Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Thanks to Matt’s Two Year Rhule & Dylan Raiola, Nebraska is So Over Scott Frost

Scott Frost may want to coach again, but Matt Rhule’s reign has Husker fans focused on a better future.

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Sep 10
Sep 10

By Rock Westfall

Last week, former Nebraska head coach Scott Frost said he wanted to coach again. Surprisingly, instead of gaslit rage and hate, Husker Nation yawned. It was the best testament yet to Matt Rhule’s successful buildup. 

A Frosty Reception for a No Longer Favored Son  

In an interview with Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com, Scott Frost said he was “dying to get back in” as a college coach. Frost did not get into specifics about Nebraska. Instead, Frost said that he is a good coach, and it is what he does. He believes he belongs as a college coach and that he loves helping to mentor and shape young men. Frost is so desperate to get back in that he would take a coordinator job.

Dodd served as a virtual publicist for Frost, alluding to previous Nebraska coaching failures and leadership issues. There were also attempts at claiming Frost had back luck and that COVID helped derail his rebuilding efforts.

Of course, there is the other side of the story, as told by Nebraska media personality Mike’l Severe. Severe has always had insider connections to the football program and said, when Frost was fired, that Frost was irresponsible and uncooperative. Also, Severe said that there were warning signs that Nebraska should have seen.

Additionally, it was believed that Dylan Raiola was originally lost in his recruitment because of Frost’s behavior. Indeed, during his tenure, there were plenty of rumors, podcasts, and talk radio scuttlebutt regarding Frost’s love of the Lincoln nightlife, to put it mildly. In the end, the Nebraska media lid cover eventually blew wide open.

But what is most interesting is that Nebraska has moved on from Frost. They no longer care. They see Matt Rhule’s historic Year Two track record and Raiola lighting up spring practices. Husker Nation has a laser-like focus on the road ahead. 

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Year 2 Shows Matt’s Rhule Takes Hold

One of the reasons that Husker Nation is blowing off the Scott Frost story is that Matt Rhule is producing one of the greatest offseason performances in recent program history. And while it is true that Nebraska is the reigning and repeating college football offseason national champion there is significant substance to the optimism for 2024.

First, Matt Rhule’s college coaching career always shows a rough first year, followed by a quantum leap in the second and then a national breakout in the third.

For example, at Temple, Rhule went from 2-10 in his rookie campaign, to 6-6 and then 10-4 by Year 3. After a 10-3 season in his fourth year, he left for Baylor. At Baylor, Rhule went 1-11, 7-6, and finally 11-3 in his three years.

The fact that, in 2023, Rhule had Nebraska within one win of bowl eligibility adds to the optimism. While yes, a rebuild in the Portal era isn’t as difficult, this was Rhule’s best first-season performance of his college football coaching career.

Nebraska immediately began its offseason success with an outstanding recruiting class headlined by Dylan Raiola, flipped from none other than the Georgia Bulldogs of the SEC.

During his time in Lincoln, Rhule has connected with the state in a way that Frost never did. Ironically, Rhule is a native New Yorker, while Frost grew up in Wood River, Nebraska, where he played his high school ball before leading Nebraska to its last national championship as its QB in 1997. Yet, if you didn’t know better, you would think Rhule was a native Nebraskan, and Frost was from far away, such as his current home in the Scottsdale, Arizona area.

Rhule’s finest hour was when former athletic director and Husker All-American defensive lineman Trev Alberts bolted for Texas A&M. Despite being on a golf vacation in Scotland, Rhule immediately made an x-post poem “So God Made a Farmer” with videos of past Husker Glory playing as it was read. At that moment, Rhule gave Husker Nation its confidence back and became the most popular man in the state.

Rhule is catching admiration for going against the grain of today’s terrified coaches and demanding that players excel at things they hate doing. He is fearless about losing players to the portal because he is offering them an experience of family, scholarship, university support, and building for a future in a way that few other programs can match.

Speaking of Nebraska Ties, Raiola Has Big Red Bloodlines  

Two of the reasons Nebraska was able to flip Raiola were his family, former Husker All-American, and Rimington Trophy winner Dominic Raiola, who had his #54 retired by the Huskers. And then, Dylan’s uncle, Donovan Raiola, is the Husker offensive line coach.

So far in spring football, Dylan Raiola is looking as good as advertised (5-star recruit). He’s the heavy favorite to win a three-way QB competition and become the starter. Just as important, Raiola is thrilled to be in Lincoln.

“Honestly, I think it’s kind of surreal, and I have a lot of gratitude to be in this university,” he said. “I think it really hit with the last mat drill we had at night in the stadium. I remember just running out; it was just awesome to be in Memorial Stadium. Being a recruit and watching the game isn’t really the same as actually being in the stadium yourself. I’m very grateful to be where I am, surrounded by a great group of guys and coaches.”

Raiola added his love for the state and Big Red fans.

“Nebraska is a special place, and it’s always been like that, and I never take it for granted. How good our fans are, and yeah, I mean, I try to be around my guys as much as possible. Take them out to go eat or play Madden, so it’s been good. I love living here. Not a lot of distractions, a lot of balls, and being around your guys.”

Indeed, Nebraska is all future.

Perhaps someday, Scott Frost will get his shot at better tomorrows.

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