I have not seen anyone argue fringe top 25 is “good enough” that I recall. I think most agree top ten is the target zone. But some of us feel you don’t go from fringe top 40 classes with bottom forty team results for five consecutive seasons to top ten with the signing of a new HC. That was only hoped for If Urban Meyer was hired. He wasn’t and obviously isn’t a HC candidate anywhere.
We need to recruit better balanced, all around, classes and then play like a team with top 40 talent ((I.e. win 6-8 games at least, not 3 or 4). Show real progress with competitive games vs teams with top 40 talent and defeat the bottom half of the competition consistently.
Step 1 Was finding a HC with the desire to earn his pay (at least as much of it as any HC actually does anyway). Hire him and help him recruit and coach the team up so we can actually play top 40 football. After a couple successful seasons demonstrating that Nebraska has a real HC with winning football in the works, better recruiting results are possible. Perhaps top 20 instead of top 40.
Step 2 Recruit and recruit some more, with renewed vigor, restored facilities, NIL cash, continued Ath Dept support and improve the weakest areas of the team, motivate and play better football.
Step 3 Over time, the natural order of things can return Neb football to its rightful place as a blue blood top tier, perennial top 10 program. But this process of restoration is a 3-5 year timeline, minimum. Even a Cinderella season in 2023 and or 2024 won’t mean the order is restored.
I don’t expect 10 plus wins anytime soon but I do expect the ‘eye test’ and wins and losses and recruiting and development to indicate positive progress, team wide. One difference maker at QB or WR is fine but not a solution. Rhule needs to improve every position significantly. The Raiola obsession crowd may be quite disappointed even if he turns out to be the best QB Nebraska ever had. I’m not so hopeful I guess but he will be the most ballyhooed one.
I like the things Rhule has already done in recruiting and he sure talks a good game. I’ve heard prior coaches say some good things but never follow through. He and his new staff are working harder than previous ones, per reports and observations. I had hoped for top 35 recruiting and we did better in just a few weeks. They’re still bird dogging 2024 & beyond. They’re bringing in guys by the planes, trains and automobiles! Many of them appear to be better suited to help the team get better over time. I think we can safely say Rhule has a plan and he works very hard with focus, details matter greatly, and by all accounts he is honest, sincere, frank and is appears to be happy and excited in his new job. That’s a great start, imo.
Ultimately, does he know how to coach a team to win games? It appears he can assemble staff and players. Can he teach them
the fundamentals and the X & Os stuff? Can he motivate, encourage and discipline young adults in 2023? Are they willing and able to play hard and smart and make the sacrifices needed to be teammates not individuals? Can Rhule judge character as well as speed and toughness?
Time will tell but so far so good.
