House Rhules #51: Will Compton Has Big Football Coach Energy | Ep. 5

Date: September 17, 2025
Host: Matt Rhule (Nebraska Head Coach)
Guests/Co-Hosts: Anthony "the Cuz" Gargano, Will Compton (Former Nebraska LB, Busting With The Boys podcast), Sherman Young, Mike Eckler

Overview

This episode is a celebration of Nebraska’s current momentum—in sports and culture—and a deep dive into the mindsets, leadership principles, and locker room culture that define successful teams and organizations. Coach Matt Rhule, with co-host Anthony Gargano, welcomes Nebraska legend and podcasting force Will Compton for a wide-ranging, high-energy, and genuinely inspiring conversation about football, leadership, the role of content in modern recruiting, coaching philosophies, and the big impact of authentic storytelling. They also share inside looks at the Nebraska program, reflect on Terence "Bud" Crawford’s historic fight, and offer advice for parents, leaders, and aspiring athletes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Nebraska’s Unbeaten Moment & Terence “Bud” Crawford (00:02 – 09:42)

• Nebraska Athletics Are on Fire: Coach Rhule beams about Husker dominance this fall—across football, volleyball, and more.

  • "We are unbeaten so far this fall in every sport at the University of Nebraska." — Matt Rhule (02:46)

• Bud Crawford’s Victory & Impact:

  • Reflection on attending the “Bud” Crawford vs. Canelo fight, calling it the best sporting event Rhule has ever witnessed.
    • "This was the greatest sporting event I’ve ever been to." — Matt Rhule (04:03)
  • Praising Crawford’s underdog mentality, Nebraska pride, and respect for opponents.
    • "As he said…he’s been an underdog his whole life." — Matt Rhule (02:46)
    • "I went and saw him after the fight. Everyone around them was wearing Nebraska. The only person not wearing Nebraska was me." (03:07)
  • Stories of meeting fans at the fight and post-victory moments.

• Behind the Scenes, Sideline Stories:

  • Rhule shares a humorous, self-deprecating halftime story about forgetting his own plan regarding player substitutions.
    • "I just said not to tell them, and then I told them 30 seconds later.... If anyone else did that, I’d be losing my mind." — Matt Rhule (02:21)

Coaching, Culture & Content: The New Era (20:13 – 25:00)

• On Why Rhule Started Podcasting & Being Public:

  • The power of authenticity in recruiting: "We had a kid commit to us last week and the mom said, ‘I watch everything you do. I want my son to play for you.’” — Matt Rhule (20:16)
  • Compton encourages leaders to show behind-the-scenes realities, noting the value of transparency for fans and recruits alike.

• Content as Culture: Recognition that off-field content and the media team in Nebraska help build a national brand and foster player connection. - "Our guys, they want to be heard, they want to be seen... They feel appreciated, seen and heard when they're a part of it." — Matt Rhule (23:20)

• Locker Room Authenticity:

  • Will Compton on bringing “locker room talk” to the audience via his podcast, humanizing players (25:00):
    • "People love to see these people humanized and talk through certain things... The biggest reason we started the podcast is football is the ultimate team sport."

Building Teams & Leadership Mindsets (28:31 – 34:24)

• Surrounding Yourself with the Right People:

  • Compton on leadership and managing his team: “Reading books has been super helpful… on how to manage people, how to lead people, how to have one-on-one conversations.” (28:31)
  • The Nebraska difference: traveling to Lincoln is always a highlight because of the people—"there's always just like a giddiness grin on my face when we get to travel to Nebraska and somebody new gets to come to Nebraska…they treat those guys that way and in return, they absolutely love the Big Red from it." — Will Compton (29:57)

• Bo Pelini’s Impact & Process Culture:

  • "Bo was just a very instrumental part in my entire journey… There’s a lot of foundational core principles that I hang on to in everything that I’ve done." — Will Compton (31:14)
  • The deep loyalty of former players shown to Pelini.

Navigating Negativity & The Power of Mindset (34:24 – 44:48)

• Handling Criticism as Players and Coaches:

  • The challenge for young players seeing former heroes criticize the program.
  • Will’s philosophy as a media figure: "If players come across whatever I'm saying about Nebraska, I always want a positive spin on it, that we're still in the fight…" (34:24)

• Compton’s NFL Journey & Mental Edge (44:48 – 50:07):

  • Vivid storytelling—from undrafted free agent to NFL captain.
    • Overcoming depth chart obstacles, mentorship from Ben Newman, and the use of affirmations: "My first one was, ‘I am a starting linebacker in the NFL.’"
  • Lessons in grit, delayed gratification, and process orientation.

The Coach’s Role: Affirmation, Development & Ownership (50:07 – 63:30)

• Affirming Players:

  • The massive impact coaches and leaders have when they become “the first believer.”
  • "What you say is going to live with a young man for a long, long time." — Matt Rhule (50:07)
  • Affirmation and individualized encouragement from coaches as a career catalyst.

• Growth Mindset and the Power of ‘Yet’:

  • "I’m not a starting linebacker at Nebraska yet. Like, ‘yet’ is the most powerful word.” — Matt Rhule (61:30)

• Process & Goal Setting:

  • Compton shares his “I am” index card story, process over outcome, and carrying affirmations into daily behaviors.

For the Dads: Fatherhood, Vulnerability, and Building Community (65:39 – 72:54)

• Will Compton on ‘For the Dads’ Podcast:
  • Why he started it: “I felt like there was a space for dads to share, you know, the highs and lows of being a dad. Things you crack a cold one to, lessons I'm trying to consume and learn, and quotes I am digesting myself...” (67:46)
  • Authentic conversations about parenting failures and learning; breaking the stereotype of men not sharing feelings.
  • "Hearing from people, hey, let's talk about this. And this is important. I'm fired up you're doing it. I really am." — Matt Rhule (71:24)

Special Guests & Nebraska Staff Stories (73:58 – 78:55)

• Surprise Appearances and Laughs:
  • Sherman Young and Mike Eckler join for lively segments, sharing inside jokes and recruiting anecdotes.
  • Mike Eckler recalls comically intense recruiting moments and his emotional investment in Nebraska.

Looking Ahead: Michigan Game, Mindset & Advice (79:03 – 97:09)

• Preview & Mindset for Michigan:

  • Will brings the “war” energy, expressing confidence and emphasizing the importance of small improvements stacking up culturally and on the field.
    • "This is the first test... What a privilege it is to get an opponent like that right now when we kick off conference play. I'm fired up." — Will Compton (79:03)

• Coach Rhule on Program Building:

  • The stages of building: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you, and then they build a statue to you. There are stages of building something.” (81:59)

• Ownership, Accountability & Leadership Advice (86:53–92:20):

  • Rhule discusses the rule of thirds in team engagement, the crucial role of ownership, and the importance of not micromanaging but empowering people:
    • “You want owners… If you say, ‘hey, no, you own this, you got this.’ Even if you disagree...they start to feel like this is their thing, and then they start to live and die with this thing.” (87:22)

• On Letting People Fail, Growth in Leadership:

  • Citing advice from business leaders, Rhule stresses the necessity of letting people solve their own problems and learn from mistakes. (91:13)

• Blocking Out the Noise:

  • Rhule & Compton touch again on the importance of process, preparation, and ignoring hype/news narratives, especially regarding QB Dylan Raiola’s matchup:
    • “That content needs those storylines to get people interested. But the football part of it is just, hey, how well can I play each play?” — Matt Rhule (94:28)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On his viral halftime substitutions:
  "I just said not to tell them, and then I told them 30 seconds later. But the funny thing is, you get around me long enough, like the guys kinda get it now.... I couldn’t even follow my own plan." — Matt Rhule (01:42–02:21)

• On Bud Crawford as a Husker:
  "I call it Husker DNA. The Huskers are his team. He's a day one, you know, a Nebraska Corn Husker." — Matt Rhule (09:42)

• On content and the new era of recruiting:
  "Recruiting now, this is the new, like, Oregon. When I was in college, Oregon was...the coolest thing. It's our chance to make ourselves the brand that everyone else wants to be." — Matt Rhule (21:29)

• On leadership and the power of affirmation:
  "As a coach...be careful what you say, man. What you say is gonna live with a young man for a long, long time." — Matt Rhule (50:07)

• On the journey and process: "Start with the end in mind...then after vision becomes process: What does the process look like? ...What you build foundationally...is what’s going to carry you over to the next phase you do in life." — Will Compton (63:30)

• On parenthood and men's vulnerability:
  "Men, we just do such a poor job of communicating and just talking through emotions when we're just so wound up, we don't know how to communicate, so we just project it, and we just react, and we just need to be tough. We need to seem like we're not weak." — Will Compton (72:54)

• On building a program’s culture:
  "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they attack you...and then they build a statue to you.... If we'll just persevere and grind through it, You, me, the players, the fan base...eventually we want to build a statue." — Matt Rhule (81:59)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Terence “Bud” Crawford & Nebraska’s Unbeaten Run: 00:02–09:42
• Behind the Scenes–Halftime Substitution Story: 00:42–02:21
• On Leadership, “Year Three” at Nebraska: 12:14–14:30
• NFL’s Tush Push Controversy/Eagles Discussion: 14:30–17:47
• Content, Recruiting, & Locker Room Culture: 20:13–23:20
• The Bo Pelini Effect & Loyalty: 31:14–34:24
• Dealing with Negativity & Mindset Lessons: 34:24–44:48
• Compton’s NFL Journey / Affirmations: 44:48–54:00
• Coaching: Affirmation vs. Shame / Growth Mindset: 59:59–63:30
• ‘For the Dads’ Podcast, Masculinity and Vulnerability: 65:39–72:54
• Special Guest Surprises (Sherman Young, Mike Eckler): 65:54–78:55
• Michigan Game Preview & Culture Check: 79:03–86:33
• Ownership vs. Micromanagement in Teams/Orgs: 86:53–92:20
• Blocking Out Hype/Noise; Big Ten Mindset: 94:05–97:09

Flow & Tone

High-energy, candid, and packed with stories and actionable insights, this episode blends the wisdom of veteran coaches, the lived experience of former players, and the evolving sensibility of modern leaders and fathers. Rhule and Compton keep it real, authentic, and occasionally self-deprecating, modeling their own advice on vulnerability and perseverance.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode is a masterclass in blending old-school football values with modern leadership, content strategy, and emotional intelligence. Whether you’re a Husker fan, a coach, an athlete, a leader in any field, or just someone curious about the cultures that build winners—on the field or at home—House Rhules #51 delivers stories, philosophies, and practical takeaways that resonate far beyond football.