Nebraska faces a pivotal Year 4 under coach Matt Rhule, relying on hope rather than a solid plan as they navigate a new quarterback and vision. The team's future is at stake with a recent contract extension tied to this uncertain outlook.
Key points
Nebraska is in Year 4 under coach Matt Rhule.
The team has a new quarterback and vision.
Rhule's contract extension is based on hope.
The future of the program is considered mortgaged.
There is a sense of urgency expressed by Rhule.
Mentioned in this story
Matt Rhule
NebraskaBig Ten
Hereās the problem with this hope thing at Nebraska: Itās not a plan.
But that's what's left for the Huskers in Year 4 under coach Matt Rhule, a crossroads season with a new quarterback and a new vision. And a contract extension based on hope.
That and a mortgaged future.
āWe are in a sprint,ā Rhule said last month after the Huskers finished spring practice. āAnd itās different for each person maybe right now.ā
Donāt blame Rhule for his extension in the middle of last season, when Penn State may or may not have been interested, and Nebraska bit. A deal that extended him two years, but mortgaged more money in the long run by guaranteeing 90% of his salary through 2032.
Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas
Tony the Tiger stands on the field after the coin toss before a football game between Duke and Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
Q&A
What challenges does Nebraska face in Year 4 under Matt Rhule?
Nebraska is navigating a crossroads season with a new quarterback and an unclear vision, relying on hope rather than a concrete plan.
What does Matt Rhule mean by 'we are in a sprint'?
Matt Rhule's statement indicates a sense of urgency for the team as they prepare for the upcoming season, emphasizing the need for quick progress.
How does the contract extension affect Nebraska's future?
The contract extension for Matt Rhule ties the team's future to an uncertain outlook, as it is based on hope rather than a proven strategy.
What are the implications of Nebraska's reliance on hope for the upcoming season?
Relying on hope could lead to instability and challenges in performance, as the team lacks a clear plan for success in the competitive Big Ten.
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Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz is doused with gatorade after defeating the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
Head coach Clay Helton of the Georgia Southern Eagles receives a Powerade dunk after winning the JLab Birmingham Bowl by beating the Appalachian State Mountaineers 29-10 at Protective Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
Interim Head Coach Terry M. Smith of the Penn State Nittany Lions lifts the championship trophy following the game against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2025 in New York City.
BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) and head coach Kalani Sitake are presented a large pop-tart to eat after they beat the against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium.
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Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars celebrates with the Texas Bowl Trophy after defeating the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
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Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green raises the championship trophy after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
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1 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas
1 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, Texas
2 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Tony the Tiger stands on the field after the coin toss before a football game between Duke and Arizona State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025.
3 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets quarterback Haynes King (10) greats the Pop-Tarts mascots before the Pop-Tarts Bowl against the BYU Cougars at Camping World Stadium.
4 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
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Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Pop-Tarts mascots celebrate with BYU Cougars after beating Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
6 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl mascots perform on the field before a game between the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns at Camping World Stadium.
7 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Louisville Cardinals players celebrate after defeating the Toledo Rockets in the Boca Raton Bowl at Flagler CU Stadium.
8 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
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9 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
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10 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Actor Keegan-Michael Key receives the game coin prior to the 2025 Bush's Boca Raton Bowl of Beans game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Toledo Rockets at Flagler Credit Union Stadium on December 23, 2025 in Boca Raton, Florida.
11 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Comedians Theo Von, left, and Nate Bargatze watch from the sidelines during the first half of the ReliaQuest Bowl between Iowa Hawkeyes and Vanderbilt Commodores at Raymond James Stadium on December 31, 2025 in Tampa, Florida.
12 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Head coach Jeff Traylor of the UTSA Roadrunners is doused with water by Jamel Hardy #13 during the fourth quarter against the FIU Panthers in the 2025 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl at Gerald J. Ford Stadium on December 26, 2025 in Dallas, Texas.
13 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Army Black Knights head coach Jeff Monken gets splashed with Powerade after Army beat UConn 41-16 in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park.
14 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green is doused after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
15 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Northwestern Wildcats players dump Gatorade on head coach David Braun of the Northwestern Wildcats after defeating the Central Michigan Chippewas in the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on December 26, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
16 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Head coach John Hauser of the Ohio Bobcats is doused with water after winning the game against the UNLV Rebels at the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl at Ford Center on December 23, 2025 in Frisco, Texas.
17 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Virginia Cavaliers head coach Tony Elliott is doused with Gatorade after winning the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl at EverBank Stadium Saturday December 27, 2025 in Jacksonville, Fla. Virginia defeated Missouri 13-7.
18 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Fresno State Bulldogs head coach Matt Entz is doused with gatorade after defeating the Miami (OH) RedHawks during the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl at Casino Del Sol Stadium.
19 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Head coach Clay Helton of the Georgia Southern Eagles receives a Powerade dunk after winning the JLab Birmingham Bowl by beating the Appalachian State Mountaineers 29-10 at Protective Stadium on December 29, 2025 in Birmingham, Alabama.
20 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Interim Head Coach Terry M. Smith of the Penn State Nittany Lions lifts the championship trophy following the game against the Clemson Tigers during the 2025 Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27, 2025 in New York City.
21 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier (47) and head coach Kalani Sitake are presented a large pop-tart to eat after they beat the against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Camping World Stadium.
22 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Ken Seals #9 of the TCU Horned Frogs celebrates with teammates after defeating the USC Trojans in the game at the Alamodome on December 30, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas.
23 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Head coach Willie Fritz of the Houston Cougars celebrates with the Texas Bowl Trophy after defeating the Louisiana State Tigers during the Kinder's Texas Bowl at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
24 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Conner Weigman #1 of the Houston Cougars is named Texas Bowl MVP during the Kinder's Texas Bowl against the Louisiana State Tigers at NRG Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
25 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Maverick McIvor #7 of the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers reacts as he recieves the MVP trophy after his team defeated the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles to win the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl at Caesars Superdome on December 23, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
26 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Old Dominion Monarchs hoist the Cure Bowl trophy after beating the South Florida Bulls at Camping World Stadium.
27 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Jacksonville State Gamecocks running back Khristian Lando (22) hoists the trophy as Troy Trojans take on Jacksonville State Gamecocks during the IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala. on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. Jacksonville State Gamecocks defeated Troy Trojans 17-13.
28 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Interim head coach Drew Svoboda of the North Texas Mean Green raises the championship trophy after his team defeated the San Diego State Aztecs 49-47 in the Isleta New Mexico Bowl at University Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
29 / 30
Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
Micah Alejado #12 of the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors holds up the Hawai'i Bowl Championship trophy after winning the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl over the California Golden Bears at the Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex on December 24, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawai'i.
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Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths
NC State Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren receives the trophy after beating Memphis Tigers in the Gasparilla Bowl at Raymond James Stadium.
If you want to blame someone, blame Nebraska wiggling with a giant hook in its mouth.
If the agent of a coach with a 19-18 record says heās thinking about leaving for his alma mater, you say do what you must and take another swing at hiring someone who can ā how can I say this with a simple, bare bones ask? ā beat Iowa.
My god, imagine that laughable concept a couple of decades ago.
You donāt just offer up an extension, and hope it works and hope heās the one. Hope youāre not staring at a $63 million buyout at the end of this season.
Or a $54 million buyout at the end of 2027, or $44 million at the end of 2028. All of which, would be more expensive than any other buyout this side of Jimbo Fisher and Brian Kelly.
They damn sure better hope it doesnāt come to that.
Hope doesnāt get you off the field with third-down defense, and doesnāt convert on third-down offense.
Hope doesnāt help your quarterback complete 70% of his passes, and have a 4-to-1 or better touchdown-to-interception ratio.
Hope doesnāt help you run the ball in the red zone, and dictate tempo on both sides of the ball.
And it sure as hell doesnāt help you win games.
Hope has averaged six losses a season at Nebraska, and has produced three NFL Draft selections in three years ā all three after the 2024 season.
Hope canceled a 2026-27 home-and-home series with Tennessee last September because of ā ahem ā stadium renovations. Hope replaced those heavyweight nonconference games with Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio).
Hope is 0-8 vs. ranked teams, adding to Nebraskaās utter humility in those games during the College Football Playoff era. A 2-34 record does not hope make, son.
Hope is another season, another loss to bitter rival Iowa. Which, of course, coincides with hope and a 2-10 record in November.
We can look at the fall of the Nebraska program from any number of angles. Poor coaching hires, poor recruiting. Poor culture, poor player development.
All have played a role, none have had more impact than the failure to recruit (high school or transfer portal) and develop an elite quarterback. The game revolves around the position, the undeniable fuel of winning programs.
Nebraskaās starting quarterbacks since Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy in 2001 reads like a Whoās Who of who cares. Among the 25-year run: Jammal Lord, Joe Dailey, Joe Ganz, either of the Martinezes (neither could protect the ball), Jeff Sims, Heinrich Haarberg, Dylan Raiola, and stop me when youāve puked enough.
You will not win games at an elite level, will not play for championships, unless your quarterback is among the best players in your league. Thereās no more basic way to explain the game of football ā at any level.
So if you want to blame Frank Solich or Bill Callahan or Mike Riley or Scott Frost or Rhule for anything, blame them for not recruiting and developing an elite quarterback. This fall, Rhule will have his fifth starting quarterback when the Huskers begin the season against Ohio (not Tennessee).
Colandrea played at a high level last season at UNLV, accounting for 33 touchdowns (10 rush), and 4,108 yards (649 rush). Those are legitimate, game-changing numbers.
Thatās quarterback play that could move beyond a brutal schedule, and into a breakout season. Especially with one of the best offensive lines in the Big Ten, and a defense that returns nearly 60% of the snap counts from a group that finished 30th in the nation in total defense.
āThe thing about Anthony is heās playing 100 mph,ā Rhule said. āHeās going to just try to make plays, and heās going to trust the guys to make the plays.ā
So thereās your hope ā which is all you can ask for at this point.
Especially with $63 million riding on it.
Matt Hayes is the senior national college football writer for USA TODAY Sports Network. Follow him on X at @MattHayesCFB.
