Matt Rhule is entering the all-important Year 3 with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The pressure to deliver might explain his paranoia over the Spring Game.
To be fair, we may need to start referring to it as the "Event formerly known as the Nebraska Spring Game." The head coach doesn't seem to want to play a game this year.
Rhule told reporters that he "highly doubts" a spring game in the traditional sense will be held. He cited tampering as the main reason for that.
Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule says he 'highly doubts' there will be a traditional spring game.
— Lauren Michelson (@LaurenMichelson) February 1, 2025
"The word tampering doesn't exist anymore its just absolute free open common market...I don't want these guys all being able to watch our guys." #Huskers @KETV pic.twitter.com/lQsXHTgvUM
Tampering is rampant across college football, that's undeniable. Do I believe that opposing teams will accomplish less tampering because they don't have the tape from a spring game? Not for one second.
Matt Rhule should be hyping up the Nebraska Spring Game, not squashing it
An unkind reading of this whole thing is Rhule building in excuses. His team lost five of their last six regular-season games to squad to bowl eligibility despite holding five wins in early October. Transfer portal tampering isn't the reason Dylan Raiola's development stagnated in his freshman season, but it's a convenient excuse for any stumbling Nebraska might do in the future.
The funny thing is, Rhule should be giving Nebraska fans reason to be absolutely stoked for this coming season. Afterall, Year 3 is Rhule's money year historically. At Temple, he went 2-10 then 6-6 before skyrocketing to a 10-4 record. With Baylor, he went 1-11 and 7-6 before posting an 11-3 season. His time in Lincoln has followed the same pattern. He went 5-7 and 7-6 in his first two years. This should be when Nebraska is posed to break through.
Nebraska's Spring Game is one of the best attended each year as Huskers fans come out in droves to get a glimpse of their new squad. In 2024, attendence was measured at 60,452, good for fourth nationally.
If 60,000 fans were willing to show up for a 5-7 team, they should be just as excited following their first bowl win since 2015.
It's not clear if the Cornhuskers are going to cancel the game completely. They could put on a fan fest while holding a glorified practice, just to placate the broadcast partners. We'll see. Either way, tampering fears don't feel like a good enough excuse.