INDIANAPOLIS (KMTV) — Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football team spoke with reporters on Thursday in Indianapolis at Big Ten Media Days.
3 News Now Sports Director Adam Krueger brings us more from the Huskers.
Rhule spoke to reporters for more than an hour to discuss this year's Nebraska football team. While he didn't discuss win totals, he did emphasize the one goal he has for this season's squad is to earn the respect of those outside the program.
Matt Rhule: There was a time when Nebraska football was feared, and we certainly want to get back to that. We want to be a team that you say, "You know what, that team's feared." But we're not at that point yet. We're at a point where I believe we have to take back the respect of what it means to play Nebraska and to be at Nebraska. I want people to respect when they see that white helmet with that red N on it. I want our fans to respect us when they pay their money to come watch us play. And I want our opponents to respect us. And I want all of college football to respect the way Nebraska plays the game. And most importantly I want our players to respect what it means to be a Cornhusker.
Luke Reimer: This is year one but we should also still go out with the attitude of we don't care. It's week one. Let's just go out and play as violent as we can and as physical as we can.
Matt Rhule: It's 4th and goal every single day in our building. That's the mindset: it's 4th and goal every day. I go away to see my family at the beach and everyone's like I know you're on vacation. I'm not on vacation. I'm working from the beach. This is 24/7, 365. We're chasing greatness. Everyone's sprinting to stay ahead of us. We've got to catch them and get where we want to be. So the urgency is elite. It's just that I don't want to skip steps along the way. Does that make sense? I don't want to take shortcuts. I don't want to build something like hey we showed everybody a little hope this year but then next year we take a step back. So, I never want year two to be year one.
Adam Krueger: And we're here with Nebraska quarterback Jeff Sims. Jeff, it has been a busy day for you guys here to say the least. What do you think about all this media hype here in Indianapolis?
Jeff Sims: It's a pretty cool experience just knowing that everybody has a lot of questions to ask just enjoy the experience representing my school.
Adam Krueger: When you look at Coach Satterfield's offense, what he's brought in here to Nebraska, what impresses you most?
Jeff Sims: Just the versatility of the offense and how many options we have. How many dimensions we have to the offense. And just everything he brings to the table is complete.
Adam Krueger: Where have you really tried to improve upon between maybe the spring until now?
Jeff Sims: So, when I first got here in the spring my completion percentage, that was something that I wanted to work on. And that improved tremendously. So just keep on with that and being consistent with my accuracy and just being a more complete quarterback.
Nebraska's new football facility won't be ready by the start of fall camp on July 31. Rhule, though, said his wife was so impressed with the new building, she joked to him, “You better win some games.”
He'll get his first shot on August 31 at Minnesota.
Watch Rhule's press conference here:
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