Nebraska’s march to Thursday night’s showdown with Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium didn’t begin in fall camp. It didn’t start in the summer, or when spring ball kicked off, or even with winter workouts and mat drills when players first returned to campus.
It didn’t even begin after Nebraska finally ended its postseason drought — making its first bowl appearance since 2016 and earning its first win since 2015 with a victory over Boston College in the Pinstripe Bowl.
No, this campaign started the moment Iowa kicker Drew Stevens drilled a 53-yard field goal to sink the Huskers to a 6-6 regular season. That gut-punch left Nebraska and head coach Matt Rhule staring at a truth: this version of the Huskers has to be better. Not just in the win column, but in the way it looks — as a program climbing toward relevance, not one treading water in mediocrity.
To their credit, Rhule and his staff wasted no time. They attacked the transfer portal, landing both high-profile names from major programs and overlooked talent from the FCS ranks. Heading into Thursday night, 12 transfers appear on Nebraska’s depth chart — many filling spots where in-house options simply weren’t good enough.
Back in November, Rhule vowed he’d do whatever it took to give Nebraska its best chance to win. That meant hard decisions: parting ways with longtime allies at coordinator positions, replacing assistants he valued, and even bringing back trusted lieutenant Phil Snow to help guide the defense.
These weren’t the moves of a coach banking on steady, natural growth in year three. These were the moves of a coach who knows the clock is ticking. And his message since? Nebraska is better — right now — than the team that ended last season.
The roster shows it. On the offensive line, the Huskers added Rocco Spindler, a guard who started for a national title contender, and Elijah Pritchett, a former SEC starter now battling Gunnar Gottula. At receiver, they sought players more capable of beating press coverage — guys like Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter, who Dana Holgorsen believes can unlock freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola’s full potential.
Special teams saw a total overhaul under new coordinator Mike Ekeler, who was given full control to rebuild the unit. Nebraska didn’t just replace graduates — they moved on from veterans too, including punter Jack McAllister, who was pushed out by an Australian specialist already lined up.
Defensively, speed was the priority. Coaches want a scheme that brings chaos to offenses, raising the ceiling — and the risks — of every snap.
Meanwhile, Rhule has remained ever-present. Interviews, podcasts, social media content, a marketing blitz — Nebraska football is louder and more visible than it has been in years. Enthusiasm is high.
But all of that only matters if Nebraska now takes the next step. Not because of some magical third-year turnaround. Not because Raiola’s talent can’t be wasted. Not because the Big Ten schedule is favorable.
No — it’s time because Rhule has rebuilt nearly every major position on his staff but his own. And if Nebraska doesn’t show results this season, he risks stepping into 2026 as a man out of answers.
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