Rhule to Penn State?

[Guy Chamberlin]

The analytics said we were the better team overall that day.

How did it look to your eye?

 

[TGHusker]

I think "big picture" is much more relevant than those kinds of hypotheticals and playing them both ways, personally.

Big picture: I personally think Rhule deserves all of the credit for Raiola signing with us. Yeah his dad was a star player here, and yeah, the fact that Carson Beck decided to come back for a fourth year at Georgia was pure luck that surely factored into it in huge ways...but he doesn't sign with us if Frost had still been here or some other schmuck with no credentials.

Signing Raiola is really where all of our current momentum has come from.

Rhule has also turned around the psychology and the culture of the team, IMO. I think he's a great coach regardless of the fact that if our defense plays better against Michigan we're 6-0 or if we miss field goals or bobble a pass we're 3-3, etc., etc. And he also brought Holgorsen in.

And he was willing to make a huge change with ST which was a plus. Rhule seems to have a very good QB in the 2027 recruiting cycle. Not sure how Dylan's brother will pan out for 2026 - that seems to be a 2 for 1 deal. Hopefully it is warranted.
I am honestly torn: I do think Rhule is building something slowly that could be good and we just need to be patient and ignore the quick fixes of an Indiana for example. It is hard not to get that 'other team envy' going. If Indiana can do it, why can't NU? At the same time, somethings aren't getting fixed: OL coaching, OL play. Run defense. Perhaps the only fix is $20m-40m in NIL money so we can buy our way to the top again.

 

[Wistrom Disciple]

I think "big picture" is much more relevant than those kinds of hypotheticals and playing them both ways, personally.

Big picture: I personally think Rhule deserves all of the credit for Raiola signing with us. Yeah his dad was a star player here, and yeah, the fact that Carson Beck decided to come back for a fourth year at Georgia was pure luck that surely factored into it in huge ways...but he doesn't sign with us if Frost had still been here or some other schmuck with no credentials.

Signing Raiola is really where all of our current momentum has come from.

Rhule has also turned around the psychology and the culture of the team, IMO. I think he's a great coach regardless of the fact that if our defense plays better against Michigan we're 6-0 or if we miss field goals or bobble a pass we're 3-3, etc., etc. And he also brought Holgorsen in.

IMO, this is still highly underrated as the key cog to all of our recent successes and momentum. Not that anyone is dismissing Raiola's importance, but Rhule's success here is almost exclusively tied to Dylan jumping aboard. Maybe we would have found a good transfer QB or an elite defender that could have helped, but none would have the same impact.

Rhule has made some great strategic moves with bringing in Dana, Ekeler, Mozee, etc. However, Dylan is the key to making all of this go.

 

[Crusader Husker]

Isn't that what a coach says though? I can understand the age angle but coaches lie through their teeth constantly about stuff like this.

He gets to do what he wants there and has made it to the top 5. If you are the king now, do you really want to go somewhere where others call the shots?

Think of being a top-notch coach in the NFL and Jerry Jones calls? You have everything you want now, and you have to go work of an overinvolved owner.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Isn't that what a coach says though? I can understand the age angle but coaches lie through their teeth constantly about stuff like this.

Exactly, I know coaches love to tell us how they are shaping young men and blah blah blah, and some of us fall for it (part of the reason I liked Bo so much is that everything he said that was leaked to the public is what all those coaches say all the time in private)

But those coaches are just like us, they are normal everyday guys that totally toss out some BS.

Every interview I have even been on ends up with me saying some variation of "Well, this is a place where I would want to stay for the rest of my career" but I clearly am also happy looking for new gigs.

Indiana is in a weird spot, they have maybe 5 years left of what is going on. Which gives them a little time to grow that fan base. Then Cigs is gone and a new guy comes in and even if that new guy wins 6 games a year, which is amazing for Indiana BC (Before Cigs), that new guy will now be treated like a loser by the fans and local media and get run off.

Only to hire another guy that will probably struggle...and those 6-7 years of Indiana football being relevant will be gone.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

He gets to do what he wants there and has made it to the top 5. If you are the king now, do you really want to go somewhere where others call the shots?

Think of being a top-notch coach in the NFL and Jerry Jones calls? You have everything you want now, and you have to go work of an overinvolved owner.

Cigs is their new Bob Knight, just the fan base is not totally into yet. He can do/say whatever he wants.

 

[Nebfanatic]

He gets to do what he wants there and has made it to the top 5. If you are the king now, do you really want to go somewhere where others call the shots?

Think of being a top-notch coach in the NFL and Jerry Jones calls? You have everything you want now, and you have to go work of an overinvolved owner.

Its different than the NFL though. Yes Indiana is top 5 and thats great but he can't get the players he could get at PSU to come to IU thats just a fact. Maybe he never leaves there but at the end of the day guys like that want to do it on the biggest stage. He could win it all at Indiana but its gonna be tough getting past a team like Ohio State.

 

[Street Novelist]

If a play or two goes different against Cincinnati or Maryland, is the 4-2 and unranked Matt Rhule getting the same hype?

And not to go all Game Day Thread, but if program building is Rhule's main strength, Franklin did it faster and better. If losing to ranked teams is what got Franklin fired, that's not the box Rhule is gonna check for you.

Let's not play the "what if" game.

 

[SuperBigFan69]

Let's not play the "what if" game.

What, what if we do???

 

[Undone]

IMO, this is still highly underrated as the key cog to all of our recent successes and momentum. Not that anyone is dismissing Raiola's importance, but Rhule's success here is almost exclusively tied to Dylan jumping aboard. Maybe we would have found a good transfer QB or an elite defender that could have helped, but none would have the same impact.

Rhule has made some great strategic moves with bringing in Dana, Ekeler, Mozee, etc. However, Dylan is the key to making all of this go.

Yeah. But I wouldn't say that this undercuts Rhule's impact for us; it's almost like a 'chicken or the egg' thing; if we hadn't hired Rhule, I don't think Raiola signs with us.

So, Matt Rhule brings in star talent.

Star talent is pretty damn critical to becoming a great program again.

Therefore, it makes Rhule a great head coach for us.

 

[gorp512]

I think the fact that he is 64 and has said is much makes them feel that way.

Exactly. Rhule seems like the only person named as a candidate who had not flat out denied anything.

 

[Wistrom Disciple]

Yeah. But I wouldn't say that this undercuts Rhule's impact for us; it's almost like a 'chicken or the egg' thing; if we hadn't hired Rhule, I don't think Raiola signs with us.

So, Matt Rhule brings in star talent.

Star talent is pretty damn critical to becoming a great program again.

Therefore, it makes Rhule a great head coach for us.

Fair point, Rhule has done well to capitalize on Dylan's commitment and bring in talented coordinators and players around him. Not to say he couldn't replicate that sort of talent if he were to go to Penn State, but I don't know that they will offer as much patience or forgiveness if he were to strike out with QB transfers/recruits.

 

[lo country]

Yeah. But I wouldn't say that this undercuts Rhule's impact for us; it's almost like a 'chicken or the egg' thing; if we hadn't hired Rhule, I don't think Raiola signs with us.

So, Matt Rhule brings in star talent.

Star talent is pretty damn critical to becoming a great program again.

Therefore, it makes Rhule a great head coach for us.

For me the biggest impact has been the psychological factor. Any team under Frost and year 1-2 under Rhule loses to Maryland. Loses to Cincy. He’s got them believing they can win in the 4th. Win 1 score games.

 

[Undone]

For me the biggest impact has been the psychological factor. Any team under Frost and year 1-2 under Rhule loses to Maryland. Loses to Cincy. He’s got them believing they can win in the 4th. Win 1 score games.

Totally agree there, old friend!