Nebraska Announces Matt Rhule As Program’s Next Coach

The news comes less than 24 hours after reports said that the Huskers were “zeroing in” on the former Panthers coach.

Matt Rhule is headed back to college football. The former Baylor and Panthers coach is taking the top job at Nebraska, the school announced Saturday morning. 

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the news on Saturday, less than 24 hours after a report from ESPN’s Chris Low said that the Huskers were zeroing in on Rhule to fill their vacancy.

“It is a tremendous honor to be chosen to lead the Nebraska Football program. When you think of great, tradition-rich programs in college football Nebraska is right at the top of the list,” Rhule said as a part of the team’s official announcement. “The fan base is second to none and I consider it a privilege to have the opportunity to coach in Memorial Stadium on Tom Osborne Field.”

The future is bright in Lincoln.

Introducing Matt Rhule: Head Coach, Nebraska Football#GBR pic.twitter.com/yvGE9mWYnh

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) November 26, 2022

Rhule and Nebraska agreed to an eight-year contract, according to the school’s official release. Additional details will be available on Monday. 

Rhule will now return to the college coaching ranks after two-and-a-half seasons with the Panthers. He went 11–27 in Carolina before being relieved of his duties just five games into the 2022 season. The Panthers still owe him nearly $34 million as part of his buyout.

Prior to his time in the NFL, Rhule boasted successful stints at Temple and Baylor, performances which he’ll now hope to replicate in Lincoln. He last went 11–3 as the coach of the Bears, leading the Big 12 program to the Sugar Bowl in 2019. 

Though he has ample experience, Rhule will take on a job unlike any other at Nebraska. The Cornhuskers struggled during the tenure of Scott Frost, firing the former UCF coach just three games into the 2022 season after a 1–2 start. Frost went 16–31 during his time in Lincoln, a mark that proved unacceptable for the once powerhouse program. 

Interim coach Mickey Joseph went 3–6 after taking over for Frost, but ended his head coaching stint on a high note, as the team capped its season with a 24–17 upset of Iowa on Friday. According to Sports Illustrated‘s Ross Dellenger, Joseph and Rhule are set to meet next week, and it is currently unclear whether he will be offered a position on Rhule’s staff.

Dellenger: Win or Lose, Mickey Joseph Believes His Time Is Now at Nebraska

Nebraska missed out on a bowl game for the sixth season in a row in 2022, a streak that hadn’t previously been seen in Lincoln since the 1960s. Now, Rhule will be the next coach tasked with ending the Huskers’ woes when he takes over next fall. 

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