It didn't take long for failed former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule to get linked with the vacant Penn State job. But with the entire college football world honed in on this almost constant speculation, he inevitably fluffed his lines.
Rhule was never capable of becoming a successful NFL head coach. David Tepper gave him complete power in pursuit of turning the Panthers around, but he only sped up their downward spiral. Everyone knew this was never going to work out relatively quickly, and Carolina's billionaire owner was seemingly the last to figure it out.
After his merciful firing just five games into the 2024 season, Rhule got a college gig again quickly with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He's hardly set the world alight, but his close relationship with Penn State's athletic director Pat Kraft could place him atop their shortlist to replace James Franklin.
Former Carolina Panthers head coach Matt Rhule blows his big audition for Penn State job
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show, Rhule stated that he wasn't thinking about a switch in jobs during the season. He also thought Nebraska represented a destination position and not a stepping stone.
"I refuse to be distracted at the same time. It's when it's your alma mater, you have to show it love and respect. And I hope, and I love Pat Kraft, they'll find the right coach for them, whoever that is. This is a destination job. This is one of the greatest places in the world. (Lincoln) is a town of 300,000 people... Like, I can do whatever I want. Here I have a great young team, the youngest team in the Big Ten. Think about how good we'll be next year... Think about where we're going to go with (quarterback) Dylan (Raiola) and all these guys."Matt Rhule via Newsweek
As always, Rhule mumbled his way through the conversation with his typical brash talk. Unfortunately, not for the first time in recent years, he couldn't back it up when things mattered.
All eyes were on Rhule to see if he could bolster his chances of getting the Nittany Lions' job when Nebraska faced off against the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Friday night. The coach was confident, but suffering a surprising and heavy defeat all but takes the Cornhuskers out of the college football playoff race.
What this means for the rumors around Penn State remains to be seen. Rhule had success at Baylor and Temple, but his stints with the Panthers and Nebraska haven't gone as well. He'd take the job in a heartbeat. Still, one has to wonder just how much of an upgrade this would be over Franklin, especially considering his equally abysmal record versus ranked opposition.