Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule isn't even trying to hide that he's scared of a challenge and some competition.
The Oklahoma Sooners are scheduled to renew their rivalry with Nebraska in a future nonconference game in 2029 and 2030, but it wouldn't be a surprise if those meetings never happen if the softy Rhule has his way.
Sooners' future meeting with Cornhuskers could be in danger because of soft Matt Rhule
Rhule recently got roasted on social media because of his comments jokingly recommending the College Football Playoff be expanded to 40 teams since that's the only way his Cornhuskers could get in the mix. But buried after those comments on HuskerOnline was a quote about how unfair it is that his program has to play a ninth conference game in the Big Ten compared to SEC members playing eight, which could soon change.
Meanwhile, the Sooners are scheduled to play Michigan the next two seasons, Nebraska in 2029-30 and Clemson in 2035-36 on top of their daunting SEC gauntlet. OU would also prefer some games against Purdue and Illinois over Alabama and LSU for the easy way out.
Apparently, though, that extra conference game is why Rhule is below .500 at 12-13 in two seasons as Nebraska's head coach. He's 6-12 in Big Ten play, so I'd want to avoid that too if I was scared of competition. To Rhule's credit, his record at Nebraska would probably at least be above .500 if he had to play two less Big Ten games during his two seasons, especially since he would replace those matchups with the softest opponents he could find.
“I think, again, you’re talking about a league that we play nine conference games where some others play eight," Rhule told HuskerOnline. "So I think that puts you at an automatic disadvantage. You look at two years ago we were 5-7, and you think about the years with Scott Frost where he was 5-7, now you add in one more Group of Five team, you take out one more Big Ten, and actually now you’re 6-6. This year you’re 6-6, now you’re 7-5. You’re just adding another win in."
First of all, 6-6 or 7-5 still isn't the expectation for Nebraska football. Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables went 6-6 during the regular season last year and now he's fighting for his job. Rhule, though, blames one game and wants us to feel sorry for him.
On3's Ari Wasserman ripped into Rhule about his comments, so it's not just rivalry bias leading Sooner Nation to believe Rhule is soft. Wasserman also pointed out this isn't the first time even this offseason that Rhule has mentioned his hatred toward competition.
In February, Rhule was on Urban Meyer's podcast, The Triple Option, and big nonconference matchups, like the ones between OU and Nebraska, were brought up.
“Why would you ever play one of those games?” Rhule quipped. “And we’re being completely honest. Coach Meyer, I’m at a lucky point in life where in my fourth job and after getting fired in the NFL, I kind of say what I feel nowadays. I could care less. Why in the world would a Big Ten team who’s already playing nine conference games, why would you ever play one of those games?”
Getting fired has made Rhule brave enough to admit he's a coward. And he'll likely get fired again soon with how things are going in Nebraska.
The truth is, it would be a miracle if Rhule is actually on the sidelines when OU and Nebraska play in four years. Yet, because of his separation from reality, Rhule could influence Nebraska to erase any upcoming challenge the Cornhuskers could avoid, including the Sooners.
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