Matt Rhule was hired as Nebraska’s 31st head coach on Nov. 26, 2022, and he led the Cornhuskers to a 5-7 record in his first season in 2023. Rhule has more than a decade of head coaching experience having previously served as head coach of the Carolina Panthers in the National Football League with successful collegiate stints leading the Baylor and Temple programs.
The 2023 season marked Rhule’s 12th season as a head coach and his 27th season as a full-time coach. Highly regarded as a program builder and player developer, Rhule has a proven track record of collegiate success.
The 48-year-old Rhule orchestrated quick rebuilds at both Baylor and Temple. Temple won only two games in Rhule’s first season but in year three, the Owls set a school record for victories and played in the conference championship game. After leading Temple to a conference title the next season, Rhule moved on to Baylor with similar success. The Bears won only one game in Rhule’s first season but in his third year, Baylor won a school-record 11 games and played in the Big 12 Championship Game and the Sugar Bowl. Rhule experienced greater success in his first season at Nebraska, guiding the Huskers to five victories.
The news of Rhule’s hiring comes as little surprise after ESPN’s Chris Low reported Friday that Nebraska had “zeroed in” on him as its top head coaching candidate.
Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien, Kansas head coach Lance Leipold and Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell were also reported candidates for the Nebraska head coaching job.
Rhule spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Panthers, though he was fired during the 2022 campaign amid a 1-4 start.
Before serving as head coach of the Panthers, Rhule spent three seasons as head coach of the Baylor Bears from 2017 through 2019, going 19-20 and 1-1 in bowl games. He was also head coach of the Temple Owls from 2013-16, leading the team to a 28-23 record in his four seasons. However, the Owls were 0-2 in bowl games.
Rhule will take over for Mickey Joseph, who was named interim head coach after Frost was fired.
Nebraska fired Frost after a 1-2 start to the 2022 campaign. The Cornhuskers began the season with a 31-28 loss to Northwestern and a 45-42 defeat to Georgia Southern.
In five years with Nebraska, Frost led the school to a 16-31 record and no bowl game appearances.
The Cornhuskers finished the 2022 campaign with a 4-8 record.
Rhule will now be tasked with leading the school to its first winning season since 2016, when it went 9-4 under Mike Riley.
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