Matt Rhule coaching history: Exploring Nebraska HC's coaching history
Matt Rhule made his return to the collegiate level this season after a brief stint in the NFL. In his first season leading the Nebraska Cornhuskers, he has gotten off to a 5-6 start.
While Rhule has plenty of job security by virute of the eight-year, $74 million contract he signed last November, things have not been great on the field thus far. Take a look at his coaching history below.
Where has Matt Rhule coached in his college and NFL career?
Matt Rhule played linebacker for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1994 through 1997 before serving as a volunteer assistant briefly. He was soon named linebackers coach of the Albright Lions, lasting just one season before joining the Buffalo Bulls as a defensive line coach for two seasons. Rhule took the same position with the UCLA Bruins for one season.
He spent four seasons with the Western Carolina Catamounts, serving as linebackers coach, special teams coach and, for the latter three, associate head coach.
Ahead of the 2006 season, Rhule joined the Temple Owls, spending six seasons in multiple roles, which included defensive line coach, quarterbacks coach, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach.
Following the 2011 season, he was unsuccessfully interviewed for the Owls' head coaching vacancy. However he joined the New York Giants as an assistant offensive line coach. Matt Rhule returned to Temple after just one season receiving his first head coaching opportunity.
He spent four seasons in the role, leading the Owls to a 28-23 record that included back-to-back ten win seasons in 2015 and 2016, the latter of which included an American Athletic Conference Championship.
His success over his final two years landed him a head coaching opportunity with the Baylor Bears. After a 1-11 season in his first year leading the program, Rhule bounced back with 7-6 and 11-3 seasons, finishing his tenure with a 19-20 record.
He was named Big 12 Coach of the Year in 2019, his final season leading the Bears, after getting off to a 9-0 start and finishing the regular season with an 11-1 record.
Matt Rhule received his first NFL head coaching opportunity following the season as he signed a seven-year, $62 million contract with the Carolina Panthers.
His stint was largely unsuccessful as the Panthers were just 11-27 and he was unceremoniously fired five games into his third season with the program. Although the Nebraska Cornhuskers are not eliminated from bowl eligibility, they will need to defeat the 9-2 No.16-ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in Week 13 to qualify for a bowl game.