The year 2025 opened up with a big hit for Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Huskers fam hunted down a wide receiver in the transfer portal – Hardley Gilmore IV, from Kentucky. Rhule must have had some high expectations to have found the perfect replacement for Jaylen Lloyd. Yes, the Wildcats might have been upset with this move by Rhule. After all, they were reportedly working on bringing him back. While at that time they might have felt some pain in their heart to have lost Gilmore, they are now letting out a sigh of relief. That’s because the WR became somewhat of a burden for Nebraska. So much so that Rhule had to get rid of him. The reason behind Gilmore’s dismissal? Misconduct. But turns out that the WR even tried to play clever with a CFB analyst.

The 6-foot-1, 178-pound wide receiver played in the last seven games for the Wildcats after missing the first five because of an injury. The 2024 season also marked his first collegiate start versus Murray State. He turned heads with a 52-yard touchdown pass on Kentucky’s opening possession. Back with Kentucky, he had played seven games as a freshman and caught six passes for 153 yards. But the time has come when fans are no longer interested in the numbers. Rhule announced on Saturday, April 5, about dismissing Gilmore. However, the HC refused to disclose the reason behind his decision. “Nothing outside the program, nothing criminal or anything like that. Just won’t be with us anymore.” That’s when Nebraska insider Wilson Dittman took this up on his podcast.

On the April 5 episode of the Wilson Dittman Sports podcast, he explored the whole Gilmore dismissal saga. “Matt Rhule didn’t say why he [Gilmore] got kicked off the team, but the rumor was theft and a couple other culture issues.” However, the analyst refused to blindly accept the reason dished out by the news portals. Instead, he had put on the detective hat to find the truth. “I messaged a player on the team, he confirmed that. I messaged another person associated with the team, he confirmed that Hardley Gilmore was no longer with the squad.” But still, Dittman wanted to know the other side of the story. What was his next move? 

“I ended up DM-ing Hardley Gilmore on Instagram. I said, ‘Hey, I wish you the best luck this that and the third.’ He calls me. I give him my phone number. I say, ‘Hey, hit me up if you want to tell me anything.’ He calls me about 10 minutes later, and I said, ‘Hardley Gilmore, what’s up? This is what’s going on, this is what I know. Is this all true?’… He said, ‘I’m still with Nebraska; I’m still in Nebraska.’ Turns out that was all a lie.” Yes, somehow, the WR wanted to whitewash his image. After all, he had picked up heavy praise when he was only 17. Moreover, he hails from Pahokee, a small town in Palm Beach County that has been known for producing more than a dozen NFL players. 

Recently, Gilmore was spotted running a drill during spring practice at Memorial Stadium on March 27. He came off as a great package possessing good hands with aggressive speed. However, when it came to balancing his on and off-the-field shenanigans is when he faltered. As Dittman shared, “And this is what I told you guys since he got to Nebraska was. I’m not worried about him on the field. I’m worried about him off the field. What he does from Monday to Friday. That’s what I’m worried about.” Gilmore was one of four highly touted receivers who joined the team in January, along with fellow transfers Dane Key (Kentucky) and Nyziah Hunter (Cal) and 2025 signee Cortez Mills. However, Rhule must have been extra careful while landing Gilmore.

Legal woes keep stacking up for Nebraska Football

Back in December last year, Hardley Gilmore was cited on a criminal charge. While he might have thought that gaining a green pass into Huskers fam would have been a checkmark in his favor, he was wrong. As reported by the Lexington Herald-Leader, Gilmore was charged on December 7 with misdemeanor assault after allegedly punching someone in the face at a storage unit in downtown Lexington. As Rhule cleans house, Nebraska’s legal baggage keeps piling up.

In 2023, just two days before the first game of the season, a Nebraska Football player was arrested for burglary. That was none other than 21-year-old Arik Gilbert. As reported by the Lincoln Police, the tight end broke into SJ’s Liquor and Vape at 27th and O Streets around 2 AM. The police also had footage from the surveillance cameras. It captured Rhule’s player breaking into the store and rummaging through the merchandise. 

He did not use any weapon. Rather picked up large cement pieces from a nearby parking lot to break the glass to the front door. Arik Gilbert reportedly stole $1,600 worth of items, including vape products, Delta 8, cigars, and lighters. It came as a big shock for Matt Rhule. As he said, “When we took Arik, we knew we had a really good group of people who were going to help him through some of the issues he’s dealing with in his life… We have a great group of people here trying to help him and then, obviously, last night happens.” No matter how hard Coach Rhule works to build a winning culture, misconduct keeps throwing a wrench in his plans.