Nebraska Coach Matt Rhule Visits Former Huskers at Senior Bowl Practices

The Nebraska football coach was on site for the first day of practices at the Reese's Senior Bowl in Alabama.
Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule during preparations for the Huskers' 2024 season opener.
Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule during preparations for the Huskers' 2024 season opener. / Nebraska Athletics
In this story:

Matt Rhule continues to foster relationships built through Nebraska football - even after the graduation of his former players.

The Nebraska coach posted on his social media pages Tuesday his visit to Mobile, Alabama, to view the 2025 Reese's Senior bowl practices. Rhule shared photos of him with former Husker defensive lineman Ty Robinson, defensive back Tommi Hill, and tight end Thomas Fidone. All three are practicing this week in front of prospective scouts and the general public.

Rhule has plenty of experience at the Senior Bowl, visiting as a coach of the Temple Owls and Baylor Bears, and served as the "American" head coach for the 2021 Senior Bowl during his time with the Carolina Panthers.

American head coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers
American head coach Matt Rhule of the Carolina Panthers works though his playlist during a Senior Bowl practice in 2021. / Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Later Tuesday night, Rhule shared photos from the East-West Shrine Bowl including practice highlights of former Nebraska defensive lineman Nash Hutmacher and receiver Isaiah Neyor.

Robinson, Hill, and Fidone all began their Senior Bowl experiences getting their professional measurements that would be listed prior to their potential NFL Combine and Nebraska Pro Day workouts. Robinson was listed at 6-6, 310 pounds on the Nebraska gameday roster, but officially measured at 6-4 7/8 inches and 296 pounds. The defensive tackle also had 10 inch hands, 32 1/2 inch arm length, and a wingspan listed at 6-foot-7 3/4 inches.

Hill, a cornerback for practices this week, listed at 6-0, 205 pounds during the season while battling a foot injury that eventually shut his season down. The Senior Bowl posted Hill at 6-0 1/4 inch, weighing 210 pounds, and having hand measurements of 9 3/8 inches. Hill's arm length was listed at 33 3/8 inches with a wingspan of 6-foot-7 and 1/2 inches.

Fidone, the lone offensive representative for the Big Red at the Senior Bowl, began the 2024 season listed at 6-6, 255 pounds. The Council Bluffs native was measured at 6-4, 3/8 inches and weighing in at 241 pounds. Fidone's hand measured at 10 3/4 inches, with an arm length of 34 inches and a wingspan of 6-foot-10 and 1/2 inches. His wingspan and hand measurements were the largest among the tight end group competing in Mobile.

The 2025 Reese's Senior Bowl is led by the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants coaching staffs, with Fidone representing the American team coached by Browns assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone. Fidone's offensive coordinator is New York Giants running backs coach Joel Thomas. Hill and Robinson are led by Giants offensive coordinator Mike Kafka for the National team, and their defensive coordinator is the Browns' defensive line coach, Jacques Cesaire.

The 76th annual Senior Bowl will be played Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium on the campus of South Alabama. All three days of practice are being televised live on the NFL Network and ESPN. The game will be broadcast on the NFL Network at 1:30 p.m. CST.

The Senior Bowl is coming off four consecutive drafts with at least 100 players selected, which has represented over 40 percent of the entire past four draft classes. Last year’s game featured a record 110 drafted players, including 10 first-rounders and 45 of top-100 picks.

Nebraska football would welcome as many draft selections as possible this April after being shut out of last year's draft. Nebraska has had two draft picks in each class four out of the last five years, with the most recent picks being sixth-round selections Ochaun Mathis and Trey Palmer in 2023.


MORE: What If: The 1974 College Football Season

MORE: How to Watch Nebraska Men’s Basketball vs. No. 18 Illinois: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

MORE: How to Watch Nebraska Women’s Basketball at Purdue: Preview, Breakdown, TV Channel

MORE: Carriker Chronicles: Sean Callahan on Whether Matt Rhule is "The Guy" for Nebraska Football

MORE: Former Nebrasketball Guard Bryce McGowens Selected for 2025 Castrol Rising Stars Showcase


Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.


Published |Modified
Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.