‘We need to learn it now’

When one of the best players on the team buys in to the new coach’s offseason twists, Matt Rhule said Thursday night, it sends a message down line — and up the chain of command, too.

So Nebraska’s football coach was pleased to see two-year starting linebacker Luke Reimer help lead the way into a new era.

“When you see players doing it,” Rhule said on the “Sports Nightly” program, “it’s hard for coaches and staff to not do it, as well.”

As team commitment week comes to a close with social media tasks, hockey challenges and a dunk contest, Husker players prepare to head on spring break for a week. Winter conditioning has been a time of development and competition.

“What we’re trying to do right now build is mental and physical toughness, trying to build strength and mobility, trying to build a sense of brotherhood,” Rhule said. “Trying to build confidence. When you do a lot of hard things, you start to have a little confidence about ya … those guys have done that. Now, the next transition, the next step is, to go play football and see if any of it carries over.”

When players return from break, they begin spring camp — which Rhule considers the most important time of the year. Over a month, NU players will install a number of schemes, and also learn how to practice, which Rhule considers crucial to the growth of the team. One concept Rhule embraces is called “deep practice” — where players grow through failing at certain tasks.

Nebraska may not install all of its concepts, Rhule said, but coaches will throw quite a bit at players.

“We will always err on the side of execution, on technique, on effort,” Rhule said. “But we will want to challenge them as well, because the more we see them do, the better picture it gives us for the fall, of, ‘Hey we’re not going to be as good at this, let’s focus more on this, maybe.’”

Rhule said his coaching staff has bonded better than some staffs he’s seen. The circumstances are tough; many coaches are away from their families, especially those with children finishing school elsewhere. But that’s helped coaches get close because they do so much with each other outside of work. Players, too.

Soon, the urgency will ratchet up. Rhule said the depth chart will be “fluid” as players move up the learning curve of NU’s new schemes. He wants competitive players hungry to win major roles on the 2023 team.

“We can’t try to learn it next fall,” Rhule said. “We need to learn it now.”

* Rhule said the state of Nebraska “uses our tax dollars wisely” investing in public schools — both athletic facilities and educational pursuits.

* The coach recently traveled to the Kansas City, Missouri, area — taking in some barbecue from Joe’s — and said Nebraska will want to recruit the best players possible out of the region. Last cycle, NU landed receiver Jaidyn Doss from Raymore-Peculiar High School in Missouri.

* NU has already sold 45,000 tickets to the spring football game.

Rhule added there will be plenty of recruits there to take in the spring game on April 22 and talked about the impact that day could have on their interest in the program.

“There hasn’t been the winning seasons that we’ve wanted here at Nebraska, (but) there’s a love of the game and I think there’s no better message to send to somebody than, ‘hey, football’s important here.’”

The Huskers are set to begin spring practices March 20.