Why Matt Rhule expects Year 3 breakout with Nebraska football
With the Nebraska football team boosting its squad on the recruiting trail, the program is looking to make a big splash in 2025 under head coach Matt Rhule. As fans predict the schedule for the Nebraska football team in regards to its wins and losses, Rhule would make a bold claim about the group heading into his third year.
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There was progress made in Rhule's second season from his first, having a 7-6 record compared to being 5-7, and even won the Pinstripes Bowl against Boston College. Expecting even more progress in 2025, he would speak about how the new 12-team College Football helps the Cornhuskers and even relates them to the success Indiana had last season.
'(Indiana last year) they spoke to the value of production and performance over potential,' Rhule said, via Always College Football. 'Not all five-star kids came out of high school, but guys that were veterans, that were older, that were committed to the team and the process, you know, credit to them. I think the biggest thing for us is our guys knew that we could hang in there at Ohio State.'
'So we've been in a race for consistency,' Rhule continued. 'You know, when you're playing young players, young people aren't always consistent, but I think they saw the importance of that. I told them from day one, year three for me at Temple and Baylor (were) championship caliber years.'
Nebraska football's belief has been 'really high'
Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images
While the eyes will be on Nebraska football star quarterback Dylan Raiola, he does serve as another reason for the likely improvement of the program as the five-star player heads into his sophomore season. However, Rhule would mention how everybody on the team has been working hard and how the belief in themselves has been 'really high.'
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'I expect us to build to get to year three, and that it's no promise that it will happen,' Rhule said. 'But the way the guys have worked, I think their belief has been, it's been really high. And, you know, we didn't solve our problems this year through the portal. We got better (but) we're solving our problems on the practice field and getting better at football. And I think the guys are finally bought into, hey, you know what? You have to practice really hard, train really hard, to have a chance to win.'
At any rate, the Cornhuskers look to improve after finishing 7-6 last season, though they were 3-6 in conference play, which put them 12th in the Big Ten as they open the upcoming season on August 28 against Cincinnati.
Related: Georgia, Kirby Smart wins recruiting battle with Alabama for 4-Star edge
Related: Alabama's Kalen DeBoer flips 4-star RB from Illinois
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