Matt Rhule’s offseason plan – a hit with Thomas Fidone — focuses on ‘precision’ and punctuality

Thomas Fidone didn’t know how he got picked as a captain. Same goes for the selection of any Husker players who led groups during coach Matt Rhule’s new winter conditioning competition.

The NU sophomore tight end just knew his group was in last after a week.

“They called my name ‘Fidone – last place,’” Fidone said Monday. “And I was like, ‘OK, that’s not happening again.’”

It didn’t. Fidone’s team won – and not necessarily because of what he or they did during on-field drills. It was their punctuality to study hall. Their willingness to do community service – even in Omaha. Their attendance at other Husker sporting events. That’s what won them black jerseys, a team title, and an opportunity to speak to the media Monday.

What’s it have to do with winning football games? Plenty, Rhule said. He may see competitiveness and toughness in NU’s 2023 team, but he wants focus. Consistency. The stuff that prevails in Big Ten fourth quarters, when every guy is tough, but only one wins his assignment.

“If we can be really competitive and tough,” Rhule said, “but also detailed and precise, we have a chance.”

Hence, Rhule’s competition, which he has used at other schools, and even with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. The teams are comprised of 11 guys, gaining and losing points for on-field performance and off-the-field diligence.

Captains were able to make some “in-season” changes – drafting guys from other teams, protecting some of their own like an NFL franchise designation – and which Huskers did well weren’t always determined by their status on the field. Linebacker Chief Borders – a transfer from Florida – tied Teddy Prochazka for top point-scorer, largely because he’s passionate about engaging the Husker community. Fidone said Borders drove to Omaha schools for an assembly. Borders, just two months in at NU, noted the team’s embrace of Rhule’s philosophy.

“I can definitely see and feel our brotherhood is becoming tighter as we go into the development of Coach Rhule’s plan,” Borders said. “He has a plan and we’re all buying into it.”

If captains initially selected their buddies and position group members, the “cliques” on the team broke up quickly, Rhule said, when a good football player couldn’t manage to show up on time to anything.

Nebraska’s “Mr. Irrelevant,” Rhule noted, was a starter last season.

“Whereas, most football teams are based on your physical ability, you learn very quickly, your accountability – doing what you say you’re going to do – is really important,” Rhule said. “And we want to be a team that, when we play, we don’t beat ourselves.”

NU’s done that a lot over the last seven seasons, losing 28 games – or four games per year – by eight or fewer points. The one-score loss came to define Nebraska football. Close. Not quite. Rarely awful. Always home for the holidays.

And to hear Rhule say it again Monday, NU didn’t lack physical traits. The coach loves speed, and he said Nebraska is fast. Strong, too. The Huskers had to – and did – make gains in athletic movement and overall health, Rhule said, but NU is not weak and fat. Nor did it quit toward the end of 2022, when a bowl berth was nixed by mid-November.

But little details? Practicing accountability in small things six months from the season? There, Nebraska had to grow.

“It was not easy, I’ll tell you that right now,” said Fidone, who because of knee injuries has yet to take a significant snap in Lincoln. “There were some times I was second-guessing myself. It was tough…it was pretty crazy, but it was extremely fun. I loved it. Loved competing, and I thought it was a great way for the coaches to see who’s who.”

Rhule’s assistants competed, too – wide receivers coach Garret McGuire was attached to Fidone’s team – while special teams coach Ed Foley runs the competition. Apparently, Foley has the option to make things interesting in the final week, but Fidone said his team had such a big lead, the result was never in question.

Now, Nebraska has a final “Team Commitment” week with all new teams, fewer rules, and social media handles for each squad. Borders, for example, is on Team RizzKers, with Gabe Ervin, Rahmir Johnson and Nouredin Nouili, among others. As of Monday morning, they were in first place. Team Slime Soldiers, which includes Ty Robinson, Jimari Butler and Zavier Betts, is in last.

Score’s being kept. “True leaders,” Fidone said, are emerging.

“You’ve got to earn the respect of coaches,” he said.

How long did it take for players to get Rhule’s program? Quickly, he said. He’s pleased with progress.

“Sometimes some guys can be too cool for school – these guys weren’t,” Rhule said. “They wanted to do this. And I did a similar thing (in Carolina) and Christian McCaffrey was fighting, scratching, clawing to win. Good players like to win. I’ve just learned that over the years.

“It’s guys like Thomas Fidone, it’s guys like Chief, they really drove this thing. We had to replace a captain or two because they weren’t doing everything right. This is good for the team to realize when, who you say are, is the same as who you actually are – what you actually do – you’re living a pretty good life.