In an interview with ESPN earlier this week Cornhusker Head Coach Matt Rhule commented on how half of the current roster “grew up on Husker football” also stating that “all of our guys are Huskers but some of our guys are Cornhuskers”. Stating that it will be a defining factor moving forward. “ They have a deep passion, wanting to be a part of turning it around.”. Leading Cornhusker nation into believing that Rhule clearly understands how much the program means to the state and how much it means to players born and raised watching the action in memorial stadium every Saturday in the fall their whole life. Instilling it’s importance onto them at a young age.
High level collegiate football players, play with a natural edge. They have passion for days, and a drive that leaves most confused. Even amongst their over the top characteristics, a born and raised Husker stands out on the field. From Adam Carriker being born in Hastings, NE to Garett Nelson a Scottsbluff native and so many others to mention, Their passion has shown through on and off the field.
These Huskers’ passion, motivation and understanding is one of the best tools for developing a championship team. Embedding their deep understanding of not the sport but of what it means to all 85,000+ in the stands every Saturday and millions more at home makes the players from instate and out of state alike feel like one big family. Rhule has mentioned many times that he wants to build a team with high school recruits and young transfers and I believe he knows this is the way to ensure that we will not be riddled with holes from the transfer portal like we have seen happen to so many up and coming teams.
Getting players to buy in is something every coach in the country is striving for. Building a family that you will protect at all costs every Saturday has been a goal since football’s debut in 1869. Nebraska has both the tradition and the fanbase to build off from to ensure players are all in on both of those matters. Playing football at the University of Nebraska is not just a stop on your journey, but hopefully one of the defining factors of your success. I do find a lot of similarities between the things that coach Osborne said and what coach Rhule says today and they are both on the same page with this one as well. Husker football operates best as a family, and family starts at home.