Minnesota head coach PJ Fleck issued a warning about one Big Ten program that’s catching his attention.
The Gophers coach singled out Matt Rhule’s Nebraska team as a rising threat in the conference.
“One of the most dangerous teams in the Big Ten is Nebraska because I know what Matt Rhule created at Temple,” Fleck said during recent comments. “I know what he did at Baylor and the type of human being he is. He’s awakening it, that’s for sure.”
Fleck’s been building Minnesota since 2017. His program’s reached steady ground in a conference where consistency matters.
But he’s watching what Rhule’s doing in Lincoln with real interest.
“He’s a special person and one thing I respect about him is he has a systematic approach of how he wants it done and what it looks like,” Fleck said. “I think as every coach, you can have that. But you also need the proof that it works because there’s a lot of hard days and hard times that come up and test how much you want it as a head coach.”
The Minnesota coach highlighted Rhule’s clarity as a difference-maker.
“Matt has a clear path of exactly what he wants. We’re all as head coaches finding and striking for clarity and I think that’s one thing he clearly has,” he continued. “He has a clear vision of what he wants to do and what it looks like. What the expectations are and how to get there. It’s a process-oriented coach and I think that’s gonna pay off.”
Nebraska posted its first winning season since 2016 under Rhule’s leadership. The Cornhuskers finished with real momentum for the first time in years.
Fleck understands program rebuilds better than most coaches.
He’s experienced the grind of turning around a Big Ten program. That experience gives weight to his assessment of what Rhule’s accomplishing.
The warning comes from someone who’s lived through the process. Fleck doesn’t hand out compliments without reason.
When he calls Nebraska “dangerous,” it’s recognition of a proven formula. One that mirrors the approach he used to build Minnesota into a consistent program.
Fleck knows what it takes to rise in this conference. His endorsement of Nebraska’s trajectory should get attention from other Big Ten programs.
The Cornhuskers’ momentum under Rhule represents the kind of systematic rebuild that creates lasting success in college football.
