When Nebraska takes the field Saturday against Penn State in Happy Valley, there will almost be more storylines to follow off the field than there may be on the field.
Nebraska coach and Penn State alum Matt Rhule is returning to a school many thought he’d leave Nebraska for. Turns out, Rhule kind of likes it in Lincoln.
The decommitment of Dayton Raiola sends a strange message from the Raiola family just weeks ahead of signing day, and constant eyes on transfer portal movement. https://t.co/FlWeSqpxBM
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Nebraska starting quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the season, and we’ve just learned his little brother has decommitted from Nebraska. Does that say anything about Dylan? What about Dylan’s backup in TJ Lateef, who will be making his second career start after traveling to UCLA two weeks ago to knock off the Bruins in his home state.
However, on Wednesday, all of those Nebraska-based headlines fell quiet thanks to the news of former Penn State coach James Franklin landing a new gig at Virginia Tech. Franklin said in his opening press conference in Blacksburg, Va., that he fully intends to bring a lot of his staff with him to VT.
The hiring of James Franklin at Virginia Tech has intensified a coaching staff exodus at Penn State. / Brian Bishop-Imagn Images
That migration has already begun and is now intensifying, although Penn State still has two regular-season games left – starting with this weekend against Nebraska.
“We’ve just got to restructure,” Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith said Wednesday following practice. “You know, make sure that those job responsibilities are being taken care of. We have a great staff here. We have a lot of people that take great pride in picking up the slack where things are void. This is no different than injuries on the field – it’s next person up. The job has to be done, so we’ll adjust. We’ll keep it moving. Our feet are on the ground, and we’re prepared to go beat Nebraska.”
Penn State enters Saturday in a must-win scenario if the Nittany Lions want to play in a bowl game this season. They secured their first of three must-win games in a 28-10 win last weekend over Michigan State in East Lansing, Mich. Now, the Huskers enter Happy Valley for Penn State’s last home game of the season, and Smith said the game plan against NU will be pretty simple given the team’s task of taking on Nebraska true freshman quarterback TJ Lateef.
Penn State’s plan to stop Nebraska? Make TJ Lateef throw the football. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
“The key is to get them behind the sticks,” Smith said. “He’s a newbie at quarterback, but they have a terrific run game just like ours. They’re going to get behind that kid and run and try to get into third-and-short situations where they could still run the ball and not force the quarterback to throw. We have to try to get those guys in third and long and third and extra-long situations. If we can get them where it’s obvious pass situations, we feel like we have an advantage when our proper package gets on the field and against their offense.”
If the Nittany Lions do beat Nebraska, they finish the year with a very winnable game at Rutgers. The potential three-game winning streak to end the year could put Smith in line to take over at Penn State full-time, especially after coaches like Rhule and Indiana coach Curt Cignetti re-upped with their teams amid rumors that they would become Penn State’s next head coach.
After the team’s win over Michigan State last weekend, many PSU players began making the case to pull the interim tag off Smith and let him take the reins in Happy Valley.
Penn State players pose with the Land Grant Trophy after defeating Michigan State. Now they’re lobbying to keep Terry Smith as head coach permanently. / Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images
“Those guys play hard for me,” Smith said. “We’re one. We are a family. I take bullets for them, they take bullets for me. I’m just proud of those guys. Over these last four weeks, we’re just staying present right now. This could be an added distraction. We’re just trying to get ready for Nebraska – that’s all that matters. We have to beat Nebraska at any cost.”
Unfortunately for Smith and the Penn State players, it is more of a distraction than ever with Franklin being hired as the next head coach at Virginia Tech. It means not only the coaching staff, but many of the players may be jumping ship to play and coach football in Blacksburg next season. The transfer portal could be brutal for Penn State, to say the least.
In possibly a foreshadowing of the hire, Smith said he addressed the issue with his team ahead of their game against Michigan State.
With bowl eligibility still in sight, Penn State players are putting their individual agendas aside ahead of the Nebraska game. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
“I gave a conversation to our team last week about individual agendas,” Smith said. “We all have an agenda for our own families. To be successful in this business, all of our agendas have to align with the team, and right now all of our guys are aligned to beating Nebraska.”
While he is doing his best to say the right things as his team prepares for the Huskers, Smith did admit he’s still very much in contact with Franklin.
“I talk to him probably every other day, so I’m in communication with him,” Smith said. “I’m really happy for him. In this industry of coaching, we all go through highs and lows. At some point, if you’re coaching, you’re going to get fired. I’m just happy for him and his family to bounce back so soon.”
PSU coach Terry Smith said his focus is on Nebraska this week, but admitted there are plenty of distractions out there after James Franklin’s hire at Virginia Tech. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Smith even allowed conjecture about him joining Franklin’s staff next season.
“Anything’s a possibility,” he said. “(It) goes back to when we brought out the IP at Iowa – a world of infinite possibilities. Nothing matters about those possibilities except us playing this weekend. I love the game of football. I will be coaching the game of football on Saturday, and God willing, next Saturday. After that, we’ll let business take care of business.”
That “business” for Penn State right now is finding a way to beat a 7-3 Nebraska team that’s looking to win eight games in a regular season for the first time in nearly a decade. Nebraska went 9-3 in 2016, which coincidentally is the last time Nebraska also beat a nationally ranked team.
Sitting at 4-6, a win over Nebraska Saturday puts Penn State on a very likely path to qualifying for a bowl game in a year nobody in Happy Valley saw coming. As many remember, PSU started the year ranked in the top five nationally and was considered by several experts to be national title favorites. Now, Nebraska could send them home for the year, and it’s making this week an all-hands-on-deck situation for PSU.
Penn State coach Terry Smith is doing everything he can to keep his team “present” with Nebraska coming to town Saturday. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
“That just goes back to being present,” Smith said after the team’s Wednesday practice. “Today’s practice is the most important thing. Win today. Now, we go back in, and we watch the film, make the corrections, watch a little bit more film on Nebraska, try to find some tendencies, some cheat codes for Saturday, then come back out here tomorrow and make sure we make (fewer) mistakes tomorrow.”
For Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, he’ll be returning to one of his former homes, looking to hand his former team what could be one of their more heartbreaking losses in recent memory. On Monday, when asked about his emotions about returning to Happy Valley, Rhule somewhat played it off.
“I don’t have very many at all to be honest with you,” Rhule said during his weekly press conference. “I spoke earlier to you guys about how much I loved my time there, but it’s just different for me because I’ve been back so many times.”
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule denies having emotions about returning to Penn State this weekend. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
Rhule won’t say it, but this time will still be emotional. He’s human; he loves the program. However, on Saturday, he’ll also be doing everything in his power to beat the program. You can have and feel both.
The storyline-filled kickoff will be televised nationally in primetime, as Nebraska and Penn State kick off at 6 p.m. CST on NBC.
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