After a close loss to the No. 21 Michigan Wolverines on Saturday, Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule’s message was simple going into the idle week.
“We’re going to have to play better, we’re going to have to coach better,” Rhule said Monday afternoon.
Nebraska lost 30-27 to the Wolverines in both teams’ Big Ten opener at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.
Husker sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola was 30-of-41 for 308 yards, three touchdowns and one interception while taking seven sacks. Nebraska’s defense struggled to stop the run, allowing 286 rushing yards, including touchdown runs of 37, 75 and 54 yards.
Rhule said that he’s upset with the loss but encouraged about the future.
“I always believe that two things can be true,” Rhule said. “You can feel like, ‘Hey we’re excited about the ascension that we’re on; we’re also very disappointed with the result on Saturday.’”
Rhule shared that on Sunday he spent time with the players going over game tape, and giving words of encouragement.
“As I’ve said to our players, I think it’s really, really important for us right now as a coaching staff, and really a football program, to have a very calculated response,” Rhule said. “Not to overreact, not to underreact, but just to be very disciplined in the way that we see things. What I’ve asked our guys not to do, is not to settle for the narrative of how we’re just a couple plays away. I like to think that’s a deadly, deadly thing, when you start saying things like that.
“I think I showed them probably 45 plays yesterday that could have been the difference in the game. So for us, this is what the Big Ten is. It’s going to be exciting games that come down to the end.”
The third-year coach made a point to hold everyone accountable for their performance.
“It’s all 11 guys out there that all have to make these plays for us to be successful,” Rhule said. “I think we look like a well-coached team in terms of no penalties, we’re disciplined, we’re not beating ourselves. It just all has to come to fruition, and hopefully we can get hot doing that. I’m pretty sure we will.”
With junior Emmett Johnson being Nebraska’s clear No. 1 running back, Rhule said he’s made it a goal of his to establish a No. 2 back during the idle week.
“I’m not trying to blow off the question, that’s literally the question I asked this morning,” Rhule said on who the No. 2 running back is. “So I’ve challenged the staff to, ‘Hey let me know how you guys see it; I know how I see it,’ and kind of go from there.”
For now, Rhule and the Huskers will continue to work and prepare for Michigan State on Oct. 4.
“When I have to get up in the morning, I say to myself like, ‘You’ve got a lot to build on that’s way better than it was,’” Rhule said. “Keep building, keep building, keep building.”
