6-5! Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers have a roller coaster ride this season. Back-to-back four defeats in the past six weeks and raised significant concerns about Rhules’s leadership qualities. But what went wrong for them this season? The answer is the poor list of players.

Yes! You heard it right. Now, when Rhule is looking to build a stronger Nebraska team, he takes a hypocritical stance. On November 27, podcaster Connor Hayden highlighted his decision and said, “But what Rhule is saying is he expects 50 guys to transfer since there’s going to be a new roster limit. Think about being a coach. You’re basically forced to cut guys or tell them to leave because they don’t have room for them while at the same time having to add new recruits from high school and other colleges just to build a strong enough roster so they have a chance to beat the Ohio States or Oregons every year. It’s a brutal job.”

Ouch, 50 players is a big number! Does he have any other options? Does not look like so because the new roster limits, which are being introduced in college athletics starting for the new season, stop him. According to the new lawsuit settlement, which took place in October, the NCAA has done away with specific scholarship limits for teams and replaced them with roster caps.

Now the new rule puts a lot of limitations on head coaches. At the same time, it also marks a significant shift in how college programs handle their rosters and scholarships. When the new rule gives flexibility to the coaches to add recruits, it also presents significant challenges that cannot be ignored. Coaches will have to stay within the limit and perform their duties. Well, now we understand the reason behind Rhule’s strong statements. He has a big responsibility on his shoulders while he keeps current players and tries to bring in new talents. Moving forward, let’s see the dark reality of the NCAA’s $2.8 billion settlement.

$2.78 billion antitrust settlement puts Matt Rhule in a hot seat

Goodbyes are not easy but head coach Matt Rhule has no other option. His program is overcrowded with 150 man-rosters. Now that is a big number, and he has to miss out on more than 50 players, the reason being the NCAA’s new regulations.

On November 20, insider Mitch Sherman revealed the reality of the new NCAA rule that comes with a  $2.78 billion antitrust settlement and, of course, the main reason, which includes the controversial roster-limiting rule. “I can’t even imagine the reactions from when some of the hard conversations he’s going to have with players that they’ve brought into this program over the last two years in this mode of being a developmental program where they continue to take Walk-Ons.” 

The insider further added, “You can be in the program for three years before you have to step to the front, even if you are, say, a three-star recruit. There really isn’t room for developmental programs in the world ahead in college football in the way that we’ve seen them from some of, like, the old big 10 West schools  in the last 20 years.” Honestly, this is not going to be easy for Rhule and his staff. As he now is not completely aware of who is going to the transfer portal, expect cornerback Syncere Safeeullah and wide receiver Malachi Coleman. Rhule has a tough job to do but who is leaving after Safeeullah and Malachi?
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