Fair Expectation for Matt Rhule This Season?

[jkeb]

What do you mean by expectations?

1. We should be competing for Big 10 titles and in the playoffs.
2. A lesser but still unattainable goal would be to beat one top 25 team.
3. A reasonable goal knowing the state of the program and our schedule is 7 wins.
4. I expect we will make good plays even in losses and we should highlight and cherish those.
5. I believe we will win 5 games and Rhule will be fired.

 

[dinglefritz]

We have three guaranteed wins and three guaranteed losses on this year’s schedule. We have two probable wins with MSU and Rutgers. We have two toss up games with Maryland and Illinois. We have probable losses with Washington and Iowa.
Smells like a 6-6 year to me.

No guaranteed Ws.

 

[HuskerO58]

So if your theory is true- that day MRs pay goes from 10 million per year to 1 million per year and that $9 million were applied to player salaries- there would be no change in outcome?
9 million more dollars?
Then why are we bothering to pay players or trying to get the funding up in thst area?

Is that what typically happens when a coach restructures their contract? The pay cut that Harbaugh took, the pay cut Hoiberg took, that extra money went to the players?

Or when a coach gets a pay raise (deserved or not), then less money goes to the players?

 

[davecisar]

Is that what typically happens when a coach restructures their contract? The pay cut that Harbaugh took, the pay cut Hoiberg took, that extra money went to the players?

Or when a coach gets a pay raise (deserved or not), then less money goes to the players?

What would stop an honorable coach who is underperforming- if he is as committed to winning and loyal to nebraska he could show it like Harbaugh did and take a pay cut with the stipulation that the money went to buy players. Yeah unlikely, but when you’re worth 50 million plus does it really matter? Bet on yourself and put your money where your mouth is

 

[Pennsyhuskers]

No guaranteed Ws.

In theory. No guaranteed losses either. Just speaking of probabilities. I think it highly likely we win our first three. And equally unlikely we can beat OSU, Oregon and Indiana. But I get your point!
Frost lost to Georgia Southern. Riley to N. Illinois I think. My hope is we have at least progressed beyond losing to teams like that.

 

[nu2u]

9-3 ….but only if Rhule wears the baseball cap backwards. Otherwise, 5-7 with a loss to North Dakota.

 

[HuskerO58]

What would stop an honorable coach who is underperforming- if he is as committed to winning and loyal to nebraska he could show it like Harbaugh did and take a pay cut with the stipulation that the money went to buy players. Yeah unlikely, but when you’re worth 50 million plus does it really matter? Bet on yourself and put your money where your mouth is

You didn't answer the question. The pay cut Harbaugh took, did that amount then go to the players at Michigan?

 

[TrueBigRedFan]

Fair Expectaton: 6 Wins

Legitimate Possibility: 7 Wins

Legitimate Hope: 8 Wins

Main Objective of the Year: Beat Iowa!

 

[K Rod]

Can Ruhle buck the trend of not being able to identify our best RB. Dana was here about 10 minutes before he figured out what the other jack wagons could not see. That EJ was miles ahead of everybody else we had. So hopefully that problem is solved. Can Geep get the O line fired up? His track record says yes. New defense. IF the D line grows up then we might have something. 5-0 start should have us feeling better about what we can do. I am still sticking with my 3 main points for this year.

1. Beat a ranked team
2. Do not implode again. Have a record OVER .500 after year 4
3. Beat Iowa.

Enough messing around. Put up or the off season and year 5 are going to be loud. These are not pie in the sky goals. If you can't do that with the resources we have here, you should be somewhere else. Since I just read that NONE of our portal guys ranked in the top 100 I am trying to be realistic about what we have here.

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

My hope is twofold:
1. That our defense is greatly improved. If it isn’t, nothing else matters. 5-7 if our defense still sucks. Potentially 9-3 if our defense is much better.
2. That we finally see the offensive ingenuity and creativity of Holgerson when he isn’t hamstrung by an overrated prima dona lead footed QB.

If we get those two things I see a great season ahead.

Sounds like hype to me. Just remember your meltdown and hiatus last season. Keep grounded my friend. That's what I am going to do. I'm gonna celebrate every win and not expect anything in every conference game. Hopefully, I'll be pleasantly surprised. Seven wins and a bowl victory would be a good result with this schedule. Some of the guys on here will be jumping off bridges or calling for the entire operation to be fired though.

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

My hope may be even more fundamental. I want to see a team that plays hard, tough, generally mistake-free football. When we tackle someone, I'd like to see him fall backwards rather than forward for another three yards. No more "lookout" blocks from the offensive tackles. Players who have been drilled, developed, who know their assignments and execute them. We're going to get beat, possibly bad, by Ohio State and Indiana. But if we go toe-to-toe with them and hit them all game, I'll be heartened. Not satisfied, but seeing progress

How about no more palms up ******** by our defensive backfield after the secondary gives up a TD pass?

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

I think this team will only go as far as the talent on the D line lets it. I’m hopeful but fearful all at the same time. Won’t be surprised if we give up a bunch of rushing yards to mediocre teams. Aurich may be a great coordinator but I’m afraid we don’t have the horses we need up front. So then if that ends up being the case what do you do?

Can't run a 3 man front in the Big 10 unless you have the war daddies to do it. I don't care who the DC is.

 

[BugsAreQualityProtein]

Fair Expectaton: 6 Wins

Legitimate Possibility: 7 Wins

Legitimate Hope: 8 Wins

Main Objective of the Year: Beat Iowa!

I definitely want to beat Iowa but I wouldn’t call it the main objective. We don’t need to get a hard on for them like they do us. The team just needs to kick a$$ and get out of Kinnick like they stole something.

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

He’s been grossly over paid. That said, he’s ours now so what Trev gave him and Dannen extended isn’t really relevant. Win.

That's been Rhule's biggest accomplishment in all of this. Got fired from Carolina and it wasn't a good look. Fired Joe Brady mid-season, who is now head coach of the Bills. Then he falls *** backwards into the Nebraska job with NU getting in a bidding war with itself just to bring him on.

 

[Nuts McClanahan]

9 wins or the season is a failure.

That means we played meaningful games win or lose.

Then you may want to consider a four month vacation to Bali this fall. Stay off the grid.

 

[Anon1752071136]

We have three guaranteed wins and three guaranteed losses on this year’s schedule. We have two probable wins with MSU and Rutgers. We have two toss up games with Maryland and Illinois. We have probable losses with Washington and Iowa.
Smells like a 6-6 year to me.

This is right, regardless of whether this pathetic expectation is "fair." The Preacher doesn't care if it is fair, so long as he gets paid. If he wins 7, he's a savior. If he wins 5, oh well. And this is exactly where we will land: best estimate 6 wins, give or take 1 in either direction. Lifetime averages don't change at this point in the game. Rhule is what he is: a middling coach.

 

[Anon1752071136]

5–0 Start:
Rhule goes on the Pat McAfee Show to brag about how far ahead of schedule they are and takes all the credit himself. Claims the Huskers are going to surprise a lot of people against Indiana.

5–2:
After getting boat-raced twice in a row by IU and Oregon, he tells us we shouldn't expect Nebraska to compete with those programs yet. He "blames himself," but subtly shifts the heat onto everyone else, including a former staff that hasn't coached here in half a decade.

5–3:
Barely loses to UW. Blames the officials, says the guys played great, and talks a lot of smack in the postgame

5–4:
Blown out by Illinois. Goes into full hiding. Publicly questions why the media and fans are being "so negative."

6–4:
Beats Rutgers. Immediately brags about making a bowl game.

6–6 Finish:
Goes dark for the rest of the year. Calls it a "rebuild year" and promises that 2027 will finally be the year the Huskers are back.

Cactus Bowl - Loss to WV.

Rhule 25-26, but people praise how great he’s turned around the program going to 3 straight bowls, while ignoring his over all losing record and 13-23 conference record.

EJ Barthel and Dana get fired

Me thinks Nebraska Nostradamus is right! I can see this happening already. Our 10 year losing streak to ranked teams will continue.

 

[Anon1752071136]

You didn't answer the question. The pay cut Harbaugh took, did that amount then go to the players at Michigan?

He took the pay cut because of staff reductions related to Covid, and financial strains on the athletic department. It was well understood the money would go to pay staff and prevent further reductions related to football. Harbaugh simultaneously restructured his contract around performance incentives, which paid off in a big way.

Can we imagine Rhule doing anything like this? That's a rhetorical question. He's a grifter.

 

[davecisar]

He took the pay cut because of staff reductions related to Covid, and financial strains on the athletic department. It was well understood the money would go to pay staff and prevent further reductions related to football. Harbaugh simultaneously restructured his contract around performance incentives, which paid off in a big way.

Can we imagine Rhule doing anything like this? That's a rhetorical question. He's a grifter.

If he is who he supposedly claims to be- he would do this. But he is not so no he will not- him milking the psu thing to make millions more showed me how greedy/ grifter he really is

 

[HuskerO58]

He took the pay cut because of staff reductions related to Covid, and financial strains on the athletic department. It was well understood the money would go to pay staff and prevent further reductions related to football. Harbaugh simultaneously restructured his contract around performance incentives, which paid off in a big way.

Can we imagine Rhule doing anything like this? That's a rhetorical question. He's a grifter.

Hardly any coach ever does this. Are they all grifters too?

Isn't it possible that Rhule is just accepting what Nebraska had offered him without being a grifter? That Rhule isn't a grifter, he's trying his best, but unfortunately for Nebraska, his best is just really average?

I believe we'll get to 7 wins this year. Not enough to keep Rhule, he would have to go. But there's this stupid idea by some that if Rhule gave up some of his pay then he'll somehow (magically) have a better W/L record. It's so dumb.

 

[HuskerO58]

If he is who he supposedly claims to be- he would do this. But he is not so no he will not- him milking the psu thing to make millions more showed me how greedy/ grifter he really is

And if he worked for free then he'd be super duper committed and would really show how much he cared.

 

[dinglefritz]

That's been Rhule's biggest accomplishment in all of this. Got fired from Carolina and it wasn't a good look. Fired Joe Brady mid-season, who is now head coach of the Bills. Then he falls *** backwards into the Nebraska job with NU getting in a bidding war with itself just to bring him on.

Joe Brady got his head coach fired and he hasn’t exactly helped his QB. I’ll withhold judgement on him as a head coach.

 

[Wasker73]

I am watching PJ Fleck's press conference at the preseason Big Ten Media conference. His coaching style is a little over the top for me, but he a much better public speaker than Rhule.

 

[davecisar]

Hardly any coach ever does this. Are they all grifters too?

Isn't it possible that Rhule is just accepting what Nebraska had offered him without being a grifter? That Rhule isn't a grifter, he's trying his best, but unfortunately for Nebraska, his best is just really average?

I believe we'll get to 7 wins this year. Not enough to keep Rhule, he would have to go. But there's this stupid idea by some that if Rhule gave up some of his pay then he'll somehow (magically) have a better W/L record. It's so dumb.

Coach Rhule definitely played Nebraska when psu lost their coach and were hunting for a replacement. His coyness and purposeful lack of coming out and saying he was staying definitely played to the fears he would leave. They weren’t considering a 500 coach - we got played so he could add to his pile.

 

[davecisar]

I am watching PJ Fleck's press conference at the preseason Big Ten Media conference. His coaching style is a little over the top for me, but he a much better public speaker than Rhule.

Lots of people make fun of Flecks schtick- and we are favored to beat them
Nearly every season yet we lose pretty much every time to them. Time to give PJ his dues - Hes done very well at every stop and he beats us with less talent

 

[davecisar]

And if he worked for free then he'd be super duper committed and would really show how much he cared.

Never said for free. If he’s all about winning like he claims and loves it here- why not bet on yourself and add to the player money pot that coach said is so desperately needed?

 

[davecisar]

Hardly any coach ever does this. Are they all grifters too?

Isn't it possible that Rhule is just accepting what Nebraska had offered him without being a grifter? That Rhule isn't a grifter, he's trying his best, but unfortunately for Nebraska, his best is just really average?

I believe we'll get to 7 wins this year. Not enough to keep Rhule, he would have to go. But there's this stupid idea by some that if Rhule gave up some of his pay then he'll somehow (magically) have a better W/L record. It's so dumb.

So teams that spend higher amounts on rosters don’t win more games than those who spend less? Money doesn’t matter.
got it-solid take.

 

[BfrmNC]

Does Rhule’s contract have anything to do with how this team will or won't succeed?

It may or may not but his game management skills or lack thereof do! He makes 10 million this year and 11.5 million next year, maybe he should start coaching how he is compensated!

 

[davecisar]

Hardly any coach ever does this. Are they all grifters too?

Isn't it possible that Rhule is just accepting what Nebraska had offered him without being a grifter? That Rhule isn't a grifter, he's trying his best, but unfortunately for Nebraska, his best is just really average?

I believe we'll get to 7 wins this year. Not enough to keep Rhule, he would have to go. But there's this stupid idea by some that if Rhule gave up some of his pay then he'll somehow (magically) have a better W/L record. It's so dumb.

Take less money because you’re underperforming? I did it for a couple of guys when I had in my software development company- they showed promise but needed a kick in the behind. We lowered their pay with stipulations how they could make it back and then some by hitting some improvement landmarks. Something Dannon and Rhule should have worked out instead of that embarrassing raise and extension to add many more millions to rhules pile.

 

[RBigredMax1]

I am watching PJ Fleck's press conference at the preseason Big Ten Media conference. His coaching style is a little over the top for me, but he a much better public speaker than Rhule.

Fleck is a good speaker as I have listened to him in the past for Husker games. But my word - seemed like he was yelling the entire time at the podium … it was brutal.

Not as bad as “helluva a lot” Fickell who if you were taking a shot every time he said that you would almost be able to keep up with @FAGA on a random Tuesday night.

 

[HuskerO58]

Never said for free. If he’s all about winning like he claims and loves it here- why not bet on yourself and add to the player money pot that coach said is so desperately needed?

Right but you also wont commit to a number either.

Uh, because you don't have to take a pay cut to bet on yourself.

You still wont answer this question. When Harbaugh took his pay cut, did the money he give up go to the players instead?

 

[HuskerO58]

So teams that spend higher amounts on rosters don’t win more games than those who spend less? Money doesn’t matter.
got it-solid take.

That would be a bad take if it were my actual take, but it isn't.

 

[HuskerO58]

It may or may not but his game management skills or lack thereof do! He makes 10 million this year and 11.5 million next year, maybe he should start coaching how he is compensated!

I 100% agree.

Just tell @davecisar that. All Rhule has to do is take a pay cut and we'll win more games. Its that simple!!

Just think of how great Dabo, Kirby or Lane's teams would be if they would just take a pay cut.

 

[HuskerO58]

Take less money because you’re underperforming? I did it for a couple of guys when I had in my software development company- they showed promise but needed a kick in the behind. We lowered their pay with stipulations how they could make it back and then some by hitting some improvement landmarks. Something Dannon and Rhule should have worked out instead of that embarrassing raise and extension to add many more millions to rhules pile.

Did you lower your pay for having an underperforming team?

Why didn't you take a pay cut, then use that extra money to hire better employees?

You must be one of them grifters.

 

[HuskerO58]

That would be a bad take if it were my actual take, but it isn't.

Apparently it's your own bad take.

Great take- facts. It’s a systemic issue not solved by money, players, luck or time.

 

[davecisar]

Right but you also wont commit to a number either.

Uh, because you don't have to take a pay cut to bet on yourself.

You still wont answer this question. When Harbaugh took his pay cut, did the money he give up go to the players instead?

They didn’t have nil
It went to his staff

he was underperforming at the time

 

[davecisar]

I 100% agree.

Just tell @davecisar that. All Rhule has to do is take a pay cut and we'll win more games. Its that simple!!

Just think of how great Dabo, Kirby or Lane's teams would be if they would just take a pay cut.

Yes

having more money to pay players doesn’t help at all !

let’s stop playing players then

 

[davecisar]

Did you lower your pay for having an underperforming team?

Why didn't you take a pay cut, then use that extra money to hire better employees?

You must be one of them grifters.

I was an owner -we were absolutely crushing it- tops in our field with the numbers to back it up. We had the sales numbers etc also in a segment thst averaged 55 percent annual turnover- our first 7 years before the sale -we were at 8 percent. Kind of had it figured out

prior to doing my own thing- was top 5 percent presidents club winner 5 years in a row.

Rhule is at .500 lifetime

Much different deal- night and day
We were the 1990s Nebraska-rhules results are disappointing at best .

 

[B1G RED]

Fair Expectaton: 6 Wins

Legitimate Possibility: 7 Wins

Legitimate Hope: 8 Wins

Main Objective of the Year: Beat Iowa!

Perfect summation of Nebraska football.

 

[BfrmNC]

Right but you also wont commit to a number either.

Uh, because you don't have to take a pay cut to bet on yourself.

You still wont answer this question. When Harbaugh took his pay cut, did the money he give up go to the players instead?

I used to think Rhule was the guy, but whenever he goes up against top-tier coaches, he simply gets outcoached. Plenty of fans are still drinking the Rhule-Aid, but I jumped off the hype train late last season after Nebraska got thoroughly handled to wrap up the year. At the end of the day, he’s a mid-tier coach who’ll win six or seven games—maybe eight if the breaks go our way. With this year’s schedule being the toughest he’s faced yet, I’m balancing optimism with a heavy dose of reality. At Big Ten Media Day, Rhule himself said: "We know that's not enough. We didn't come to Nebraska to go 7-6. We came to compete for this." He’s labeled a program builder, but with a contract extending through 2032, how much time does he actually need before the excuses run out?