Matt Rhule’s First Class Is Classy

In a span of just three weeks, Nebraska’s new coach has made his mark on the recruiting trail.

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

It's hard to believe, but Matt Rhule and his yet-to-be completed coaching staff seem to have done the impossible: assemble (according to Rivals.com) a Top 30 recruiting class in Rhule's first year as the Husker head coach. (He was named head coach on November 28th and the early signing date was December 21st.)

So how did the Huskers fare? In national rankings Nebraska trails other B1G teams Ohio State (#4), Penn State (15th) and Michigan (17th) to come in at #28.

As for the Big Ten class rankings (also according to Rivals.com), Nebraska comes in at #4. Not bad for a head coach who'd been on the job less than a month.

What is noteworthy, I believe, is true to Matt Rhule's goal of going after players who live within a 500-mile radius of Lincoln, his '23 class came in at an average of 526.0 miles.

In Rhule's first class, the breakdown is:

• Total number of players so far is 28 (7 transfers, 1 JUCO player and 20 high school signees)
• By position, there were 0 tight ends , 1 quarterback, 1 running back, 2 special teams, 3 linebackers, 4 defensive backs, 4 wide receivers, 6 defensive linemen and 7 offensive linemen.

Also true to his word, Rhule went after offensive and defensive linemen for a total of 13.

That's the '23 class at the moment. Don't be surprised if there are a few more transfers entering and exiting the Husker football program over the next several weeks.

For now, Coach Rhule's first class is, well, first class.

Next time, I'll talk about the recruits who might have the biggest positive impact on the future of the Husker football program.

How Bout Them Huskers

This week's podcast episode, grandson Will and I discuss Nebraska's recruiting class of '23. Don't miss it!

Have a healthy and happy New Year!

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