University Park has become a hotbed of controversies and new scoops after the firing of James Franklin.  The dust hadn’t yet settled at Penn State, and new names for the head coaching gig popped up. Matt Rhule was one of those faces. Now, a recent admission by Rhule breaks the silence on whether the Huskers’ head coach is looking straight towards Penn State’s vacant HC seat.

With three back-to-back losses, Penn State parted ways with its decade-long head coach with a $45 million (approx) buyout range, with rumour circulating that Adidas allegedly paid the amount. Now, Rhule’s recent words provide another layer in the saga. “I love Penn State,” said Rhule to the press. “Met my wife there. It’s my alma mater…I have been a fan since I was born.” He attended State College Area High School, then went to University Park as a walk-on as a linebacker under legendary coach Joe Paterno. He continued. “I love Pat Kraft. And I’m really sad to see Coach Franklin go.”

Franklin revitalized the program over his decade-long stint. Coaching 18 All-American selections, 32 national major award winners or finalists, and 59 NFL Draft picks, he made his legacy. Not to forget the first eight draft picks, mentoring 116 players to the NFL ranks. And Rhule is appreciative and respects Coach Franklin for what he did for his (Rhule’s) alma mater.

Moreover, he started his head coaching career as a volunteer assistant there, so naturally, his love for the program combined with his early association made him a perfect choice for the Nittany Lions to hire him. His name’s already inked among the best coaches in college football, who rebuilt Baylor and Temple from the bottom of the pit.

But will nostalgia and familial connection incentivize Rhule to take up the job? The answer is no. About Lincoln, he shared. “I came here for two reasons: I love the community, and I wanted to live here, and I love it here. And I wanted to rebuild Nebraska football.” His response clearly implies that he is not going anywhere. “I am not gonna talk about a lot of job openings they come…maybe it’s been a while here (Nebraska), but this is what happens when you win. We won at Temple, and I dealt with it all the time….I am not gonna talk about my contract here.”

Presently, the Cornhuskers are 5-1 in the season. Sophomore Dylan Raiola is going explosive, with 1,591 yards for 16 touchdowns. And Rhule, with his three-year charm, wants to keep developing the program into a beast. His work is already showing promising signs. From 3-9 overall to  7-6 record last year and now? 5-1 into the midseason. Huskers are already showing brilliant flashes. To throw it all away to go coach his alma mater? Matt Rhule is loyal to Lincoln.

Matt Rhule: the program builder

Matt Rhule, with his three-year charm, has been successful in charming the college football fraternity. Building a 1-11 program to an 11-3 roster, in just three years, requires guts and that level of execution. And that’s what he did at Baylor. At Temple, he transformed a 2-10 program into a back-to-back 10-win season.

His coaching brilliance has led his assistant coaches to launch their head coaching careers. Two of his former assistant coaches, Fran Brown and Joey McGuire, lead Syracuse and Texas Tech, respectively, and both are vocal about their learnings from Rhule.

It’s no surprise that Pat Kraft (Penn State Athletic Director) wants his alumni to come back to his alma mater. But does his coaching style fit Penn State’s requirements presently? Well, Patience is the name of Rhule’s transformational style. Building it up from scratch, developing the players. It takes time, and he is patient with it, for he knows the fruit won’t be reaped instantly.

It’s a long-term blueprint. But the results? Fantastic. Temple and Baylor know it…and so is Nebraska now. And frankly, had Rhule gone to his alma mater, Penn State doesn’t have that much time for the results to start showing.