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Video leaks of Matt Rhule shredding Nebraska players' effort at halftime of Akron game

Chandler Vesselsby: Chandler Vessels09/09/25ChandlerVessels
matt rhule
Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Fans got a behind-the-scenes look into the coaching style of Matt Rhule after the Nebraska head man’s halftime speech from Saturday’s game against Akron was leaked. Suffice it to say, the coach wasn’t pleased with his team’s first half performance.

Despite the fact that the Cornhuskers held a 33-0 advantage at the time, Rhule laid into his players for their effort. He didn’t hold back either.

“I don’t like them freaking moving the ball again,” Rhule told his team. “They’re dropping back at the end of the f***ing half. We’re on the side that’s saying, ‘They’ll take a knee here. They’ll run the ball.’ They don’t fear you and they don’t respect you enough yet and if that sounds like coachspeak, you’ve got the wrong brain. They’re dropping back against our starting defense. They’re cutting our O-line at the end of the half.

“…I told you I don’t care what the score is. I told you I care what the tape looks like. Did I trip when the ball was fumbled? No, I don’t care what happens in the game. I want to see what the next play is. You have one half.”

Rhule’s halftime speech seemed to work magic as Nebraska put their foot on the necks of Akron coming out of the locker room. The Cornhuskers asserted their dominance on their way to a 68-0 victory, its first shutout win since 2009.

Rhule offered some more insight into his mindset during that halftime speech when he spoke at a press conference on Monday. He recalled his frustration at the time but was proud of his team for getting the message.

“That’s what we were supposed to do at halftime. We were supposed to win by that much,” Rhule said. “I went after them at halftime. I freaking lost it in the locker room. I was pissed that we let them drive the ball down right before half an almost make a field goal. Where’s the killer instinct? I don’t want to be a joke. I want us to be a football place. Football teams, you put away the people you’re supposed to put away. You don’t let ’em have life. So I wasn’t happy before the half.”

Nebraska certainly sent a message with their performance Saturday, putting the rest of the country on notice after the speech from Matt Rhule. The Cornhuskers close out nonconference play this Saturday against Houston Christian before moving on to the Big Ten slate.