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Matt Rhule discusses how quickly freshmen receivers could push for roles 

20200517_134556by:Justin Rudolph•08/15/23

The Matt Rhule era of Nebraska Cornhuskers football is set to kick off on August 31 against Minnesota. This season will be an all-hands-on-deck approach for the Cornhuskers, especially if they want to wash the taste out of their mouth from their 4-8 season in 2022. 

With that in mind, Nebraska will take contributions from any and all who are willing and ready to help the team succeed this season. But Rhule is not looking for his freshman players to contribute right out of the gate unless they prove they’re up for the challenge. When it comes to his incoming talent, particularly at wideout, the Cornhuskers headman believes it is his veteran players they need to set the tone starting in Week 1. 

“Yeah, I’m giving them all an opportunity to play. I don’t know that we need any of the freshmen to play at wideout,” said Rhule. “We’d love to have them play if they’re ready. But the older guys know how to play. That first game, the team were playing, that’s gonna be a grown man game. They play real football.”  

The Big Ten Conference is known for its physical style of play, and the Minnesota Golden Gophers are a testament to that gritty, in-the-trenches style of football. So, those incoming freshmen may or may not be quite ready to for that style of football.

Still, Nebraska does have one incoming freshman at wide receiver that local fans are salivating to see make an impact on the field soon. However, Rhule is not forcing anything on his young players and says that when they are ready to play, they will play. 

“Some young players will be ready; some won’t. What you’re hoping is that we’re just gonna get a chance to get some play. And if they’re ready, they’re ready. If they’re not, they’re not.” 

Lincoln, NE, native freshman wideout Malachi Coleman has all the tools to be an elite pass catcher at the collegiate level. According to On3’s Industry Rankings, the six-foot-four wide receiver was a top-tier four-star recruit in the 2023 class, ranking No. 60 in the nation, No. 10 at receiver, and the top recruit out of Nebraska. 

Fans of the Cornhuskers should expect Coleman to play a significant role in the program’s future plans. But as for now, Rhule doesn’t plan on putting any added pressure on the freshman to shine in his first season.