One of the things that makes Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule so entertaining these days is that he appears to have entered the DGAF stage of his coaching career. It’s unusual for a man of his youth and quite frankly, uncommon for someone who isn’t standing on the most solid ground, career-wise.
Rhule has made several comments just this winter and spring that have been heavily criticized and magnified and examined and then oddly after coaches and fans tend to think what he said was ridiculous, parrot them a week later. He’s become the man who is saying whate everyone is thinking. And for that he deserves some serious credit.
His latest comments have drawn the ire of the Big 12, despite once again, being accurate. The Nebraska football coach was talking about the fact that Iowa State has come in and snapped up quite a few in-state prospects that the Huskers haven’t been able to offer.
“There are lots of kids I would love to recruit that have committed to a Big 12 school or somewhere else like that, come to camp,” Rhule said. “If you want to play in the Big 12 over the Big Ten, I got it, but make no mistake, there’s a big difference.”
Heartland College Sports, which covers the Big 12 called the words “choosing violence.” It also tried to explain that his 12-13 record at Nebraska isn’t impressive enough to be talking ish about another conference.
Rhule knew he was likely going to see some pushback with his comments.
“The Big 12 is gonna go nuts now, I know that. I’m gonna be on X and all that stuff, but it’s the reality. The Big Ten and the SEC, especially moving forward, are going to be here [higher] than everyone else.”
The thing is, Rhule isn’t wrong. Most people understand that the Big Ten and the SEC are the powerbase of college football. Look no further than three of four College Football Playoffs Final Four teams being from those two conferences. The fourth was also not from the Big 12 as it was Notre Dame.
The Nebraska football coach might get pushback from the Big 12 for his comments. But he once again just said the thing that everyone already knew. And he really doesn’t care if people have a problem with that.