Matt Rhule addresses links to Penn State job, commitment to Nebraska

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has been a common name in circles discussing who will replace Penn State‘s James Franklin. On Monday, Rhule responded to the rumors tying him to the job opening.

“I’m not going to talk a lot about job openings when they come,” Rhule said, per The Athletic‘s Mitch Sherman. “I’m not going to talk about my contract here… I absolutely love it here. I want to continue to take the steps needed to turn this place into a beast.”

Rhule has longstanding ties to Penn State. He walked on for the Nittany Lions under head coach Joe Paterno. Rhule played linebacker for the Nittany Lions from 1994-97 before serving as a volunteer assistant for the program his first year after graduating.

Despite Rhule’s ties to Penn State, he’s never coached in a significant role for the school. In 2023, he took over at Nebraska. In his first two seasons at the helm of the program, he led Nebraska to a combined 12-13 record.

Now, Nebraska is off to its best start yet under Rhule this season, sitting at 5-1. Most recently, the Cornhuskers defeated Maryland 34-31 on Saturday.

Rhule understands both sides of the ball. He began his career coaching on defense, but eventually became known for his offensive mind. Rhule’s latest project is quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was one of the best freshman quarterbacks in the country last season.

Nebraska is averaging 450 yards per game this season, ranking No. 27 in college football. It’s an enticing statistic for Penn State, which ranks No. 79 in the same category.

Penn State would have to pay in the range of $5 million to get Rhule out of his contract with Nebraska. However, money reportedly won’t be an issue for the school.

“First, to be clear, money is not an object,” ESPN’s Heather Dinich said on Monday. “They can go after whoever they want to replace James Franklin. There’s not a rush to do that — they want to take their time and see how the rest of the season unfolds.”

Matt Rhule has had a longstanding relationship with Penn State athletic director Pat Kraft. On Monday, Kraft revealed what attributes he is looking for in the Nittany Lions’ next head coach.

“Our next coach will be someone who embodies everything Penn State stands for integrity, accountability, toughness, humility and an elite motivator,” Kraft said. “We’ll find a coach who can achieve excellence at the highest level, doing it with confidence and conviction.”