Is Huskers Coach Matt Rhule in a Must-Win Season?

Hale wrote: “Matt Rhule, Lincoln Riley and Luke Fickell each seemed like absolute home run coaching hires.

“Setting aside Riley’s 11-1 start to his tenure at USC, the three are now a combined 40-39 overall with a 23-32 record in Big Ten play since Dec. 1, 2022.

“That has put all three in a position to make 2025 a must-win year. What exactly ‘winning’ means probably differs a bit by school, but the pressure is on.

“Nebraska might be best equipped to make the leap to the next level.  Dylan Raiola goes into Year 2 running the offense, but it’ll be his first full season with Dana Holgorsen calling the plays. Add in that, at some point, Nebraska’s run of awful luck in close games has to swing the other way and it’s not unfathomable that the Huskers are in the mix for a playoff bid … 

“They can’t all turn it around this year, which makes this perhaps the most interesting portion of the Big Ten’s standings.”

Is this tier fair or not?

Of course, it’s a little unfair to stick Rhule, Riley and Fickell together and declare them in a “must-win” year. Each school has different circumstances, different priorities and different thresholds for coach retention.

Can anyone define a “must-win year”?

One team’s 8-4 record might be considered golden while another school might frown upon that record. Nebraska was 7-6 last season and nobody wanted to fire the coach. Many objectively viewed the Huskers’ 2024 season as a solid step in the right direction.

Some experts suggest the Huskers are a sleeper to make the College Football Playoff in 2025. Haven’t read anything that suggests Nebraska will be a five-win team.

Nebraska, USC and Wisconsin have a rich history of football success. Each school desperately wants the level of achievement they previously enjoyed.

Rhule is 12-13 in two seasons at Nebraska. He is 6-12 in the Big Ten. Neither record is exceptional. But expectations are high for the Huskers to enjoy a good-to-great season in 2025. Don’t think another 7-6 record would be looked on as favorably as last season’s 7-6.

What hot seat?

Could Rhule possibly be on the hot seat, either real or imagined? The sense is that he has stabilized the program. Recruiting appears to be on an uptick. Nebraska’s transfer situation looks solid. Fans are eagerly on-board. He has developed a culture that coaches and players talk about. More winning seasons would only solidify his situation.

But in big-time college football coaching, many coaches believe they are perpetually on the hot seat, maybe one disastrous season away from possible job insecurity.

What would disastrous mean at Nebraska? Only five or six wins in 2025? How about four wins? How would Huskers fans define a four-win season? How would the Nebraska administrators?

We don’t know. We know this: We like stability in coaches, unless the roof falls in. This is Rhule’s third season at Nebraska. Coaches should be given sufficient time to build their program, instill their principles and culture.

If Rhule was the Huskers’ guy when they hired him, and they see progress is being made and he is doing what he said he would do during the hiring process, stick with him. Hiring the right coach can mean everything to a program, and not just at Nebraska. Administrators know this. Everybody knows this.