Nebraska's Rhule doesn't squelch Penn State talk

Matt Rhule professed his emotion for surviving and moving successful Nebraska and trying to instrumentality the Cornhuskers to the precocious echelon of assemblage football.

That said, helium did thing Monday to unopen down speculation that helium could beryllium up for the Penn State job, which opened with Sunday's firing of James Franklin.

Rhule's sanction surfaced instantly arsenic a front-runner due to the fact that of his ties to Penn State. He was a walk-on linebacker astatine Penn State nether Joe Paterno successful the 1990s, met his woman astatine the schoolhouse and is adjacent friends with diversion manager Pat Kraft.

Kraft hired Rhule successful 2012 astatine Temple, wherever helium coached for 4 seasons earlier leaving for Baylor. Rhule near Baylor aft 3 years and coached the Carolina Panthers for two-plus seasons. He came to Nebraska successful December 2022, hired by erstwhile diversion manager Trev Alberts.

Rhule is 17-14 successful 3 seasons successful Lincoln. The Huskers are 5-1 and entered the Associated Press canvass this week astatine No. 25.

"This spot is elite," Rhule said astatine his play availability. "And I privation to beryllium a large father, and I privation to beryllium a large assemblage shot coach. And truthful I'm not going to speech a batch astir occupation openings erstwhile they come."

The 50-year-old Rhule is scheduled to gain $7.5 cardinal this twelvemonth connected a declaration that runs done 2030. If helium were to resign earlier Jan. 1, helium oregon his caller leader would beryllium Nebraska $5 million.

Nebraska had gone 7 seasons without a winning grounds earlier finishing 7-6 successful 2024.

"I perfectly emotion it here," Rhule said, "and I conscionable privation america to proceed to instrumentality the steps needed for america to crook this happening into a beast and person players each crossed the state privation to travel present with the champion facilities. We person elite fans.

"I'm conscionable looking astatine the future, but again, I emotion that spot [Penn State], I emotion Pat, I emotion James Franklin and americium bittersweet that came to an end. I privation him the implicit best. But I'm truly blessed here."

The Huskers play astatine Minnesota connected Friday night.