Matt Rhule and Nebraska were not this miserable. A few weeks back, when the Cornhuskers sat at 5-1 with a narrow loss to Illinois, the college football playoff path didn’t seem to be a far-fetched call. But some games were down and the reality took a pear shape. The Huskers are nowhere in the playoff picture, dropping the pigskin in their last four games. Their bowl eligibility hangs in the balance depending on their potential win against either Wisconsin or Iowa. What a pathetic state to be in! If you’re a Nebraska fan, you may have felt the ache in your heart realizing the dip, but to your dismay, the woes stretch beyond. The Huskers are heading to an inevitable heartbreak for their faulty roster inclusion.

Rhule will face one of the digest moments of his decade-long coaching career when he will have no option left but to hand a goodbye letter to some of the stores from his overflow 150-man roster. Blame the NCAA legislation for the disaster as much as you can, but the pain persists.

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‘I can’t even imagine like the reactions from with 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,” insider Mitch Sherman spilled the gospel of an NCAA new norm that abides by a $2.78 billion antitrust containing the awful roster-limiting rule.“You can be in the program for three years before you have to step to the Forefront 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,” Sherman elucidated with a sigh.

Truly, a gut-wrenching phase for coach Rhule to undergo. He is not even aware of who is going to send to the transfer portal on a random spree. All as the insider, a fans’ instinct could catch is that it’s gonna be ”very painful for Nebraska to have to part ways with 40 or 50 players after this season”. It’s an add to the misery amidst a rough season. 

Matt Rhule carries the weight of a heartbreaking NCAA rule on his shoulders

Some of the players who joined force in a maddening recruiting hype didn’t even move the ball enough. Some of them didn’t even suit up for a game. How tough it would be for a coach to go and tell them straightaway they need to find another home to settle! The mere sight is giving us chills down the spines.

Coach Rhule currently resembles a helpless father advocating for his kids’ well-being and security. The 49-year-old revealed some folks just want to be a husker. They just want to be in the practice and contribute to the team. Rhule believes these back-burner guys will change the world someday. The new buds will bloom in their full grace, keeping the world on watch. All they need is just a little prop to hold up.

Rhule could be their Robinhood, but sigh! The coach has his power in check amidst the legislative boundaries. There are plenty of stories hovering around the NCAA roster crash. The story that will never make a headline talks about Grant (Buda), a 3,9 student who got a chance to hit on the camp because of his good work last summer. He strives to be an NFL doctor, specifically an NFL orthopedic surgeon. It would be tough for Rhule to rip his heart apart with a single notice.

Riley doesn’t forget about John Butler, the Creighton Prep grad who ranked second on the team as a linebacker this season and is now probably counting days for his departure.

The coming weekend on the Memorial Stadium, emotions will overwhelm as the dozens of guy, for the very last time, will put on their pads as Huskers. But who cares! Rhule said, ”I want to honor all the kids”. The honor might not just mean giving them institutional validation, but also owning them as Huskers for life officially or unofficially!