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Matt Rhule makes first comments after new extension with Nebraska

Untitled design (2)by: Sam Gillenwater5 hours agosamdg_33
Nebraska HC Matt Rhule
Tommy Gilligan | Imagn Images

As reported earlier this afternoon, Nebraska’s Matt Rhule has agreed to an extension to remain in Lincoln. Now, just a little while later, the head coach of the ‘Huskers made his first comments on the new deal.

In an appearance on ‘The Pat McAfee Show’ on Thursday, Rhule began by addressing his new two-year extension, which has since been announced by the program and will keep him signed through 2032. He expressed his appreciation for it and said he is at home with the Cornhuskers.

“Yeah, I mean, we were on, I think, two weeks ago and we talked about it, and I just, you know, told you guys how much we love it here, you know. And, to me, there’s lots of great jobs, but very rarely in this business do you find a home, and we felt like Nebraska is our home,” Rhule said. “This program is our home. I love these players. I love this place.

“Our AD, Troy Dannen, has been amazing to me. Our president, Dr. Gold. I mean, just the alignment? You see places that don’t have alignment. We got amazing alignment, and we’re building. And so, you know, I think after week three, Troy started talking to me about it, and I was just like, ‘Hey, I’ve got to focus on football.’ But I appreciate it. They’re betting on the future, and we’re doubling down.”

Nebraska has since made that extension — which doesn’t change his annual pay but does add the additional two years, increase his buyout, and offers extra incentives — official and public. The Huskers did that in a press release, with comments within it from Dannen, Dr. Gold, and Rhule, who is 18-15 (.545) in his three-year tenure so far, including being 6-2 this fall so far, in Lincoln.

“The University of Nebraska and Head Coach Matt Rhule have agreed to a two-year contract extension that extends Rhule’s agreement through the 2032 season,” the release read from the Cornhuskers. “The restructured deal does not change Rhule’s base salary but does include salary escalators for College Football Playoff appearances.”

“The University of Nebraska, the city of Lincoln and the state of Nebraska are special. It is a place our family is proud to call home,” Rhule added in the release. “We have outstanding leadership from Dr. Gold and Troy Dannen, and I appreciate the support and confidence they have shown in our staff. Our focus remains on building Nebraska Football into a perennial championship contender.”

This obviously comes in the middle of what’s set to be quite the coaching carousel to end this season and enter the offseason. Several jobs, and some very notable ones among them, are already open coming out of October, with Rhule having been linked to possibly be a candidate elsewhere in leaving Nebraska. That was most so in the head coaching search at Penn State, his alma mater, where Rhule played from 1994 to 1997.

With this now settled, Nebraska can turn its full attention back to the season, with four games left for them to potentially still make a possible run at the CFP. There are no distractions now for their program in trying to do that, with Rhule now extended as their head coach further into the next decade.

“I think the thing that our team has learned? You know, and I think we unfortunately learned it the hard way at Minnesota, and then, you know, it’s like, hey, parity is here in college football. In the NFL, you know, if you have a winning record, you’re probably going to make the playoffs, or you’re pretty close…Parity is in college football. I mean, look at the teams that are in the top-ten that weren’t there years ago,” Rhule said in previewing his team’s final stretch in November. “So, every single week, you’ve got to show up and play…You’ve got to show up every single week.

“And so, we have four chances left. And, this Saturday, you know, it’s obviously an amazing opportunity for us to play a great USC team that’s 5-2. So, it’ll be a lot of fun.”