Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule has signed a two-year contract extension, taking him to 2032 with the Huskers. This extension came amid rumors that Rhule would abandon the Huskers, in the middle of the regular season, for the prestigious Penn State football head coaching job.
His buyout this season increased from $5 million to $15 million. While his base salary does not change, each year on the deal, Rhule’s salary will increase by $1 million. The increase in his buyout almost guarantees Rhule would not take another job this season.
According to ESPN sources, “Rhule and his family’s happiness is at Nebraska,” which is one of the main drivers for his agreement.
In his own statement following the agreement, “Our focus remains on building Nebraska Football into a perennial championship contender,” Rhule said.
Last year, in his second season with Nebraska, Rhule led the Huskers to a bowl game, a first for the program since 2016. The Huskers played in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl and beat Boston College 15-20.
At the time of writing, Nebraska has a 7-3 record, coming off an electric win against University of California, Los Angles (UCLA), a win that is probably one of Rhule’s most significant at Nebraska. The 2-6 Bruins were a +1.5-point favorite over the 6-3 Huskers, a discouraging outlook for Nebraska.
The game outlook was bleak; starting quarterback Dylan Raiola was out with a season-ending fibula fracture he sustained the week before. Therefore, true freshman TJ Lateef took the position. Lateef previously played in three games: Akron on Sept. 6, Houston Christian University on Sept. 13 and University of Southern California on Nov. 1. He was not the starter in any of these games, only going in after Raiola started.
Lateef went 13 for 15 in pass attempts and threw 205 yards for three touchdowns. This impressive showing by a true freshman in his first career college start shows the success of Nebraska this year is not down to one talented player, but a team led by a knowledgeable and capable coach. He changed the outlook for the season, exciting Husker fans for what is to come.
Rhule came in after the unpopular Scott Frost era. Frost was supposed to save Nebraska, and fans put their full faith behind him. He was never able to lead the Huskers to a bowl game and never had a winning season. Frost was fired three games into his fifth year and ended with a 16-31 record.
Rhule came in later that season as a well-known program builder. He has experience in both college and professional football and came to Nebraska from the Carolina Panthers. When Rhule was hired, former Nebraska Athletic Director Trev Alberts said, “Coach Rhule has created a winning culture throughout his coaching career.”
Nebraska has been searching for a successful head coach since Bo Polini left in 2014, and for now it seems like their wish has come true.
