Matt Rhule is getting into his third season as Nebraska soccer head coach, and along with his monitor report at Baylor and Temple, expectations are excessive.
In his first faculty head teaching job with Temple, Rhule took an Owls group that received two video games in 2013 and received 10 in 2015.
After taking up at Baylor, a program riddled with sanctions in 2017, the Bears received 11 video games in Rhule’s third season (2019), reaching the Massive 12 Championship Recreation.
Rhule was employed away to educate the Carolina Panthers earlier than finally being fired. Some coaches are higher in faculty. He looks as if one among them, however after 12 wins in his first two seasons, Nebraska soccer followers predict extra in 2025. Much more.
The Huskers have not received a convention championship since 1999. They have not performed for a championship since 2012. It has been a very long time coming.
Nebraska received seven video games within the first season with Dylan Raiola, a former five-star quarterback, because the starter. There have been ups and downs, however the Huskers ended a seven-year bowl drought with their first profitable season since 2016.
A victory within the Pinstripe Bowl gave Nebraska its first bowl win since 2015, practically a decade. It has been a staggering fall, but Rhule has this system trending in the fitting course.
60 p.c of the recruits signed within the 2025 class have been rated as blue-chip gamers, based on 247 Sports activities.
Nebraska additionally landed a number of key gamers from the switch portal, together with SEC starters Dane Key, a wideout from Kentucky, and Elijah Pritchett, a projected first-round decide at left sort out from Alabama.
The Huskers additionally landed a beginning O-lineman from Notre Dame’s nationwide title group (Rocco Spindler), and former five-star DE, Williams Nwaneri, who transferred from Missouri.
This offseason, Rhule stated, “That is the group I have been ready for.”
Nebraska soccer has fairly presumably one of the best passing quarterback it has ever had in Raiola. Not less than by way of pure expertise.
The extensive receiver room is elite, and with Dana Holgorsen, the previous Houston head coach, calling the performs, the offense ought to take an enormous step ahead.
There are some purple flags with Rhule, equivalent to his 2-22 report towards top-25 groups, based on 247 Sports activities. Nebraska can be 3-10 prior to now two seasons in video games determined by eight factors or much less.
Particular groups have been a giant offender in that. Missed discipline objectives resulting from dangerous snaps price Nebraska wins towards Illinois and Iowa.
So, Rhule employed former Husker assistant coach Mike Ekeler to repair the particular groups, after having top-of-the-line items within the nation the previous few seasons at Tennessee.
With all that in thoughts, the desk is ready for Nebraska to win 9, perhaps even 10 video games, and contend for the School Soccer Playoff.
The three most troublesome video games are Michigan at dwelling, plus Penn State and USC on the street, which is extraordinarily manageable.
Eight or 9 wins would doubtless make Nebraska followers completely satisfied, but when Rhule goes to stay as much as his status as an elite faculty soccer head coach, a double-digit win season is so as, particularly with this roster.
