Nebraska mortgaged its future on Matt Rhule. Now comes the hope part

Story by

Matt Hayes, USA TODAY

Wed, May 6, 2026 ·

4 min read

Here’s the problem with this hope thing at Nebraska : It’s 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.

“We are in a sprint,” Rhule said last month after the Huskers finished spring practice. “And it’s different for each person maybe right now.”

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Don’t 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.

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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.

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The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl mascots perform on the field before a game between the Michigan Wolverines and Texas Longhorns at Camping World Stadium.

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Washington Huskies head coach Jedd Fisch holds the LA Bowl championship belt presented by Rob Gronkowski after defeating the Boise State Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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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 he’s thinking about leaving for his alma mater, you say do what you must and take another swing at hiring someone who can — how can I say this with a simple, bare bones ask? — beat Iowa .

My god, imagine that laughable concept a couple of decades ago.

You don’t just offer up an extension, and hope it works and hope he’s the one. Hope you’re 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 doesn’t come to that.

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Hope doesn’t get you off the field with third-down defense, and doesn’t convert on third-down offense.

Hope doesn’t help your quarterback complete 70% of his passes, and have a 4-to-1 or better touchdown-to-interception ratio.

Hope doesn’t help you run the ball in the red zone, and dictate tempo on both sides of the ball.

And it sure as hell doesn’t help you win games.

Hope has averaged six losses a season at Nebraska, and has produced three NFL Draft selections in three years — all three after the 2024 season.

Hope canceled a 2026-27 home-and-home series with Tennessee last September because of — ahem — stadium renovations . Hope replaced those heavyweight nonconference games with Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio).

Hope is 0-8 vs. ranked teams, adding to Nebraska’s 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.

And finally, hope’s name in 2026 is Anthony Colandrea .

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.

Nebraska’s starting quarterbacks since Eric Crouch won the Heisman Trophy in 2001 reads like a Who’s 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 you’ve 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. There’s no more basic way to explain the game of football — 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.

That’s 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.

“The thing about Anthony is he’s playing 100 mph,” Rhule said. “He’s going to just try to make plays, and he’s going to trust the guys to make the plays.”

So there’s your hope — 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 .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nebraska doubles down on Matt Rhule ahead of pressure‑packed season