Halloween under the lights

[Huskergod84]

What we learned after Rhule's contract negotiations was that he wanted an NIL budget to match the 'big boys.' What happened is that YES - our budget for retaining players and getting some studs off the transfer portal increased. YAY! BUT alas, - everybody else's budget increased too. We're not bad on that front but we're certainly not in the top ten.

What Matt Rhule said a year or so ago in one of his long, sit-down interviews was that he's had to fight a 'Nebraska donor culture' where Big Money said to him 'we don't do it that way at Nebraska.' His response was if you want to return Nebraska to elite status, you're going to have to start.

As teams like Texas and Oregon have shown, a team chock-full of expensive NFL prospects doesn't guarantee you the playoffs, but choosing 'not to play the game' when you're in the B1G or the SEC doesn't give you very much wiggle room.

Our wiggle room here in 2026 is small. Chances of making the playoffs at this point requires us to win five straight, which is unlikely.

But our play this season (to this point at least) has shown me that we've ratcheted our program up to another level. But sustainability, at least until CFB's Wild Wild West starts to settle down in 2030, is going to require more and more big money.

You have an excuse for everything for Matt dont you. Took over too bad of a team, yeah like Temple and Baylor weren't far worse than we were. Dont spend enough money on NIL. Like top 20 money isnt enough. Whats next?
Look we all know we were in a bad place when Rhule got here. But we weren't KSU in the 80s bad, we weren't Baylor after the sex scandle bad and we weren't Temple (do they even still have a football team?) bad. Rhule is supposed to be a program builder and a player developer. Name one player who has gotten better since he has been here. ONE.
Its time to start winning. And its time to be done with "I'm firing this assistant coach this year so that will make us better".
I actually like Matt and I am rooting for him to succeed but its time to start doing it plain and simple. No more excuses.

 

[innmc]

Alright I admit I haven't studied or done my research on where we stand with NIL. Partly because it is such a foreign concept for this old timer that I just can't comprehend it all has changed so much so fast.
After reading the response I guess you are all right and I'm wrong. FIRE EVERYBODY!

 

[Hunchback Johnny]

Alright I admit I haven't studied or done my research on where we stand with NIL. Partly because it is such a foreign concept for this old timer that I just can't comprehend it all has changed so much so fast.
After reading the response I guess you are all right and I'm wrong. FIRE EVERYBODY!

NO, innmc. Don't change your stance and positivity. Dr Fum's and your attitude give me hope that I am missing something you guys see. These last two games have me thinking I have seen this act before. Hope I'm wrong. Keep fighting the good fight. If the Huskers win 8 I'll be happy. I found Rhule's rambling presser Monday to be very concerning. It sounded to me like a desperate coach searching for answers. I have this awful feeling the ship is taking on water, and 6 wins may be the limit.

 

[Huskergod84]

If they can figure out the offense I think we have a VERY good chance to win out. The defense has been AWESOME. They held the defending national champs to 20 points for gods sake and an Oregon team who started the season #3 to 16. That kind of defense wins National Championships. Unfortunately the offense the last two games was almost a non factor. You cant have your offense disappear when it matters most. Get the offense back on track and you are looking at one of the best teams in college football. Can they do it....???? I hope so

 

[OhioHusker]

The team is better. There is no doubt about that. But they have lost the last two games, and I think everyone will agree they lost because of coaching, not the players. That is not acceptable.

Could they win five straight? Yes, they could. I'll say it right now that if Saying is done for the year they should beat OSU. That backup QB is absolutely awful.

 

[Crusader Husker]

RUN THE DAMN BALL fixes all that ails us. The 1- and 2-yard runs will turn into 3- to 5-yard runs in the 4th quarter. It is really that simple.

Can I change my name to RTDB?

 

[SUHnami]

I hate to sound argumentative but we're a little over HALFWAY thru the frickin' season and in playoff contention and you want to opine about what'll happen if we go 0-5?

Goodness gracious, what's going on around here?

Lol if you aren't concerned about us going 0-5 then do you really want Nebraska to get back to being good? It should concern everyone. Look at all the injuries. 3 of our top 4 RBs are out either for the year or the next few games. Our best DL man is out possibly for the year with a broken foot. Also there are numerous other injuries.

Yes we should win at least one more game maybe two but with how the coaching staff seems to go stone cold frozen in 2 consecutive 4th quarters and the players follow suit, it's ver plausible we lose out.and end up 5-7. A 7 game losing streak would and should get most if not all coaches fired.

 

[Doc Fumble]

Lol if you aren't concerned about us going 0-5

Am I concerned about going 0-5? LOL. Hell no.

I follow Husker football because it's a source of enjoyment. Through the good times and the not-so-good, it's been a passion of mine. And I've been excited to see how we've performed this season. Before the season, a lot of us fans said we didn't want summer hype, we wanted to see honest-to-goodness, tangible progress on the field. I've sure seen it and I don't think I'm alone.

Last January, I was confidently told that teams like Oregon (Preseason #1), Indiana (defending champ), and Ohio State would destroy us this fall just like Penn State and Iowa did last year. But our gut-wrenching losses against the Ducks and Hoosiers are NOW used to justify starting over again because "Rhule can't win the big ones." The trouble with using that crap against me is that I'm old enough to remember another coach who was never going to get over the hump.

If some folks here want to keep living in the past decade, that's your right. It sure feels awfully depressing to me but, hey, whatever floats your boat.