What to Expect from the Huskers under Rhule

I appreciate everyone's commentary and feedback about Fickell and Rhule, however I think there are some better threads to have that conversation instead of this one.

 
I'm ready to get laughed at for this one. It's definitely reading between the lines.

But I kind of wonder if part of the interview process was Alberts leaning on the prospective coaches (maybe even as a part of the contract itself) to commit to a simpler power-based run game scheme on offense.

Because even if it doesn't work, it placates the boomers (who almost certainly make up the lion's share of the booster community) and a good percentage of season ticket holders.

It kind of seems like Rhule went out of his way to make it clear he wasn't going to "be a spread offense." I fully realize this doesn't mean he won't snap plays out of the spread, I get that.

Fickell is an RPO guy. He's huge on the offensive line - but Cincinnati has been an RPO team that has used more of the new school concepts, IMO. I really wonder if the deciding factor was the top candidates' willingness to run a simpler offense that features less passing, I really do.

 
Undone said:
But I kind of wonder if part of the interview process was Alberts leaning on the prospective coaches (maybe even as a part of the contract itself) to commit to a simpler power-based run game scheme on offense.

Because even if it doesn't work, it placates the boomers (who almost certainly make up the lion's share of the booster community) and a good percentage of season ticket holders.

It kind of seems like Rhule went out of his way to make it clear he wasn't going to "be a spread offense." I fully realize this doesn't mean he won't snap plays out of the spread, I get that.
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I would guess that perhaps Rhule was reading the room better and smarter than most of our coaches over the past 20 years, and hopefully is not so stubborn that he will try to force a square peg into a round hole as most of our coaches have done over the past 20 years. 

In fact, that makes me think of Joe Dailey, who was one of Rhule's assistants at Carolina. I wonder if Dailey talked to Rhule about his experiences at Nebraska, being recruited to play one system, but then a new coach trying to force him and the entire offense into something that the personnel was not suited for. 

 
Undone said:
I'm ready to get laughed at for this one. It's definitely reading between the lines.

But I kind of wonder if part of the interview process was Alberts leaning on the prospective coaches (maybe even as a part of the contract itself) to commit to a simpler power-based run game scheme on offense.

Because even if it doesn't work, it placates the boomers (who almost certainly make up the lion's share of the booster community) and a good percentage of season ticket holders.

It kind of seems like Rhule went out of his way to make it clear he wasn't going to "be a spread offense." I fully realize this doesn't mean he won't snap plays out of the spread, I get that.

Fickell is an RPO guy. He's huge on the offensive line - but Cincinnati has been an RPO team that has used more of the new school concepts, IMO. I really wonder if the deciding factor was the top candidates' willingness to run a simpler offense that features less passing, I really do.
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I would be disappointed if this were the case.  I'm fine with going to a more power run offense instead of a spread. But, we ran the ball 55% of the time this year and that was with an O line that sucked.  How much less do people want to pass the ball?

I'm not convinced that lining up in the Big Ten and running the ball 80-90% of the time (or even 75%) is a recipe to get to where we want to be.  

You have to be able to both run and pass the ball to be a top program in the country.  And, even if you're going to run the ball 75% of the time, you better have one hell of a creative run game, which....isn't a "simpler" offense.  

People on here really wanted Coastal Carolina's offense because how they ran the ball.  Even then, they only ran it 60% of the time.  And, their offense wasn't "simple".

 
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Enhance said:
I appreciate everyone's commentary and feedback about Fickell and Rhule, however I think there are some better threads to have that conversation instead of this one.
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Fair enough.   This is a fullback thread after all!  :thumbs

 
Husker in WI said:
I was definitely in the "Fickell won't leave unless it's OSU" camp, took me by surprise. But I think if you consider this a rebuild and look at some metrics there is a case for Rhule. I can't find it over Fickell's entire tenure, but Cincy was 3-8-1 against the spread this year. Rhule's teams consistently beat the spread. Alberts mentioned rebuilding multiple places in different ways as a factor, because this rebuild is different than Cincy, or Baylor, or Temple. I'm sure there's more, "extremely specific" does fit the vibe that Alberts gave when listing some of the metrics they looked at. 

I think Fickell absolutely should have been (and probably was) considered, but whether he said not interested or we didn't offer there are some metrics that could point to Rhule as the right choice. Time will tell. Hope is a funny thing, a month ago I'd have been pissed if you told me the coaches each school would hire - but for now I'm actually excited.
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Really good stuff as always.

Back to my original train of thought though on the offensive scheme Rhule will run: I think one valid concern is actually being capable of getting a wide array of QB's with a lot of talent to commit.

This is cherry picking for sure, but let's look at Iowa. They haven't been landing good QB's at all. And it's not hard to speculate as to why; their scheme is horrible and it's not keeping pace with the larger landscape.

That said, Rhule will have enough buzz around him I think in the first two classes to land some good QB's. I think that's a safe bet. But, I don't want to run a dumbed down scheme just because it makes boosters & fans happy.

 
Despite Whipple's inclinations, I think they'd have run the football more if they could have been successful doing it. Most games, there wasn't a point. And the times they were dogma about running, 4th quarter leads, it was generally the wrong decision based on expected result. 

 
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Undone said:
Back to my original train of thought though on the offensive scheme Rhule will run: I think one valid concern is actually being capable of getting a wide array of QB's with a lot of talent to commit.

This is cherry picking for sure, but let's look at Iowa. They haven't been landing good QB's at all. And it's not hard to speculate as to why; their scheme is horrible and it's not keeping pace with the larger landscape.

That said, Rhule will have enough buzz around him I think in the first two classes to land some good QB's. I think that's a safe bet. But, I don't want to run a dumbed down scheme just because it makes boosters & fans happy.
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Rhule's history (and his sound bites) make it appear that he will run a "simplified" pro-style offense. That's Satterfield's M.O. also. This should appeal to any QB with aspirations of playing at the next level. To figure out why his offenses at Carolina weren't great, you have to look no further than the names of the QBs that his GM provided him: Teddy Bridgewater, Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield. And Mayfield's problem isn't the line in front of him, which has improved each year under Rhule. Critics also put blame at the feet of his OC, Ben McAdoo - who you will notice is one coach that's not being asked to follow Rhule to Nebraska.

 
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Old video (for me).  Might be new to you. 

Would welcome anyone to watch this (19 mins) when you have time after dinner (???)  

This is his 1st year at Baylor and after they won only 1 game. 

Son of a preacher man. 

I followed Baylor and always respected him.  Humility, honesty, passionate and driven.




 
2 hours ago, admo said:

Old video (for me).  Might be new to you. 

Would welcome anyone to watch this (19 mins) when you have time after dinner (???)  

This is his 1st year at Baylor and after they won only 1 game. 

Son of a preacher man. 

I followed Baylor and always respected him.  Humility, honesty, passionate and driven.

Click to expand...



Watched this last night.  Much props to the man to admit he was having marital issues publicly.

 
Undone said:
I'm ready to get laughed at for this one. It's definitely reading between the lines.

But I kind of wonder if part of the interview process was Alberts leaning on the prospective coaches (maybe even as a part of the contract itself) to commit to a simpler power-based run game scheme on offense.

Because even if it doesn't work, it placates the boomers (who almost certainly make up the lion's share of the booster community) and a good percentage of season ticket holders.

It kind of seems like Rhule went out of his way to make it clear he wasn't going to "be a spread offense." I fully realize this doesn't mean he won't snap plays out of the spread, I get that.

Fickell is an RPO guy. He's huge on the offensive line - but Cincinnati has been an RPO team that has used more of the new school concepts, IMO. I really wonder if the deciding factor was the top candidates' willingness to run a simpler offense that features less passing, I really do.
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Alberts told Rhule what people wanted to hear. That's all. It doesn't mean much until we see it on the field.

 
alexhortdog95 said:
Watched this last night.  Much props to the man to admit he was having marital issues publicly.
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Forthright for sure.  Remember now, they just finished going 1-11 just a few months before this talk.  That team had roughly 45 guys on schollie.  And he kept his high expectations and purpose in sight. 

I recall watching those games as they kept getting better and better and I remember wishing he was the Husker coach (2019 mid-season).  

 
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