Matt Rhule has a clear recruiting strategy in mind for the Nebraska football program: focus on in-state high school stars like Omaha North defensive lineman Tyson Terry. Terry, a three-star defensive line prospect, has committed to Rhule’s Cornhuskers, choosing the program over more established ones such as Iowa, Iowa State, and Kansas State.
Standing at 6-foot-3 and weighing 275 pounds, Terry has the potential to play both ways or just on the offensive side of the ball. This commitment is a significant addition for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) football program.
By prioritizing in-state three-star recruits, Rhule is making a smart move in bringing Nebraska football back with more homegrown talent. Traditional powers like Nebraska have often recruited heavily in states such as Texas to build championship-caliber rosters, but focusing on in-state talent can prove just as fruitful.
While Nebraska may not have the same depth of talent as states like Michigan, Ohio, or Pennsylvania, Rhule’s reputation for turning around struggling programs quickly through talent evaluation and development of high school athletes cannot be denied. His success with Baylor and Temple demonstrates his ability to develop two and three-star high school recruits.
With a deeper football tradition than either Baylor or Temple and the necessary NIL backing, Rhule has the potential to achieve even greater success at UNL. If the Huskers continue to attract in-state recruits like Terry, the program could return to being a 9-3 or 10-2 team under Rhule’s leadership. This focused, homegrown recruiting strategy might just be the key to Nebraska’s football resurgence.