5 things we learned from Matt Rhule’s Nebraska football winter presser

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule met with the media on Saturday and one thing you have to love about coach Rhule is that he’s not afraid to get in-depth.

Rhule talked about the current Nebraska football roster size, what it will look like in the future, the spring game, special teams, and much more.

If you didn’t catch Rhule’s press conference, you can watch the entire thing on YouTube. Here are the five things we learned though from listening to the Nebraska football head coach.

Players that want to play for Nebraska football won’t be able to

This is one thing that stood out to me. Rhule mentioned that Nebraska currently has 126 players on its roster. He said he told all of them where they stand in relation to the 105 and if they would be on it.

Some said, “I’m a Husker” and that Rhule would need to essentially kick them off the team. It’s sad it will come to that but before the season starts, the Huskers and every other team need to be at 105.

There will be some tough decisions and likely more transfers in the spring, but there will be even more at Nebraska due to the walk-on tradition. It’s a damn shame it’s ending.

It’s not a good thing for college football. Then again, not many of the recent changes have been.

A special teams coach hasn’t been hired

Rhule said there hasn’t been a coach hired. Rhule said it won’t be a recruiting position so the Huskers are taking their time.

The Nebraska football head coach did point to the fact that they added a top long-snapper and punter from the transfer portal. They are trying to address the problem with players. Getting Tristan Alvano back healthy would be akin to a transfer portal pickup at kicker and would lead to another kick-off with John Hohl.

I don’t care what anyone says, the coordinator is a key part of it. But the Huskers have at least taken other steps to fix special teams.

Nebraska won’t hold a spring game for a few reasons

Rhule talked about other teams trying to steal away Nebraska football players after the spring game last season and that’s just going to happen. It’s an “open market” as Rhule said and there are no rules. At least none that the NCAA will enforce.

There might be something happening on that day. Troy Dannen said they will celebrate fall sports and that will certainly include fans but the traditional spring game is a thing of the past.

Injuries have to be a consideration too.

Shedding light on the center battle

Rhule named three players among those competing for the starting center job left vacant by Ben Scott. Justin Evans is going to compete for the starting center job after he started at guard last season.

Evans always felt like the 2025 starting center but if Nebraska misses on Rocco Spindler, who is expected to announce his commitment on Sunday,  it might not be the worst thing for Sam Sledge or Jason Maciejczak — the other contenders for the job to win it.

Rhule said that Turner Corcoran, Henry Lutovsky, and Teddy Prochazka would all miss the spring. Carter Nelson will too. Lutovsky started last season and should be in the mix again. Grant Brix and Gibson Pyle could also factor their way into the conversation, but everything starts with center for Nebraska.

That’s a vital position and it feels like Evans has the experience heading into the spring.

The defensive scheme will be different

Nebraska is going to use multiple defensive fronts like it did under Tony White but Rhule said that Huskers wouldn’t use the same 3-3-5. There are still going to be principles of the 3-3-5. Rhule also Nebraska football would play some 3-4 and even some four-man fronts.

Based on their transfer portal pursuits, that makes sense. They have the personnel to play more of a four-man defensive line. We won’t know what the scheme will look like until the fall but based on everything Rhule has said, it will have the ability to be multiple.

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