What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear about Matt Rhule’s Nebraska Cornhuskers? Unrealized Potential. The team had shown huge power at the beginning of the 2024 season. However, it did not take long for them to hit a nose-dive. One of the main reasons? Their quarterback. Dylan Raiola, with comparisons to Patrick Mahomes, ultimately turned out to only be an imitation in appearance rather than production. 

However, moving into the 2025 season, Rhule sounded confident about his quarterback’s future. As the head coach shared, “He is ten steps ahead of where he was, and where he was was pretty cool.” Is this the reason behind this college football analyst changing his stance on Rhule’s program and going bolder on Nebraska’s upside? 

Rhule’s Huskers wrapped up the 2024 season with a 7-6 overall record. They started pretty well on a three-game win streak. However, at the latter half of the season, Rhule’s boys fell prey to a four-game losing streak. On the August 19th episode of the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast, Josh Pate sounded confident about the chance of Rhule’s program turning around, “I’ve got Dylan [Raiola] here. I’ve got Dana Holgorsen here. And I just feel like that’s about to happen this year. And even though they lost Tony [White] to Florida State…think it’s the most workable Big 10 schedule in the entire conference… there’s such a path to 10 and 2, and I think 10 and 2 gets them in.”

According to Pate, Rhule’s third year is the true turning point, where his systems and culture take hold. Not only Pate. Here comes some more high hopes about Rhule’s Huskers punching the playoff ticket. The numbers come directly from Circa Sports, a prominent Las Vegas sportsbook, where Nebraska is listed at +575 to make the playoffs. The primary reason behind their easy ride is likely to be their easy schedule. Rhule’s program avoids Ohio State and Oregon this year, leaving the road trip to Happy Valley easily the most difficult game. But was Pate so confident about the Huskers all throughout?

Not really. On air, podcast host Will Compton played an old clip where Pate is heard saying, “Nebraska will be better than six and six this year.” But now he has upgraded that optimism to 10 wins. During his conversation, the host brings up the “eight-plus win guys,” the “foxhole” guys who thinks that Rhule’s boys will clasp an eight win season. This would definitely lead to confusion. Compton thus brought it up, “But the ones seeing the field with eight plus are the ones I’m ready to go to war with. You said I can do eight by August. I could see myself flirting with the nines. Now we’re at 10. And you’re saying, Is anybody crazy enough to top 10?’”  While this debate continues, a Nebraska commit is upset with Rhule and his staff.

Legacy recruit unhappy with communication gaps

Not just among analysts. Changing stance has been a common thing among players too. The Cornhuskers have already taken a dive into the 2027 recruiting race with cornerback prospect Aaryn Washington. Initially, he had low expectations of Nebraska. As the four-star prospect from Mater Dei High School once shared, “I didn’t think it had a city at all. I thought it was just straight fields, just lands and a couple of buildings.” But now? “It’s pretty cool to see Nebraska.”

Rhule has upgraded the program in the light of new training facilities. They now have the new Osborne Legacy Complex. While all these upgrades have melted Washington’s heart, Rhule is drawing fire from Count Omaha Westside defensive back Bryson Williams, a class of 2026 prospect. The reason? He, along with a few other commits, are yet to receive an offer from Rhule’s squad. 

The son of Jamel Williams, who played and started on two National Title teams for NU in 1995 and 1996, is okay to accommodate with the delay in the offer. Then what rubbed him the wrong way? The lack of communication from Rhule, even though he is the son of a legend, who has made such a vast contribution to Nebraska history.  

In an interview with Rivals’ Adam Gorney, Bryson Williams shared how Matt Rhule had hurt his feelings, “Nebraska never contacted me. Never came to my school or invited me to a game, but invited some of my teammates despite my dad being a two-time national champ for them and also getting drafted.” Does that mean Rhule’s $165 million gamble will not be enough to woo the athletes?