Matt Rhule talks self-scouting Nebraska and developing freshmen over the bye week

“Really you say to yourself, what do we do well?” Rhule told the Huskers Radio Network. “What are we not doing well that we’re doing too much of? And who are the guys that are making plays for us? Who aren’t? How can we help them?”

Rhule also had time for things not directly related to his team, like watching college football for fun Saturday. Waiting on the other side of the layoff is undefeated No. 16 Indiana. Preparation was another component, as Rhule detailed on his hour-long Wednesday radio appearance.

Without a game last Saturday, Nebraska had extra time to get ready for the Hoosiers, revitalized under new coach Curt Cignetti. The game planning goes hand-in-hand with the self-scout, combining in an effort to synthesize the Huskers’ strengths with the best way to attack IU.

“Indiana’s done a great job,” Rhule said. “They’ve transported in a bunch of good players from a, I think, 10- or 11-win James Madison team. Some of those guys probably played there when they were FCS, and then they were FBS, so they’re winners. They know how to win.”

Before game preparation and the return to the standard weekly schedule, players low on the depth chart got more reps in practice during the bye week. Rhule wanted to use the extra time to help set a foundation for future seasons, and the lack of a game allowed for more of a focus on development for freshmen.

“Some guys, from where they were in training camp to working on the scout team to now getting to that bye week, you see some guys really, really, really pop,” Rhule said. “You watch there and you see a Braylen Prude or you see a Caleb Benning and you say to yourself, hey, we’re gonna be in really good hands here when these older guys leave, just seeing the way that they practice.”

Left tackle Gunnar Gottula was in that boat, even though he became a starter after injuries to Teddy Prochazka and Turner Corcoran. Gottula spent extra time with offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, working on stopping the bull rush. It was a chance to breathe for the redshirt freshman from Lincoln Southwest after he was thrown into the fire in September.

“When you’re the third left tackle in spring, you get your reps but you don’t get as many reps, and you’re getting reps versus different guys, and all of a sudden you’re out there and you’re blocking James Williams every day or you’re blocking Ty Robinson,” Rhule said. “And that’s the big thing with those young players is don’t just go out there and panic. You go against good players every day.”