Matt Rhule spent part of his Monday considering the concept of truth. It’s a philosophical puzzle that’s hard to solve in a lifetime, much less in 25 minutes at a podium surrounded by reporters, but credit to Rhule for embracing the uncertainty.
“First of all, you can be really, really disappointed right now as a player, as a coach, as the head coach, as a fan,” Rhule said. “You can also be really, really encouraged and push forward.”
That is the reality of Nebraska football during its bye week. It’s true that the Huskers played well enough to win—yet didn’t, again—against two pretty good opponents. It’s also still true this is the best team Rhule has had in Lincoln by almost any objective measure.
This is why Oregon was a swing game. Not because of what it would prove about either team, but because of what a win or loss would do to the perception of Nebraska football knowing there was a week to follow when the Huskers couldn’t change that perception at all. Nebraska lost, which led to a soul-searching press conference from the head coach which put him in league with most who follow Husker football—searching.
That’s reality, too, but what’s next? Nebraska (5-2, 2-2) is very much alive in a wide-open Big Ten.1 It has five games left to prove things are different. Those games might also confirm things are the same, which is the dominant feeling at this intermission after two more close losses. As a sort of mid-term review, let’s look at what could lead NU down either path, towards change or the same.
