Column: Rhule makes valid points regarding Ekeler, but it's only one side of story

Steve – I was as surprised and disappointed as any Husker fan over the (expected) Ekeler departure, as it just seems there are so many good reasons for the ‘Ekeler at Nebraska’ match. You did an excellent job of removing the emotional reaction part and very simply laying out how Ekeler’s desire for an expanded role for 2026 did not mesh with the moves both Rhule and Aurich wanted to make with the various defensive coaching hires and additions. It would have been great if some one-year arrangement could have been made to keep Ekeler as “just” St Tm Coord for 2026, and then add a position role for 2027, but that apparently wasn’t an option. I agree that some other unspoken fact, detail, hitch played a role that we may never know. But beyond that unknown, you simplified the situation very well: NU just could not give Ekeler what he desired for 2026. Hard to believe that could not get solved, but it did not, for some reason… Thanks for a great summation!

Asking for DL to meet the standard of Suh seems remarkably unfair. He’s a HOFer, a generational talent, heisman finalist and top 2 draft choice. Show me any current CFB in that ballpark.

Sip, spot on about GM...so far no ROI with this guy.

So Ekeler, as a position coach, is making his group excel and developing players who emerge and exceed expectations. With the overall poor coaching and development on defense, it is mind boggling why a head coach would not make Ekeler part of the equation there also.

HuskCards115 said:

Steve – I was as surprised and disappointed as any Husker fan over the (expected) Ekeler departure, as it just seems there are so many good reasons for the ‘Ekeler at Nebraska’ match. You did an excellent job of removing the emotional reaction part and very simply laying out how Ekeler’s desire for an expanded role for 2026 did not mesh with the moves both Rhule and Aurich wanted to make with the various defensive coaching hires and additions. It would have been great if some one-year arrangement could have been made to keep Ekeler as “just” St Tm Coord for 2026, and then add a position role for 2027, but that apparently wasn’t an option. I agree that some other unspoken fact, detail, hitch played a role that we may never know. But beyond that unknown, you simplified the situation very well: NU just could not give Ekeler what he desired for 2026. Hard to believe that could not get solved, but it did not, for some reason… Thanks for a great summation!

Thank you, my friend, and I think the Aurich factor is critical in this discussion.

Only time will tell. Losing Kenneth Williams could have the biggest impact on ST if Jacory can't get his head straight. But with our kickers developing one more year I could see that area improving. If you want to be serious about defense you can't just tell your new DC "no, we're not going with the LB coach you want. Instead we're going to appease our ST coach." Nothing is finalized but I wish there could have been a mutual agreement that satisfied Ekeler without handing over the LB room.

Gnugget12 said:

So Ekeler, as a position coach, is making his group excel and developing players who emerge and exceed expectations. With the overall poor coaching and development on defense, it is mind boggling why a head coach would not make Ekeler part of the equation there also.

To be fair to Rhule, it puts him in kind of a spot. Does he dictate to Aurich what he has to do with Ekeler? Should Rhule have demoted Dvoracek? I don't think that would've been fair but life's not always fair.

I don’t think we will ever find another Suh. I would take someone like Darrion Daniels tho.

"We haven’t heard Ekeler’s side of the story. Not a peep. That’s because it wouldn’t be appropriate or wise for him to comment at this point, as he’s apparently between jobs." Apparently, you haven't flown coach with Ekeler recently. Comments galore...appropriateness and wisdom be damned. 😉😁

On Ek. It’s time for him to announce and go. Dragging this out is only making things more awkward, and in my view hurting Ek’s own reputation. My guess is that he’s not a perfect fit with the coaching staff. also, while Rhule wanted to extend him, Ithink now Rhulefeels. Likethere’s been some bait and switch. I can imagine the initial conversations as he came from. Tennessee…he was pitching Rhule with the “I just want to be back home in Nebraska”. and wasn’t lobbying for the extra duties. Now Rhule’s open about the “i guess it wasn’t that he just wanted to be back in Nebraska”. I love that he did that. Ek needed that verbal slap in my opinion. On the running backs room. I’m laughing at all of the armchair general managers dissing the RB room. Same People (On3 included) that were butthurt when we didn’t pay Charmar a billion dollars to come here last year. And said that Emmett couldn’T carry the load in ‘25. How’d that work out for ya? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I think I’ll trust the coaches again on this one.

My thought, 11 jobs in 20 years or whatever. Maybe he is great at ST but maybe head coaches just are not that sad to see him go. For whatever reason, but doesn’t seem anyone has fought to keep him very hard with that track record

I’ve been disappointed with linebacker player all three seasons. I will grant some leeway given the lack of talent there when Rhule et al started. But, overall, it has been lackluster. Dvoracek seems like a good guy, but this has got to be his make or break year.

Steven Sipple said:

Good morning, all. I thought I should address the situation at hand. You know the one ... https://www.on3.com/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers/news/steven-sipple-weve-heard-plenty-from-rhule-on-ekeler-saga-but-thats-just-one-side-of-story/ I can definitely understand Rhule's side on this.

May have found a solution in a year without a DC change...but you don't hire a new DC and then force position coaches on them. A case of bad timing with the only viable solution being a lucrative, multi-year deal as ST's Coord. If that's not good enough for Ekeler, not much else can be done. I get we all have opinions and want answers but I actually wish Rhule would accomodate questions about it less than what he does. "Appropriate and wise" goes both ways. JMO

Steven Sipple said:

Good morning, all. I thought I should address the situation at hand. You know the one ... https://www.on3.com/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers/news/steven-sipple-weve-heard-plenty-from-rhule-on-ekeler-saga-but-thats-just-one-side-of-story/ I can definitely understand Rhule's side on this.

I agree based on all Rhules comments it looks like EK is going to leave. That seems like a relationship that is not being fixed. He made statements about being only STs coach when hired now wants to be LBers too. Assuming what is being reported is accurate. Why? Who knows, maybe because of the defensive staff changes but it doesn't matter at this point. Maybe Rhule is being nice to him not to just fire him and let him stay till the new contract is done with USC. Maybe USC is thinking it over? Sipp is right we will never know all the truth but if he is leaving he needs to go and move on. Rhule has a huge hole to fill regardless. Its still his staff amd his responsibility to have a competant STs coach and results.

Jebba30 said:

Only time will tell. Losing Kenneth Williams could have the biggest impact on ST if Jacory can't get his head straight. But with our kickers developing one more year I could see that area improving. If you want to be serious about defense you can't just tell your new DC "no, we're not going with the LB coach you want. Instead we're going to appease our ST coach." Nothing is finalized but I wish there could have been a mutual agreement that satisfied Ekeler without handing over the LB room.

Barney needs to never return KOs. Never that good at it and obviously makes terrible decisions. Better at Punt returner.

Swamprabbit73 said:

On Ek. It’s time for him to announce and go. Dragging this out is only making things more awkward, and in my view hurting Ek’s own reputation. My guess is that he’s not a perfect fit with the coaching staff. also, while Rhule wanted to extend him, Ithink now Rhulefeels. Likethere’s been some bait and switch. I can imagine the initial conversations as he came from. Tennessee…he was pitching Rhule with the “I just want to be back home in Nebraska”. and wasn’t lobbying for the extra duties. Now Rhule’s open about the “i guess it wasn’t that he just wanted to be back in Nebraska”. I love that he did that. Ek needed that verbal slap in my opinion. On the running backs room. I’m laughing at all of the armchair general managers dissing the RB room. Same People (On3 included) that were butthurt when we didn’t pay Charmar a billion dollars to come here last year. And said that Emmett couldn’T carry the load in ‘25. How’d that work out for ya? Yeah, that’s what I thought. I think I’ll trust the coaches again on this one.

Night and day difference between last year and this year. EJ had 100+ touches in the B1G and looked like a #1 back since Dana took over. I think Nelson and Mozee are talented but neither were trusted to carry the ball more than what 3x in a B1G game? I think an experienced transfer at least raises the floor of the RB room.

IM4NUAlways said:

Barney needs to never return KOs. Never that good at it and obviously makes terrible decisions. Better at Punt returner.

It really feels like Barneys stupid decisions towards the end of the year were a sticking point between Ek and Rhule. Which makes the Kenneth Williams departure even harder to swallow.

FrantzHardySwag said:

Night and day difference between last year and this year. EJ had 100+ touches in the B1G and looked like a #1 back since Dana took over. I think Nelson and Mozee are talented but neither were trusted to carry the ball more than what 3x in a B1G game? I think an experienced transfer at least raises the floor of the RB room.

I hear you but EJ was the same in ‘24. Wasn’t trusted with more than a few carries at a time. No diff.

Sometimes, maybe even often times, you don't get along well with co-workers or bosses. In a 40 hour a week job it can be difficult, but you can maintain professionalism and get through it. As a coach working ungodly hours per week I am sure that it makes sense to move on if you are able. So any strife between Rhule and Ek probably doesn't make going to work a fun or rewarding situation. I don't blame either coach if they parted ways. I also find it interesting that everyone on here was excited that the Raiola family no longer held sway over the program. A lot of comments about the program being bigger than one person. But when it comes to Ek people are turning on Rhule. Why sell out a staff for one staff member who has been here a year. Aurich got to see the coaching first hand, and obviously had free reign on hires. If he though Dvorcek was not cutting it, then we would have seen a new coach brought in. I would also guess since Aurich will be helping to coach LBs there may not have been a way to get EK involved that wouldn't throw everything into a tizzy.

Steven Sipple said:

To be fair to Rhule, it puts him in kind of a spot. Does he dictate to Aurich what he has to do with Ekeler? Should Rhule have demoted Dvoracek? I don't think that would've been fair but life's not always fair.

Rhule didn't have an issue making it clear that Williams was going to be the secondary coach to whoever the DC was. I support letting the DC bring in his guys, that is the way you reorganize a business that is failing, but Rhule's hands off approach with his staff hasn't' seemed to be the most productive way based on results and staff turnover to date. And how many layers of staff do we need now????? The more people communicating the message the muddier the message becomes.

I think its key that Aurich has a coach who knows his system at all three levels of the D and that has to come first, IMO. Ek is a very good ST coach but apparently high maintenance. I wish Ek wanted to be "the" ST guy and we were prepared to pay him as such.

We didn't need Eckler bringing any more fire to that high energy defense we had last year anyway.

Ek in LA 🤔 Yes that hyper active persona will fit in real well there 🙄 Any bets where he is next year at this time?