Current Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule played for Penn State football as a linebacker in the 1990s as a walk-on. The Nittany Lion alum started his coaching career in Happy Valley as a volunteer assistant, and his alma mater still holds a special place in his heart.
During 2025 Big Ten Media Days, Rhule praised Penn State head coach James Franklin and athletic director Pat Kraft for the work they've done for the football program since Franklin arrived in 2014.
"Sometimes I hear people that take a lot of shots at [Franklin], but what he's done is amazing," Rhule said. "He's had consistent, consistent, consistent, winning teams year after year after year. They were a game away last year. So I'm grateful for [him]."
Rhule arrived to Nebraska in better conditions than Franklin did when starting with the Nittany Lions. Since his arrival to Happy Valley, Franklin's won a Big Ten Championship, made five New Year's Six bowl game appearances, consistently had top 10 ranked teams of College Football Playoff rankings, and got the program to its first CFP appearance in 2025.
"If you think about [Franklin] and what [he] has done, like what he took over . . . that was a bad job," Rhule said. "That was a bad job that had sanctions, and he's turned it into a great job. And as an alum, I'm grateful."
Rhule is familiar with Kraft as well, who was the coach's AD for two years at Temple University. As head coach of the Owls in 2015, he beat Franklin's Nittany Lions 27-10. Kraft was there to celebrate the win with Rhule and the team. To this day, the two remain close even though they're now Big Ten rivals.
"What Pat does is, he comes in, he raises the level of expectation, he removes the excuses. You're here to play for championships," Rhule said. "And if you want to do that, there has to be a certain investment from the university. I know he makes that investment, and then he expects you to perform.
"And what I love about Pat is, I know if I turn on a Penn State football game, I'm going to see him on the sidelines . . . He's a player's AD."
The Nittany Lions and Cornhuskers will meet for the first time since 2020 on Nov. 22 at Beaver Stadium. This will be the first time Rhule and Franklin meet as conference foes as the Nebraska head coach was hired in Nov. 2022.