Where exactly has Nebraska head football coach Matt Rhule been?
A new article by OutKick highlights Rhule’s criticism of $45 million and above rosters afforded by the College Football Playoff contenders of the world, while seemingly forgetting about Lincoln’s $600 million Memorial Stadium project, largely funded via private philanthropy and private bonds, according to reporting by the Nebraska Examiner.
Taking issue with the term “NIL,” or Name, Image and Likeness, Rhule opts for “payroll,” which is already a facet of financing for college football programs around the country following the House vs. NCAA settlement in June of 2025. While Nebraska is among the lower spenders in the Big Ten – their roster payout is around $23.7 million this year – compared to the likes of Oregon, which is putting down over $42 million in hopes of hitting the CFP again this season.
Disclaimer: I generally appreciate Rhule and his role at Nebraska, which has made back-to-back bowl games since 2024 and enters the season favored to go for a third this fall with an over/under of 6.5 wins. But winning costs money, just about anybody around the sport will tell you that – and your local economist will also tell you that roster payroll certainly isn’t going down anytime soon.
There’s a reason Nebraska came forward and produced over half a million dollars for its stadium project. Folks love football, like a lot. If a bigger stadium means better recruiting odds, fans will likely free up the cash to put together a state-of-the-art facility. If you think you’re going to keep the cashflow from hitting the locker room, you’re simply not wired in.
Rhule knows this and it’s becoming a real part of his daily conversations as head coach of the Huskers. Coaches have to free up the funds needed to land football players, and that’s just part of the game now. We made it that way.
