![\"Nebraska](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqyt9dsb5h4eyf5mf1.jpg\" "\\"Nebraska")
<\/p>\nIt might not be what Nebraska Cornhuskers fans want to hear but it\u2019s probably what they need to accept. If Nebraska is going to climb back into national relevance, it won\u2019t start with championships. It won\u2019t start with flashy recruiting wins or offseason hype. <\/p>\n
It will start with something far less exciting and far more uncomfortable: <\/p>\n
Becoming more like Kirk Ferentz. And that means embracing Matt Rhule not as a savior but as a program stabilizer.<\/p>\n
The Truth Nebraska Fans Don\u2019t Want<\/p>\n
Nebraska fans sing along between quarters at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
For decades, Nebraska has lived in the shadow of its own greatness. The 1990s weren\u2019t just dominant, they were defining. They created an identity so powerful that anything short of elite feels like failure and made the expectations of Nebraska football fans sky-high. <\/p>\n
But college football has changed. The landscape is different. The path back isn\u2019t a leap, it\u2019s a climb and feels nearly impossible. <\/p>\n
And right now, Nebraska doesn\u2019t need to be Ohio State. It doesn\u2019t even need to be a playoff contender overnight. It needs to be consistent.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s where the Ferentz comparison comes in, and yes\u2014it stings.<\/p>\n
Why Iowa Is the Blueprint -Whether You Like It or Not![\"Iowa](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqytcy8ghrxkepn6n2.jpg\" "\\"Iowa")
<\/p>\n
Kirk Ferentz has led Iowa football since 1999. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Since being hired by Iowa in 1999, Kirk Ferentz has built one of the most stable programs in the country. It\u2019s not glamorous some people would even say it’s putrid to watch. <\/p>\n
But it works.<\/p>\n
Year after year, Iowa does the following:<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not an accident. That\u2019s culture.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s exactly what Nebraska has been missing.<\/p>\n
Over the past decade, the Huskers haven\u2019t just lost, they\u2019ve been unpredictable. One week competitive, the next completely unrecognizable. Blown leads, poor game management, lack of discipline. Not just losses, but the way those losses happen.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the gap. Not talent. Not resources. Stability<\/p>\n
Nebraska lacks an identity.<\/p>\n
Does Nebraska want a mobile quarterback or do they want to be a pocket passer? Do they want to be a run-first team or do they want to throw the ball around the yard? Do they want a three or four-man front on the defensive line?<\/p>\n
It might sound like simple answers but teams like Iowa have answers to all those questions and it’s why they don’t panic when the game is close in the fourth quarter or against an inferior opponent. <\/p>\n
Matt Rhule\u2019s Real Job![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqyteq3jntapyr6gj5.jpg\" "\\"Matt")
<\/p>\n
Matt Rhule took over at Nebraska following the 2022 season. | Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
When Matt Rhule was hired, the expectation was that he would \u201cfix\u201d Nebraska just like he did at Temple and Baylor. <\/p>\n
But fixing Nebraska doesn\u2019t mean returning to the 90s overnight. It means building a foundation that can actually support success when it comes.<\/p>\n
That starts with:<\/p>\n
There’s no doubt that after three years of Matt Rhule, he has definitely raised the floor with back-to-back seven-win seasons, but the ceiling is still to be determined. <\/p>\n
The Reality Check![\"Matt](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqytjrd69b6qq8ah9r.jpg\" "\\"Matt")
<\/p>\n
Nebraska is 19-19 under Matt Rhule, including back-to-back 7-6 seasons. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
The uncomfortable part of becoming \u201cthe next Kirk Ferentz\u201d might feel like settling to some Nebraska fans. It might feel like lowering expectations. Like admitting Iowa is a better program. But it\u2019s actually the opposite.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s about rebuilding credibility. Programs don\u2019t jump from chaos to championships. They move from chaos to competence, from competence to consistency, and only then to contention.<\/p>\n
Iowa football has lived in that middle tier for years. And while fans may roll their eyes at that model, there\u2019s a reason it works and that’s because it\u2019s sustainable.<\/p>\n
Nebraska hasn\u2019t been sustainable.<\/p>\n
Identity Before Ambition![\"Emmett](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/01kqytntakpkpr30tx6h.jpg\" "\\"Emmett")
<\/p>\n
Emmett Johnson was Nebraska’s lone selection in the 2026 NFL draft. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images<\/p>\n
Nebraska\u2019s biggest problem hasn\u2019t been ambition. It\u2019s been identity.<\/p>\n
For too long, the program has tried to chase what it used to be instead of defining what it needs to become.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why the Ferentz comparison matters. Not because Iowa is the end goal but because it represents the missing step in Nebraska\u2019s rebuild.<\/p>\n
You can’t afford to skip steps in college football anymore. Not with NIL, not with the transfer portal. not with the level of parity across the sport. <\/p>\n
Identity starts with knowing what your team is every single Saturday. These fans deserve to know the identity of their team. But that all starts with a coach who builds, not just promises.<\/p>\n
The Bottom Line<\/p>\n
Nebraska fans care about their football team more than any place in the country and that’s what makes Nebraska so special and different. The passion of this fanbase is second to none. <\/p>\n
Because if Matt Rhule can turn Nebraska into a program that consistently wins, consistently competes, and consistently shows up then the rest will take care of itself.<\/p>\n
Even if it looks a little more like Kirk Ferentz than fans would like to admit.<\/p>\n
Want more from No Block No Rock? Check out their YouTube channel, subscribe for weekly episodes, and visit\u00a0nbnrpodcast.com<\/a>\u00a0for more content.<\/p>\n
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