Matt Rhule, the betting favorite to replace the recently fired James Franklin as the head football coach at Penn State, will be in State College, Pennsylvania on November 22nd. This has been confirmed.
Rhule will be on the sidelines that Saturday coaching the visiting Nebraska Cornhuskers when they face the Nittany Lions in a Big Ten conference football contest. After the game heâll board a plane with his Husker players and assistant coaches and head back to Lincoln.
The oddsmakers think Rhule â a former Nittany Lion linebacker and assistant coach â will be heading back to Pennsylvania after the season to become the next coach at his alma mater. The reasons are obvious. Aside from his ties to the school, Rhule has a well-earned reputation as a college football program builder. Previous stints at Temple (where he worked closely with current Penn State Athletic Director Pat Kraft) and Baylor were successful, especially by year three. Now in his third season at Nebraska, Rhule has the Cornhuskers revitalized, sitting at 6-2 with a shot at a nice New Yearâs bowl destination. Heâs already made a lot of friends in the heartland.
Matt Rhule Loves Everything About Penn State
Rhule has not been shy talking about his affection for all things Penn State. âAgain, I love that place, I love Pat (Kraft), I love James Franklin and am sad that came to an end. I wish him the absolute best. But I’m really happy here.”
At every turn, Rhule has professed his love for his current surroundings. That, as well as the desires of his family, could most certainly keep him in Lincoln long term.
In fact, there are rumblings that a healthy new contract extension is in the works and could be announced soon.
Matt Rhule Loves Everything About Nebraska, Too
“This place is elite,” Rhule told the Nebraska media after Franklin was fired and his name surfaced at a possible replacement. After the Huskers defeated Northwestern to move to 6-2 on the season, he voiced more positives about his current situation.
“I absolutely love it here,â Rhule stated. âWe have great guys. They work really hard. I love being around a group of guys that has to work so hard. And who want to work so hard at everything. They grind.
âI just want us to continue to take the steps needed for us to turn this thing into a beast and have players all across the country want to come here with the best facilities. We have elite fans. I’m just looking at the future.â
So perhaps money wonât be the only factor in this particular employment scenario.
Rhuleâs Contract Situation Could Make Departing Nebraska Difficult
As things stand, Rhule is under contract for five more seasons. Back in 2022 he signed an eight-year, $74 million contract. And if he does decide to leave, getting out of that contract wonât be easy for Rhule or for Penn State.
Another possible non-monetary factor? Ironically, when Rhule arrived in Lincoln, he was replacing Nebraska alum Scott Frost, whoâs five-year tenure at the helm of his alma materâs football program began with unmatched fanfare and ended in acrimony. Will the lessons of Frostâs experience at his alma mater have an impact on Rhuleâs decision regarding his? Does he want to take the chance of spoiling the goodwill he already has at his alma mater?
There are several candidates to replace Franklin in Happy Valley. Despite what the oddsmakers say, itâs looking more and more like Matt Rhule wonât be one of them.
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