When Nebraska hired Matt Rhule in November 2022 after a terrible 4-8 season, the management knew it wouldn’t be a quick fix. The fact that the new head coach was given an eight-year contract meant that the program was in for a long haul. In year 1, Rhule’s Huskers went 5-7. Slight improvement on the previous year, but not enough to make a bowl game. In 2024, with freshman Dylan Raiola as his QB1, Rhule improved to 7-6. Finally, a bowl appearance. What about the 2025 season? With an offense led by Dana Holgorsen, what can we hope for from the Cornhuskers?
Well, there will always be naysayers when it comes to Matt Rhule. However, looking at his Nebraska tenure, one thing that even his doubters can’t deny is progress. One former Husker believes in Rhule and the improvements he has brought into the program. Tommy Armstrong, who started 43 games for Nebraska between 2013-16, knows about the highs and the lows the program has seen since 2016. Before their 2024 appearance, it was during Armstrong’s run as QB1 that Nebraska made bowl games for five consecutive years. What does he make of Rhule’s tenure?
Armstrong had some good words to say about the head coach during an interview with a reporter. He was asked about Year 3 of Matt Rhule. His answer sounded more like a motivation. “Yeah, I think so. Like I said before, if you look at his resume, every year he has improved. From year 1 to year 3. So, he has done a great job of putting himself in the right situation. Like I said before, it just needs time. I know the last few coaches we had, they’ve really only had about three or four years before they kind of got the short end of the stick,” said Armstrong.
It’s safe to say former Husker QB Tommy Armstrong is all for what Matt Rhule is building into year three at Nebraska.#GBR | #Huskers pic.twitter.com/7VlEgr8ugP
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) June 17, 2025
From the looks of it, the Huskers are waiting for the right time and the right players on the recruiting trail, and coach Rhule knows about it. The former QB1 emphasized the HC’s contributions to the team during his tenure. Armstrong said, “He’s actually doing a lot of good things as far as not just the football side, but just the recruiting, getting coaches in. You can tell that it’s not just about the football team; it’s about the collective whole as far as the equipment trainers, the athletic managers, the academic advisors.” Rhule was quite particular about the coaches and made some strong inclusions to the team, especially on the defensive side.
The addition of Phil Snow as associate head coach, Terry Bradden as defensive line coach, and Addison Williams as defensive backs coach. Rhule promoted John Butler to defensive coordinator, and Mike Ekeler was included as special teams coordinator. Armstrong shed light on his conversation with Dennis LeBlanc as well. “I just ran into Dennis LeBlanc yesterday morning and I talked with him for a while. He’s enjoying. He loves everything about his new office. He said it’s twice as big, and that’s the thing a lot of people don’t realize is that coach Rhule has done a lot of things to build everybody together, as far as from the ground and not just from the football experts of the world,” said Armstrong.
However, despite their former QB’s motivating words for the head coach, the Huskers are not doing well on the recruiting front.
Matt Rhule’s Huskers struggle on recruiting trail
It seems like nothing is going right for the Huskers right now. With an already low rank of 67th in the nation and 18th in the Big Ten Conference, Rhule’s team is losing it all when it comes to the 2026 class. They are down to five commits now, as 4-star cornerback CJ Bronaugh decommitted from Nebraska Football on Tuesday. The news came in as a shocker for the team and the fans.
The 6’1 175 CB from Winter Garden had committed in November 2024. Well, the more convincing reason behind this sudden change of mind is the 30 offers that he has now from Florida State, Florida, Arkansas, Baylor, Indiana, Kansas, LSU, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, and more.
The Huskers are clearly lagging behind on the recruiting trail, and this is not good news for them. With this loss, it’s high time for Rhule to own the recruiting trail and grab some of the best in the business. The class of 2026 is a long way from going, but with the right people at the right time, things can turn out differently. Seeking opportunities is something Matt Rhule is best at. But to get in the game, the Huskers must pull off something unexpected.
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