Matt Rhule Sees Lots to Like and Work on as Nebraska Football Hits Season’s Midpoint

Nebraska head football coach met with the media Monday for what will probably be the only time during the Huskers’ off week. He discussed the state of the team at midseason, Saturday’s win against Rutgers, the upcoming game against unbeaten Indiana, and a lot more. Below are Kaleb Henry’s notes, and above is the video of Monday’s half-hour session.

• Did a normal Monday. Will practice Tuesday through Thursday then be off through Sunday.
• Happy with the turnover margin. *a couple of false starts on this presser because of reporters’ phones falling lol*
• Being a physical team is a work in progress
• Against Illinois, got caught looking at the scoreboard instead of just playing
• Culture of execution, in terms of penalties, would like to see improve. Especially pre-snap penalties and personal fouls and such. Drawing a lot of penalties too.
• Special teams is a tale of two things: punts landing inside the 10, fake a punt, stop a fake…but giving up blocked kicks and punts.
• Run game offensively “is not where it needs to be”
• A lot of things to work on. Doing a good job self-scouting right now.
• Riley Van Poppel played on Saturday, something that was planned ahead of time.
• Some potential redshirt guys have played 2 or 3 games already.
• James Williams impacted the game against Rutgers after the tough decision to redshirt last year.
• Dylan Raiola “has been great”. Has had some wow moments.
• Was hard to get into a rhythm offensively with starting field position in the second half, though that’s not an excuse.
• Not just a “do your job guy”. “Do your job AND go make a play”.
• Guys on offense need to do better at not getting tackled. “Those 12 yards runs have to start being 50 yard runs”
• Ceyair Wright “has done an excellent job”
• Goal line stand was “good calls by Tony (White) with great plays by players”
• Not sure of the rotation for DBs if/when Tommi Hill is good to return.
• Isaac Gifford blocked the wrong guy on the first blocked punt.
• Personal protector missed a block on the second blocked punt.
• Wishes he had done the fake punt earlier.
• One of the best things Rhule has ever seen is Brian Buschini struggling through pain but getting throws in during halftime in advance of the fake punt.
• “That last punt was as big a play as I’ve been a part of”
• Fake punt was a call and not a decision by the punt team in the moment.
• Tristan Alvano is beginning the phase of testing where he’s at for health and returning.
• Blye Hill is set to play four of the final six games to hold onto his redshirt. A good backup if Tommi can’t go and Ceyair would be out.
• Heinrich Haarberg needs to play more. The challenge in getting Haarberg in more and getting him the ball is having so many talented players on offense.
• Not surprised by the 6-0 start for Indiana.
• Brought over a lot of guys who know how to win with new coaching staff. Already had some good players there.
• “You would have never though Alabama would have lost to Vandy”
• The transfer portal has changed the game on who can have success.
• Great teams of the ’90s and 2000s were stacked with talent. That talent is being spread out a little more with the portal and NIL.
• No one has talked with Rhule about wanting to redshirt and hit the portal.
• Ty Robinson is a force this year because of his development. Allows him to be out there for multiple different packages.
• “I still wake up at night upset we lost to Illinois”
• Proud of the work and growth by the team through the first half of the season.
• Rare for Rhule to have the team with two tackling days during the week, something they did last week ahead of Rutgers.
• James Williams can be anyone he wants to be. “My kids love him; my dogs love him”
• Terrance Knighton has done a good job of building a room of camaraderie.
• Won’t do much recruiting during the off week. Going to do more on the second off week.
• “I’m a button pusher, no doubt.”
• Unbelievably physical in the spring and training camp and then apprehension in season about player load.
• “In order to play great defense you have to practice great defense.”
• Not allowed to quit. You can lose, don’t want to lose, but people aren’t paying to watch the team lie down.
• No thinking with pregame physicality drills. It’s just about coming together and celebrating the team being physical.
• Happy for Micah Mazzccua getting in and playing well. Can be whatever he wants to be but has to stay focused day by day.

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