Nebraska Safety Deshon Singleton was at peace, happy with his Husker career and preparing for the NFL draft. His head coach even encouraged him to pursue the professional ranks. It’s clear that opportunity was real; Singleton has many tools NFL teams covet, and scouts were interested. But when a court decision relating to junior college eligibility paved the way for Singleton to come back for another year in Lincoln, he ultimately decided to run it back for one more season as a Husker.
When talking about Singleton’s situation, Rhule compared it to that of Ty Robinson, the multi-year starter on the defensive line, who could have gone pro after the 2023 season but decided to come back for another year. Robinson was an anchor on the defense, a leader for the entire team, and according to Rhule, greatly enhanced his professional prospects by playing another season in college. Rhule sees a similar trajectory for Singleton, saying, “I think he’ll make the same kind of jump that Ty made,” Rhule said.
Both Singleton’s and Robinson’s decisions share a common thread: people want to be part of what Matt Rhule is building. Think about it – you’re a college football player in your early 20s. You’ve had a good career, and the opportunity to play in the NFL is right in front of you. It’s a dream come true for so many young players. While Husker fans always celebrate when a seasoned veteran decides to come back for another year, and it may seem obvious to fans that it was the right choice, that’s a very difficult decision for the young man.
It’s not limited to players, either. Former offensive coordinator and current tight ends coach Marcus Satterfield spoke to the media this week. Satterfield, you’ll recall, was replaced nine games into his second season as OC for the Big Red. Rhule brought in Dana Holgorsen to call plays before the USC game in November, and hired Holgorsen permanently for the role shortly after the bowl game.
“What happened to me is no different than a player getting benched or having to go from first team to second team,” Satterfield said. “I believe in this place.”
He went on to say: “I’m happier now than I’ve ever been in coaching.”
Hats off to Satterfield for practicing what he preaches to players, and for being willing to accept a lesser role in order to stay at a place he likes. Certainly, the fact that he is still making his offensive coordinator-level $1.4 million salary probably helps his happiness level in Lincoln. But I think that sort of thing can be overstated sometimes. He’s been an offensive coordinator at multiple schools now. It would be an extremely tough pill to swallow to go from game planning every week, calling plays, and reporting to the head man, to coaching one position and reporting to the guy who replaced you.
That Satterfield would still be on Nebraska’s staff this season, after essentially being demoted nearly two seasons into the biggest job of his career, is almost unheard of in college football. It speaks to the culture Rhule has built, and the belief his players and assistant coaches have in the direction of the program.
This all ties into the broader context of NIL and player movement in today’s game. Perhaps this is one side of the NIL coin that could serve to benefit fans. I’ve written before about the Wild West landscape that currently defines college athletics, where all the incentives are aligned toward chasing the best deal, not developing as a player or building a program. Players can make money from NIL deals, and soon, from sharing revenue directly with the schools. They can transfer to a new school every season if they want to. I’m certainly not opposed to players getting their slice of the billions of dollars generated by the game they play, or to having options to find the best situation for themselves. But most of the changes in the current moment seem to be happening to the detriment of the fan experience.
The example of Singleton, Robinson, and others might be an indication of a silver lining of sorts when it comes to NIL. A player might be more willing to put off the NFL if they can not only come back and play for a coach they believe in, not only come back and compete for a championship, but also come back and make some decent money while doing so. There’s a lot of focus on how NIL and the transfer portal can drive players to switch schools seemingly every season, and rightly so. But NIL money almost certainly also plays a role in keeping players at a program longer than they might otherwise stay. And I would argue that’s a good thing for fans.
Whatever the case, the common thread between the situations of Singleton, Robinson, and Satterfield is belief in what Matt Rhule is building. They’re not the only ones to say it either; many of Rhule’s assistants have praised his qualities as a leader. His players seem to truly enjoy playing for him. He’s laid a strong foundation through two seasons at the helm in Lincoln. Husker fans are dying to see results follow on the field. If belief, continuity, and buy-in really do lay the groundwork for wins, 2025 could be the year those seeds bear fruit.