wright absence, Rhule said, “I got no doubts about V9. There might be a freshman moment here or there but I got no doubts about him. None.”

It will undoubtedly be interesting to see what role he plays. He has the ability to come down and make a tackle, as well as provide a pass-rushing presence off the edge. He may not have a significant role now, but he is setting himself up to be a big part of the Huskers’ future.

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Huskers coach Matt Rhule has respect for UTEP coach Scotty Walden

Scotty Walden is entering his first year at UTEP.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule is praising one of his upcoming opponents. Rhule recently praised University of Texas El Paso head coach Scotty Walden as the teams prepare to face off on August 31.

Walden is a younger coach, at 34. He was the head coach at Austin Peay from 2020-2023 before taking the UTEP job on December 4. He compiled a 26-14 overall record with the program after serving as interim head coach for Southern Miss in 2020.

Now, he is looking to take over a program coming off a 3-9 record in the 2023 season. The season opener will feature two teams trying to turn the corner, with Nebraska finishing 5-7 in 2023.

Rhule has nothing but respect for Walden, as the latter has been visible in the Texas camp circle. He spoke about the coach following practice on Saturday, as transcribed by Husker247’s Brian Christopherson.

“Scotty Walden is going to do a great job. He’s an excellent coach. And if you go back and watch the Tennessee game last year when he was at Austin Peay, that’s 6-6 at the half,” Rhule said. “So they’re going to come out here and they’re going to try to run 200 plays. They’re going to take their shots. They’re going to challenge us all over the field.”

This game will certainly not be one where the Huskers can relax. After all, they have not won an opening game since the 2019 season. That year, they beat South Alabama by a 35-24 margin and were ranked 24th at the time. Husker fans hope this is the year the tides turn.

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Huskers freshman QB Daniel Kaelin impressing coach Matt Rhule

Matt Rhule is impressed with what Daniel Kaelin brings to the table.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule praised freshman quarterback Daniel Kaelin following practice on Saturday.

As Dylan Raiola leads the group, Kaelin is part of a youthful quarterback room and talented in his own right. He completed 187-of-319 passes for 2,225 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior at Bellevue West High School. He also showcased his talents at the Elite 11 tournament last summer alongside Raiola.

He’s got it. He’s got quote-unquote ‘it.’ He’s got the ‘it factor.’ You know, I’ve said it before I’ll say it again, there’ll be a day you’ll look up and those two freshmen are both playing in the National Football League. They’re both pro players and I think you heard that when the Big Ten Network came here and said it’s as strong a quarterback room they’ve seen. To me, the sky’s the limit.

Now, Kaelin is in the midst of a quarterback battle as the Huskers look to name a starting quarterback soon. Rhule had nothing but praise for the freshman as practices wrapped up on Saturday.

The in-state prospect’s developmental track will be interesting, as the Huskers do not have to rush things with Raiola in the fold. Kaelin showed what he could do during the Red-White game back in April, recording two completions on four attempts for 13 yards.

He could be an important part of the Huskers’ future, and the coaching staff continues to be impressed.

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Nebraska’s Javin Wright out indefinitely with a health condition

Matt Rhule has announced that linebacker Javin Wright is out indefinitely with a health condition.  

The Nebraska football team has suffered a setback on the defensive ball. Matt Rhule has announced that linebacker Javin Wright is out indefinitely with a health condition.

“In unfortunate news, Javin Wright will be out indefinitely. He has a health condition that we’re working through right now. I’ll probably leave it at that just until you know he’s ready to talk more about it. He’s with the team, and he’ll be with us, but he’s dealing with a health condition that will hold him from playing for right now.”

Wright has had multiple injury issues throughout his career, including three consecutive season-ending injuries in college. Rhule has said there is an optimistic outlook on Wright’s health issue and that he should be expected to return this season.

When asked about possible replacements for Wright at middle linebacker, the Husker head coach mentioned Mikai Gbayor, transfer Stephon Thompson, and freshmen Vincent Shavers, Gage Stenger, and Vince Genatone.

 Nebraska will kick off the 2024 season when the Huskers host UTEP at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, August 31. The start time is set for 2:20

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Rhule pleased with team’s performance in recent scrimmage

Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule met with the media following the team’s recent scrimmage. The coach spoke on various subjects, including the development of the quarterback room and the defensive line. “I think we feel really confident in all …

Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule met with the media following the team’s recent scrimmage. The coach spoke on various subjects, including the development of the quarterback room and the defensive line.

“I think we feel really confident in all of the guys,” he said. “I think the thing that we have is we have three guys that we feel like can lead us to win. So from that part it’s hard, but can someone be more advanced at this point than someone else. The difficult part in it is that you have one guy who’s played, and you’ve seen him play, and you know how hard it is to play. And you’ve seen two guys who haven’t played yet in college, so that’s maybe the unknown factor here, but all three guys have worked really hard, and I’m sure they’ll all continue to improve.”

You can find more comments from Nebraska coach Matt Rhule by scrolling below.

“I think we’ve been patient. Credit to the coaching staff and the players’ trust in us that a guy like James (Williams) we played and redshirted, if all of a sudden he was a junior right now, that’d be pretty difficult, but he’s a sophomore. I think us believing in the process and trusting the process on our end as coaches, players believing in what we’re doing and buying in to Kristin (Coggins) and Corey (Campbell), and all of the things that they do. I think it makes us a stronger team. 

I think the one thing about our pass rush right now is we understand that in the Big Ten, that you can’t just run around people, that’s not how it works. You’re gonna have to go through people, and we were able to run around some people last year to get our sacks, but we couldn’t really go through people. We have more size and power now to go through people, and I think it’s an improved area for our team.”

“I told them I feel like they’re really close to being a good team, but they’re not there yet. I feel like the offense was a procedure penalty, a crucial moment, or a big play a way from having a great day, but they got in their own way. The first-team offense didn’t turn the ball over, they protected the ball the entire day, but I think they had four or five penalties. 

And we’re trying to do some advanced things, we’re trying to go on two, we’re trying to play more NFL-style football, and we weren’t able to handle that in crucial moments today where we would jump and hurt ourselves. There’s a lot of good things happening, way further ahead than where we’ve been, yet it just isn’t to the level we want.”

“I see some people took it the wrong way, like Footballscoop which represents coaches. You’re a coach. If you’re a coach, you understand that pushing the guys is actually coaching. Drawing up plays isn’t coaching. Running individual plays isn’t coaching. Coaching is tackling hard problems, so I was really disappointed. Something that’s supposed to be about football, that can’t understand that it is growth. The fact that I’m able to coach a team that I can talk that directly to, and that don’t take it personally, and they just handle it, is why we’re going to win.”

Matt Rhule Huskers scrimmage speech goes viral on Pat McAfee Show

Matt Rhule has become known for his exceptional speeches going viral.

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule delivered a stellar speech in the middle of the Red-White scrimmage at the beginning of August. The speech made it onto ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ and was applauded by the hosts.

At the time of the speech, the Nebraska football players were struggling and not executing under the watchful eye of the thousands of fans who attended. Although he did not call out any player specifically for their performance, Rhule made it clear he was not happy with the overall effort during the scrimmage.

Both McAfee and Hawk really appreciated how the coach handled the speech, as the football program continues to receive national recognition.

Time will tell how things go in the 2024 season as the Huskers look to make their first bowl game since the 2016 season. It’s clear Rhule wants to build a better culture in his second season with the program.

Find the clip from The Pat McAfee Show below.

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Huskers coach Matt Rhule praises QB Dylan Raiola

In a recent interview with Zach Gelb of Infinity Sports Network, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule opened up about freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola’s mindset.

In a recent interview with Zach Gelb of Infinity Sports Network, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule opened up about freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola’s mindset.

Raiola looks to be the favorite to win the starting quarterback job. The position has not been officially announced, but Raiola is gaining momentum, even with several new faces in the quarterback room.

After committing to the Georgia Bulldogs last May, the five-star quarterback flipped his commitment to Nebraska in December. Rhule was not afraid to praise his freshman quarterback earlier this week and told Gelb that Raiola is playing with unusual confidence for a freshman.

“Well I mean, he’s a winner, you know? He understands the game, he’s thinking about the game, you know all the time. He studied everything. You know, if a receiver lines up wrong, I mean he knows it. A lot of guys when they’re that age, they’re playing kind of, you know, not clear-minded, because they just know what they’re supposed to do.

But, you know, Dylan knows what every guy on the field is supposed to do because he’s put so much time and work in. Like I said, he loves to compete, he loves playing, he loves practicing, and I think that’s contagious, and it’s good to have from him.”

Nebraska will kick off the 2024 season on Saturday, August 31, when the Huskers host UTEP at Memorial Stadium. The team enters the season with high expectations as they looks for its first winning season since the 2016 campaign.

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The Oregon Duck continues its takeover of the Big Ten Conference, this time in Lincoln, Nebraska

The Oregon Ducks continues its takeover of the Big Ten, this time in Lincoln, Nebraska

The Oregon Duck is certainly making a first impression upon its arrival to the Big Ten Conference.

The mascot, or at least a large inflatable version of it, was seen floating down the White River in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana during Big Ten media days last week. It was a strong first statement upon joining the Big Ten, a statement that was then backed up by Oregon head coach Dan Lanning wondering if the inflatable duck could follow the team to every road game this season.

Related: Position battles to follow as Wisconsin Badgers begin 2024 fall training camp

The answer to that question may be ‘no’ given the lack of bodies of water in close proximity to most Big Ten stadiums. But if Lanning wants his mascot’s presence, that answer is a resounding ‘yes.’ Recent happenings point to it having zero trouble traveling to fellow Big Ten programs and making its presence felt.

The evidence: the duck traveled to Lincoln, Nebraska on Tuesday and crashed Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule’s press conference.

 

The Ducks and Cornhuskers do not meet on the field in 2024 barring a potential Big Ten title game matchup. But Oregon’s well-known mascot is still making Rhule and the Cornhuskers aware that the Ducks mean business upon joining the conference.

Note: we ranked the Oregon Duck No. 1 among Big Ten mascots last month. Its stock is only rising with stunts like this one.

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Preseason Previews

Big Ten Team Previews: Indiana Hoosiers — Purdue Boilermakers — Illinois Fighting Illini — Northwestern Wildcats — Minnesota Golden Gophers — Nebraska Cornhuskers — Iowa Hawkeyes — Rutgers Scarlet Knights — Maryland Terrapins — Michigan State Spartans — USC Trojans — UCLA Bruins — Washington Huskies — Michigan Wolverines — Penn State Nittany Lions — Ohio State Buckeyes — Oregon Ducks — Wisconsin Badgers

Big Ten Position Previews: Quarterbacks — Running Backs — Wide Receivers — Offensive Lines — Tight Ends — Defensive Line — Linebackers — Cornerbacks — Safeties

Wisconsin Position Previews: Quarterback — Running Back — Wide Receiver

Rhule shares details on in-helmet communication

Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule met with the media on Tuesday afternoon.

Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule met with the media on Tuesday afternoon. One of the topics of conversation was the team’s use of in-helmet communication in 2024.

In April, the NCAA announced it would allow helmet communications for FBS games. Rhule confirmed that the Cornhuskers will use the technology in 2024.

“It’s probably not as much of a help on defense. The reality is in tempo offenses in college it’s probably not as much of a help as it is in the NFL. We’ll use it. On offense, I’m not going to say groundbreaking, but it’s like that. Right, it’s seismic.”

He also described scenarios when the technology could be helpful.

“You’re able to remind the quarterback, not just of the play but also the situation, and also the thought process. Like, hey, it’s 3rd and 7 here, two downs, take the check-down if it’s there. Which he understands gets us to 4th and 3.”

The head coach also went into detail on how Nebraska uses in-helmet communication during practice.

“And we’re not just going to do it on gameday, we do it everyday. So, I won’t be talking to the quarterbacks, I have the ability to and I guess if I wanted to I would. But, we’ll do it just like we did it in the NFL. Satt (Marcus Satterfield) will talk to the quarterbacks. In practice Glenn (Thomas), Satt (Marcus Satterfield) and Garret (McGuire), will all have those so they can work with all three teams. It’s got to be enough information, but it can’t be too much information.”

Nebraska will kick off the 2024 season on August 31 at 2:30 pm when they welcome UTEP to Memorial Stadium.

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The Oregon Duck makes a surprise appearence at Matt Rhule’s press conference

There was a suprise appearence by a Big Ten mascot on Tuesday at Matt Rhule’s press conference.

In a surprising turn of events, the Oregon Duck attended Matt Rhule’s press conference on Tuesday morning. Multiple members of the Cornhuskers beat posted photos of the mascot on social media at the press conference.

At the time of posting, it’s unclear why the Oregon Duck was in Lincoln on Tuesday morning. Perhaps it was some sort of fun marketing ploy by the Oregon athletic department, as the university is officially set to become a member of the Big Ten on Thursday alongside UCLA, USC, and Washington.

Notably, Oregon is not on the Cornhuskers’ schedule for this upcoming season, and the two programs are not set to face each other until the 2026 season when the Huskers will travel to Eugene. The Ducks will make their first trip to Lincoln as a Big Ten member in 2027.

The two sides have met eight times all-time, last in 2017, when the Huskers lost 42-35 in Eugene. Nebraska holds a 6-2 advantage over Oregon all-time.

On Tuesday, Matt Rhule, offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield, defensive coordinator Tony White, and special teams coordinator Ed Foley will meet with the media and numerous student-athletes. The Huskers will start their fall camp on Wednesday as they continue to prepare for their 2024 season opener against the UTEP Miners on August 31.

In Matt Rhule’s first season in Lincoln, the Huskers went 5-7, including 3-6 in conference play.

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