Before Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule officially took the job in Lincoln, he took a trip to a place that played a special part in his predecessor ending his Husker coaching career. While Scott Frost had a nightmare of a time in Dublin, losing a game he should have won against Northwestern and beginning a march to the end, the city played a part in Rhule deciding to take the job.
Speaking on Friday about the Huskers’ prep for the season, and the fact that Week 0 kicked off with a game in Dublin, Ireland between Florida State and Georgia Tech, Rhule shed light on some of things that convinced him to become the next Husker head man.
In one anecdote, the Nebraska football head coach said he and his wife took a trip to Dublin after being offered the job. The point of the trip, it seems was to take some time away and think about whether NU was right for him.
Nebraska football head coach highlights when he decided to take the job
"We got off the plane and there was this 200-foot Husker helmet," Rhule said with a smile. "And I was like, 'It's a sign from God.'"
Perhaps the biggest sign that someone was trying to send Rhule a message was that it wasn’t as if he went to Dublin anywhere near when the Huskers were playing Northwestern in the Aer Lingus game.
He took the trip to Ireland after Frost had already been fired and after a secret trip to Lincoln to discuss the job with then athletic director Trev Alberts. For whatever reason, the 200-foot helmet was still sticking around months after the game was played.
That game of course, was when that Frost’s team led 28-17 before an ill-advised onside kick that allowed Northwestern to drive down a short field and score, grabbing momentum in the process. A few weeks later, after a home loss to Georgia Southern, Alberts had seen enough and handed Frost his walking papers.
Months after that move, Nebraska football made the hire of Matt Rhule official. And now we sit and hope that everything works out for the best.