Mike Ekeler has pushed me over the edge....

[konaki]

I feel this whole thing comes down to "fit" and I have a feeling Matt and some of the defensive coaches just don't want Ekeler messing with their way coaching a defensive position. I feel some of the other coaches got to see Ekeler step in as a position coach during bowl practices and may have seen enough.

I'm saying this just as a guess but if Ekeler were truly valued by Matt and staff they would be fighting very hard to keep him and I don't see that. Let's face it, USC wants Ekeler for his special teams coaching, I doubt they see him as a top notch defensive coach but they had to offer him other duties in order to get his services.

USC is so loaded with talent that I doubt they feel Ekeler can do much damage to a position he may coach, they'll keep a short leash on him I have little doubt.

 

[Redscarlet]

The important question is now, who going to be the ST coordinator?

I feel if we hires from with in it’s another sign for me questioning if he is our future.

 

[Husker.Wed._rivals]

....looks to me like he took a better job? (assuming he takes said job) Safe to assume he got a nice raise? California vs Nebraska? (assuming you have the $$$ which state would most people prefer to live in)

Renting a 26' UHaul from San Bernardino to Omaha costs $4,692. Renting a 26' UHaul from Omaha to San Bernardino costs $2933 ($1760 less). That is if you can find a truck rental company in SoCal without a month or more wait. After 36 years in SoCal we couldn't wait to get the hell out for many reasons.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Has Dannen showed us he is a leader in anything he has done so far in his time at UNL?

I don't think so but I am guessing some fans, at the time, thought he was smart for "locking up" rhule.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Firing Rhule a year after giving him a big extension would be hugely embarrassing and essentially admitting that you made a huge financial mistake. I don't see Dannen doing that.

I agree that it would look that way. I just think it might the his only chance to save himself.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Ha, I didn't get upset about him wanting more money. I was simply pointing out that there is no way in hell that guy, Matt Rhule, would ever settle for less money (outside of some sort of scandal). He's shown nothing to indicate he is that type of person. Quite the contrary. And anyone hoping that's the key to us getting out from under his insane buyout is being incredibly naive.

I did not mean you.

I totally agree with what you are saying.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

More embarrassing than just getting flat out fired himself? I think he'd take door number 2 if it were an "either Matt goes or you go" type deal.

Yep! This is exactly what I am thinking too.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

If things get that bad, I think Dannen will get fired before (or with) Rhule. His decision to extend Rhule without any good reason will have cost the school (or a booster) millions of dollars.

I think that could happen and if it does, the new AD would be brought in and fire Rhule.

 

[CameronKrazie86]

If you got career goals as a coach, why hitch your wagon to a coach who is likely getting canned inside 3 years? If not for that ridiculous extension, I'd be expecting a pink slip after Iowa next year.

 

[OctavianDillard]

You really think Matt Rhule would come to some sort of settlement agreement? The same guy who jumped at every raise he was ever offered, held Carolina to every penny of their contract when they fired him, played that against us for even more money to the detriment of his new team, then leveraged another job mid season for an extension as he went on to get butt raped with no lube on a national stage while playing dress up and laughing it up all the way to the bank? That Matt Rhule? Dude...

 

[Truewooper]

I think we can hate him but he gets out when things start to go south. Left after 2011 and Tennessee which sucked this year. I think he just sees the way the wind is blowing and prefer not to be fired next year.

 

[regoratsginrom]

....looks to me like he took a better job? (assuming he takes said job) Safe to assume he got a nice raise? California vs Nebraska? (assuming you have the $$$ which state would most people prefer to live in)

...maybe i'm missing something but i think we owe him an attaboy. We should all be so lucky/successful.

...add on top of that Rhule is probably going to last one more season and he'll be looking for a job this time next year anyway....

But has he actually bolted yet?

I'll take lil ol Nebraska compared to nut job California in a heart beat. But that's just me.

 

[regoratsginrom]

Has Dannen showed us he is a leader in anything he has done so far in his time at UNL?

Well, he's reseating Volleyball.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Effective starting 2026, I'm done with my standard annual donation. Not a huge number but I'm certainly not going to continue to enable this garbage. Also done buying merch until we get a new coach. I live out of state so don't attend games anymore. But, if I still lived there, I can guarantee you I'd be done attending. And my TV viewership already went down substantially last year, which I assume will continue to decline.

What about you? What are you doing to "try to stop the bleeding" besides posting on a message board?

Just continue to donate because I donate to the athletic program not the coach.

 

[Harry Caray]

I'll take lil ol Nebraska compared to nut job California in a heart beat. But that's just me.

It's hard to beat the California coast if you can afford it. But living in the San Fernando Valley would suck. I'd rather live in Iowa.

 

[OctavianDillard]

Ekeler hated Rhule at the end

I have a hard time thinking this isn’t the case with most people that work with him. He gives off a strong Adam schefter vibe - the dork who thinks he’s way cooler than he is, tries his best to act like an alpha, and when he leaves the room, everyone makes fun of him.

 

[knightwxc5000]

I have bad news for you, greed is everywhere, but just sports.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

I'll take lil ol Nebraska compared to nut job California in a heart beat. But that's just me.

...i'm with ya.. but we are not in the majority on that. If money wasn't an object (and it isnt for college football coaches with Ek's resume), most people, by a very wide margin, would choose cali.

 

[Scoop123]

Has anyone in the media asked Dannen about the extension? Seriously… I know the local media is soft and the UNL leadership is questionable. It just seems pretty basic to ask him about the extension after the way the season ended. Hopefully I missed it and someone can post what Dannen said about it.

Nothing? Does he seriously get to show up to work every day and not have to answer to it? Not a single reporter?

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

If you got career goals as a coach, why hitch your wagon to a coach who is likely getting canned inside 3 years? If not for that ridiculous extension, I'd be expecting a pink slip after Iowa next year.

Ekeler will never know that feeling of hitching his wagon to a coach. The only job he has had for more than a year or two, was Tennessee and he didn't get a contract for year 5. Why? Is he difficult to work with?

 

[Scoop123]

Ekeler will never know that feeling of hitching his wagon to a coach. The only job he has had for more than a year or two, was Tennessee and he didn't get a contract for year 5. Why? Is he difficult to work with?

It’s a good point. He is definitely a carpetbagger going town to town.

 

[oldjar07]

I don't think so but I am guessing some fans, at the time, thought he was smart for "locking up" rhule.

There were fans on here saying this.

 

[Bigred2467]

Looking at this list of his coaching stops, it shouldn't surprise anyone that he's leaving.

2008–2010	Nebraska (LB)
2011–2012	Indiana (co-DC/LB)
2013	USC (LB)
2014–2015	Georgia (ILB/DSTC)
2016	North Texas (DC/LB)
2017–2018	North Carolina (LB)
2019	Kansas (STC/ILB)
2020	North Texas (STC)
2021–2024	Tennessee (OLB/STC)
2025	Nebraska (STC)
2026-present	USC (STC - pending)

 

[nu2u]

It is currently 74 and sunny in LA.

It is windy 37, WCF 26, in Lincoln.

 

[Wasker73]

Well, he's reseating Volleyball.

I've never been to a volleyball game at the Bob. Went to several basketball games there. Is changing the seats to seat with backs (correct?) a good thing? It seems to me it is a good decision. What do the people who go to the games think?

 

[Mister_Scarlet]

Ekeler hated Rhule at the end

Where is proof of this? A short time ago Ek was saying he'd pick Rhule to team up with in an alley fight.

 

[dinglefritz]

He worked for a head coach that just shopped himself around DURING THE SEASON in order to leverage an extension out of the AD.

Why would he stay for THAT guy?

I’m not sure you can accurately say Rhule shopped himself. Rhule and PSU’s AD have been friends for years. I’ve said for months that I BELIEVE the only reason that their AD fired Franklin when he did as because Rhule started out winnng and he thought he could hire Rhule. Then we crapped the bed blowing up his plan. I haven’t seen Rhule’s FIRST contract but I would bet money it had an out for PSU.

 

[regoratsginrom]

It is currently 74 and sunny in LA.

It is windy 37, WCF 26, in Lincoln.

Not enough to overcome all of their other issues IMO.

 

[Wasker73]

I'll take lil ol Nebraska compared to nut job California in a heart beat. But that's just me.

I agree. I have an old friend who lives a block from the water in the Belmont shores area of Long Beach. I always have fun when visiting him. I always ask myself where I would run my dogs if I lived there? How long would it take to get out to where I could hunt quail? How fun would it be to have to drive to Big Bear or better yet Mammoth to ski? I think California is best to just visit. Native NorCal boy. Lived in the Sacramento area until I was 10. We had tomato fields behind our house. Hunted ducks and pheasants a couple of miles away in the rice fields.

I know several people who have winter homes in Palm Springs. Most have a fair amount of wealth. One couple lives on Firethorn. Another is a retired GI doc. Newsom, and his boys want to prorate income tax on the amount of time out-of-state residents spend at second homes in California. I think there will be a drastic reduction in people owning or renting homes there and even taking long extended vacations if they get this passed.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Generally, the quickest way to make more money is to take a new job.

I would not be shocked if we find out that Eck doubles his salary by leaving.

 

[WHCSC]

It is currently 74 and sunny in LA.

It is windy 37, WCF 26, in Lincoln.

It’s almost 74 and bright in my house near Blair right now too

 

[Husker.Wed._rivals]

How fun would it be to have to drive to Big Bear or better yet Mammoth to ski?

I drove up from Cucamonga to spend 25 days/year on the hill at Mammoth most of my adult life. For most of that time a season pass was less than $400 and gas $2.50. Now gas at the Arco in Cucamonga is $3.86 and a Mammoth pass is $1500. Day lift tickets midweek are $200. and Highway 395 through some stretches like Adelanto is soul crushing. When I say we left SoCal for many reasons two of them are traffic is so impossible to get anywhere anymore and many things just got so expensive. In 1985 my Rams season tickets were $250 for decent seats and now a season ticket is $2000.

 

[Cjlemke21]

Has anything actually been announced? Like has he actually left? Or is this all presumed? I haven’t been able to keep too close of an eye on this situation but as far as I’ve been able to see there’s only been an article saying he’s likely to take the job.

 

[Wasker73]

I drove up from Cucamonga to spend 25 days/year on the hill at Mammoth most of my adult life. For most of that time a season pass was less than $400 and gas $2.50. Now gas at the Arco in Cucamonga is $3.86 and a Mammoth pass is $1500. Day lift tickets midweek are $200. and Highway 395 through some stretches like Adelanto is soul crushing. When I say we left SoCal for many reasons two of them are traffic is so impossible to get anywhere anymore and many things just got so expensive. In 1985 my Rams season tickets were $250 for decent seats and now a season ticket is $2000.

Where did you move to? My brother moved to Henderson, NV. All new homes in his part of Henderson. He says former Californians out number everyone else. (too hot there for me)

 

[tmcats]

I know I'm a cranky old man...but MONEY and the "ME culture" has ruined college sports. Gone are the days of any kind of team/university loyalty.

Not just players...coaching has definitely turned into a money based system. No coach or player does it for any motivation except $$$$$$ .

I guess it is just disappointing that Mike Ekeler ...a Nebraska guy....isn't motivated by his "god" status here in Nebraska enough to stay here in Nebraska.

most every human being takes care of his/her security needs first. and he may have been from nebraska, but he's a legend down here.

 

[Husker.Wed._rivals]

Where did you move to? My brother moved to Henderson, NV. All new homes in his part of Henderson. He says former Californians out number everyone else. (too hot there for me)

Iowa

 

[huskernation77]

I think we can all agree that college football as we knew it is in the past. It’s a professional league now living within the college world. Indiana is the perfect example of where we’re at today.

Who gives a crap about recruiting young kids when it’s always gonna come down to money. And with this new era, the coach doesn’t need four or five years to build a program. If you’re bringing in good kids and still losing, like Nebraska, it’s time to find a new coach.

Nebraska recruiting in the past was in the top 25% of the Big Ten, but we would finish near the bottom. It’s because we’ve had terrible coaching since Bo left. Not that Bo was a great coach, but he is by far and away the best we’ve had since Osborne.

 

[WTFMatt]

I know I'm a cranky old man...but MONEY and the "ME culture" has ruined college sports. Gone are the days of any kind of team/university loyalty.

Not just players...coaching has definitely turned into a money based system. No coach or player does it for any motivation except $$$$$$ .

I guess it is just disappointing that Mike Ekeler ...a Nebraska guy....isn't motivated by his "god" status here in Nebraska enough to stay here in Nebraska.

This isn't on Ek. This is on Rhule being a control freak.

In the end, it is a good thing. It means NU might have a shot at getting an actual Head Football Coach when we go 3-9 next year.

 

[cHUCK001]

Everyone getting worked up because a journeyman sprecial teams coach is leaving. Is he Nick Saban? You would think he is by some of these posts. He was a damn special teams coach who impoved his unit in one year. O.K. whatever. Now he is "elite"? Here is a little clue. It is not going to make a damn bit of difference next year if he stays. The outcome at the end of next season will remain the same and he won't have a job anyway.
Just let next year play out and everyone can start the "Who's going to be the next head coach?" threads in December. The only bright spot on the coaching staff? Yes. O.K. Here is a medal. This team won 2 out of their last 7 freaking games. Who really gives a crap about how he improved the ST.? Doesn't mean jack.

 

[redwine65]

I guess if I was rhule:
I would of offered ekler the dline position, seeing we got the plan c, dline coach..
I'm not sure if you can do that but I figure if ekler wanted to be dc someday...he allready was a lb coach, and add dline to that...your starting to have a well rounded dc..in other words, ekler would have got more money for being special teams AND dline, and he would be adding to his experience. then some day he could be NU's dc...(and be at home)

but, 2 things...

1. I heard ekler was a dc 2 times before and it did'nt pan out..(north texas and indiana?) I'm not sure if thats because ekler was a bad dc or the hc at them places was bad, because both places only lasted 1 year...

2. ekler moves around alot, so maybe he see's so cal, and being a lb/special teams coach alot more tempting, and probably bigger $...
AND the knifes could be all out if rhule gets skull dragged next year...

so we will be monitoring the situation, and hopeing for the best...which is really all I can do
it's not like I'm warren buffet and can get saben as hc, urban as dc and cig as oc...then 5 stars everywhere