The hiring of Matt Rhule as the new University of Nebraska football coach isn’t something that would normally catch my attention — but then I saw he was given an eight-year contract. That caught my eye!
Nebraska used to be one of the premier programs in the country but has certainly lost its luster in modern times. They have amassed five national championships and over 900 wins but haven’t had a championship since 1997 or even a winning record since 2016. An eight-year contract is an acknowledgment of the magnitude of the rebuild.
Kudos to Nebraska for recognizing that the turnaround won’t be quick. Too many times, the new hero is trotted in on a white horse and faces unrealistic expectations. They bubble with optimism that the new vision will soon be realized, and then everyone faces a letdown when reality sets in. In Rhule’s press conference today he was asked about bowl games and championships but replied: “We don’t have the right to talk about that today. Let’s talk about spring practice.” If only more organizations and leaders were as pragmatic.
Rhule spoke of the great senior-level support he had at Baylor and Temple that “calmed the waters” when people were restless about the speed of success and allowed the program to “eventually break through.” The length of his contract speaks to the commitment Nebraska is willing to make to do the same — and is a reminder that change agents need to cultivate the support of those in power who can protect them.
Keep an eye on the Coach Rhule story as it unfolds. It could turn out to be a case study in change management — having a clear vision of how you do things, seeking senior support up front, being realistic about a timeline, finding alignment with the needs of the organization and skills of the implementer, concentrating on player (staff) development rather than only recruiting superstars, seeking input from the players (front line staff) to gain the knowledge they have regarding issues and solutions, focusing on “what’s next” then working on the small things every day, and trusting that if you pay attention to process the wins will come. Rinse and repeat over eight years and it becomes a new day for Big Red — and any organization with the patience to rebuild its culture.
Bravo!!!