Matt Rhule was once a linebacker at Penn State. Specifically, he was a freshman when Nebraska and the Nittany Lions faced off in the polls 28 years ago.
A former Penn State teammate, Brandon Noble, who coached the defensive line at Temple in 2013 for Rhule, once told NJ.com, Matt always had a chip on his shoulder. I think you have to, to be a college football player, especially in a big program. You’re always trying to prove people wrong.”
Noble goes into much more detail about the traits of Rhule that helped make him such a success in previous head coaching stops at Temple and Baylor University.
But we’re highlighting that walk-up quote in this space for good reason. Because in addition to this week’s scholarship and portal additions, Nebraska also announced four walk-in engagements.
All names had been reported, but are now officially in the fold: running back Cole Ballard of Elkhorn South, linebacker Korver Demma of Gretna, tight end Cayden Echternach of Bellevue West and offensive lineman Grant Seagren of Oakland-Craig.
It came on a Wednesday when new Nebraska football coach Rhule stressed the importance of always starting at home to build a program. It’s something he backed in his first week on the job when he bounced the state back, making local perspectives a priority. And before the end of his signing day press conference on Wednesday, he made sure to wish good luck to those in the state who did not choose the Huskers, while congratulating those who signed in divisions lower than FBS.
No matter what level you play, “college football is awesome,” he told them, recalling one of his favorite years was coaching at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Anyone can nod, though Husker fans can attest that it’s especially great when you’re on top.
Weekends before signing day, Rhule told the Husker fan base at halftime of a basketball game at Pinnacle Bank Arena that his goal was to create a Nebraska program that young children who see the state team as special.
Knowing as a young child, even in New York, even in Pennsylvania, that this ‘N’ or that helmet was the best of the best of the best,” Rhule said then. “And to every 9-year-old, 10-year-old, 11-year-old in the state of Nebraska and across the country , we won’t rest until it means that to you.
Besides the Ws, how do you make in-state recruiting look like that?
“The best thing that I can do, that our team can do, is for every player that comes here and plays for us to go here and say, ‘You know what? That was great. I developed myself,'” Rhule said. “They’ll go back to their cities and they’ll say to the people, ‘You know what, what they say is true and right. This is the best resume we have. This is our specification. Every high school coach has to say, “I want my guys to go out there and play for this staff because they do it right.”
One way to do it right?
“We’re not going to play games, ‘Hey, you’re good enough for a scholarship but we really don’t want to give (it)…’ We’re going to give scholarships when they’re good enough and we’re going to bring them here and coach them.”
As time goes on, we’ll see more of what Rhule envisions for the ideal setup in Nebraska, but the four announced as commitments on Wednesday get things started on that front.
Cole Ballard: The 6-foot-0, 190-pound running back from Elkhorn South rushed for 1,491 yards and had 275 receiving yards last season. He scored 38 touchdowns, including tying a state record with seven in one game. He was also a second-team all-stater as a junior when he rushed for 1,208 yards then.
Korver Demma: The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker had 132 tackles during his high school career, including 23 sacks and 44 tackles for loss. He also had six pass breakups, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two blocked punts. In addition to helping Gretna compete in the state title match for the past two years, he also wrestles and is involved in athletics.
Cayden Echternach: The 6-foot-3, 250-pound tight end had 17 catches for 200+ yards and two touchdowns last year at Bellevue West after playing the Omaha Burke program his first three years. He had 190 receiving yards as a junior at Burke.
Grant Seagren: The 6-foot-6, 250-pound offensive lineman played both ends of the ball for Oakland-Craig as a tight end and defensive lineman. His team won the Class C-2 state title while there in 2019 and was a two-time district champion. Also competing in basketball and track, he had 186 receiving yards and four touchdowns as a senior, along with 27 tackles and four TFLs on defense.
Walk-on or scholarship, Rhule spoke on Wednesday about wanting young kids in the state to dream of playing for Nebraska. And, yes, obviously bringing the Huskers back to a bigger stage is a main ingredient in that.
“You grow up and your best memories come here and watch great games,” Rhule said. “But the way you win is just sort of day-to-day management. We’ll get there. But it’s important to me that the kids know it’s a possibility.”
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