Matt Rhule expected to hire Texas high school coach to Nebraska staff

Matt Rhule didn't make it as head coach of the Carolina Panthers, but his failed NFL stint shouldn't take away from what he was able to accomplish previously as a college coach. With that in mind, there's plenty of reasons for fans of the Nebraska Cornhuskers to be excited about their new head coach.

Rhule's track record at Temple and then Baylor should also afford him the trust of Nebraska when it comes to filling out his new staff. That means trusting him even when he makes a hire that may buck conventions, and it certainly seems like he's primed to do that sometime soon -- at least according to reports.

The scuttlebutt coming out of Lincoln is that Rhule is poised to add a high school coach to his staff. That's not unheard of, but it is certainly unconventional.

Sean Callahan of Husker Online is reporting that Rhule is closing in on hiring one of the top high school football coaches from the state of Texas, Bob Wagner from Arlington Martin High School.

This is a smart move from Rhule because Wagner is apparently as connected as they come in the Texas high school football world.

Wagner has taken his school to the Texas state playoffs for the past 14 years and boasts a 176-93 record over the past 23 seasons. He's also on the Board of Directors for the Texas High School Coaches Association.

If Nebraska wants to become a major player again on the college football scene, having a strong recruiting presence in Texas would be a huge start.

Wagner is the type of hire that could give the Huskers immediate credibility among high school football players in the state of Texas. That, plus Rhule's three seasons at Baylor, could make Nebraska football very dangerous when it comes to recruiting one of the most talent-rich states in the country.