No bold statements necessary as Nebraska's Matt Rhule makes an impression on Big Ten media days

INDIANAPOLIS — Matt Rhule glanced down at the white coffee cup with “B1G” across the side and clapped six times.
The Nebraska coach was a third of the way into a 45-minute interview session at the end of Big Ten Media Days and paused briefly to show his appreciation for the caffeine boost placed in front of him by an NU official. It was perhaps the only interruption during a busy Thursday in which the 48-year-old was a dynamo of insight and philosophy during his unofficial debut within his new league.
There was no bold statement about how other teams better get the Huskers now. There was only a short opening statement on the dais on live television — 164 words and less than a minute — mostly consisting of thanking his administrators and acknowledging player reps Jeff Sims, Luke Reimer and Ethan Piper. There were few, if any, major roster updates or news items.
What there was a lot of was Rhule. Conversing. Joking. Offering a steady flow of cultural reminders and beliefs.
“I’d much rather hear someone speak from the heart — even if I disagree with them — than hear someone giving something scripted,” Rhule said.
The first-year Husker coach made a point of being among the first to Lucas Oil Stadium to begin rounds of radio interviews and interact informally with media and others on hand. His on-stage moment came a few minutes after noon Eastern time — Boston’s “More Than A Feeling” played as he strode to the podium after being introduced by BTN analyst Howard Griffith.
Rhule took questions there about the Colorado rivalry and whether he liked combining chili and cinnamon rolls — “it’s life-changing,” he quipped on the latter topic. Asked what would be a successful first season in Lincoln, he offered not a win total but that the Huskers would be competitive in every game they play.
“I think there's something bigger for us at Nebraska,” Rhule said. “There was a time when Nebraska football was feared, and we certainly want to get back to that. We want to be a team that you say, 'You know what, that team's feared.' But we're not at that point yet. We're at a point where I believe we have to take back the respect of what it means to play Nebraska and to be at Nebraska.”
A parade of other ideals came in the minutes and hours that followed. Asked about the nearly complete new facility in North Stadium, he said he wanted the focus to be on player development — including recovery and regeneration — and not impressing recruits. Every day is a fourth-and-goal mindset. Success is achievement, not talent.
Chasing greatness is relentless, Rhule said. When he was with his family on the beach in Cape May, New Jersey, he was still working. The team must earn the right to talk about playing Minnesota in the Aug. 31 opener by putting together a strong camp.
“This is Year 1; I want us to win every game,” Rhule said. “But right now I can’t think about the games. I expect us to do everything right. I expect guys to show up Sunday and be on time. It’s this mindset of everything matters, everything counts.”
Rhule resonated. One media member asked why the coach was such a smooth public speaker — Rhule said he is always “nervous as can be” in front of a microphone, trying not to say something wrong. Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts said his hire “is the guy I thought he was,” someone who is smart, strategic, authentic and cares about his charges as players and people.
“I think he’s a good culture person; he’s a great communicator,” Alberts said. “Now, we’re all hoping he’s a really great football coach.”
Huskers in attendance sounded like their leader. Sims, the Georgia Tech transfer set to start at quarterback, said his camp goal is to improve by 1% every day. Reimer, the longtime NU linebacker, said the first year with a new staff requires a blend of patience and urgency. The senior said he and his fellow teammates relished the chance to spend extra time in Indianapolis with Rhule and Alberts.
“They’re very successful people,” Reimer said. “You just gotta grab little nuggets of knowledge from them.”
Said Sims: “(Rhule) can switch modes to what he needs to be in. It’s kind of cool to see how fast he locks in and focuses on something.”
On Thursday, that was doing media at an elite level. Rhule offered thoughtful answers about his Penn State ties, his philosophy of running back usage and why he’s passionate about coaching youth camps. He seamlessly navigated a bizarre, winding question — centered on a Husker postgame prayer gathering at Wisconsin that occurred one day before an unrelated parade attack 65 miles east in Waukesha in November 2021 — by discussing how Nebraska prepares players for life.
Rhule downed the last drops of his coffee by midafternoon, exiting to handshakes and brief side conversations. Football is coming, and the former NFL coach is comfortable in that arena.
His day in Indy was a high-profile reminder that he’s also at ease talking about it and representing Nebraska on a different sort of stage.
“That was 45 minutes?” Rhule asked as he rose from his folding chair for the final time. “Was that the best 45 minutes of your guys’ day? That was fun.”