House Rhules Ep. 16 – The Huskers Are Going to Vegas, Baby!
Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: Matt Rhule (Nebraska Head Football Coach), Anthony “the Cuz” Gargano
Guests: Scott Frost (Nebraska Assistant Coach), Sam Hoiberg (Nebraska Basketball Player), Daniel Bullocks (San Francisco 49ers Assistant Coach, former Husker)
Episode Overview
This bowl season edition of "House Rhules" dives deep into Nebraska’s upcoming Vegas Bowl matchup versus Utah, examines the controversy and future of the College Football Playoff, and highlights the unique challenges facing modern college athletics—including transfer portal chaos and the need for leadership in college football governance. The show delivers inside access to Husker culture, spotlights winning mindsets in football and life, and mixes in playful stories and traditions. Featured guests include Husker great Daniel Bullocks and basketball standout Sam Hoiberg.
Main Segments & Key Discussion Points
1. The Huskers Head to the Vegas Bowl (00:29–01:45; 62:14–64:45)
- Significance of the Game: Nebraska faces #15 Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Both the coaches and players express excitement about getting an extra month of practice for player development, as well as the challenge of facing a top-tier opponent.
- Scott Frost (00:58): “We want to set the bowl attendance record. Husker fans show up.”
- Matt Rhule (64:30): “Let’s not lose the fact that it’s another bowl game. Two years in a row now. That’s a big deal. It’s a statement. Building, building. That’s what you’re doing.”
- Culture and Program Building: The bowl trip is framed as both a reward and a critical step in building a sustainable program—especially valuable for a young roster.
2. College Football Playoff Chaos: Expanding, Fixing, and Learning from the NFL (01:45–17:29)
- Debate Over Playoff Selection: The discussion covers recent playoff controversies—Notre Dame’s exclusion, the value of conference championships, and what “best” really means.
- Matt Rhule (02:42): “Is the goal the best teams, or what? Is it about quality wins over records?”
- Quality Wins vs. Record: The coaches argue the selection process should reward teams with signature victories, not just those with a strong record.
- Scott Frost (03:28): “Who did you beat? That’s the big thing coming out of this.”
- Uniformity & Fairness Across Conferences: Differences in conference games (number played), conference championship formats, and how the Power 5 vs Group of 5 are treated are all critiqued.
- Scott Frost (05:21): “Now that I’m in the Big Ten, it’s not even the games you win and lose, it’s the toll it takes.”
- NFL as a Model: The NFL’s expanded playoff model and approach to league governance are held up as an example for college football to follow.
- Scott Frost (07:37): “If you want to see how to run the best sports league, just watch what the NFL does.”
- Calls for a Commissioner: Both hosts call for a national college football commissioner—specifically nominating Nick Saban as an ideal candidate (16:54).
- Matt Rhule (16:54): “I think Saban for commissioner. The sport needs a commissioner.”
3. Transfer Portal, Coaching Carousel & College Football Calendar Mayhem (13:20–17:29)
- Scheduling Concerns: The hosts lament the compressed and hectic calendar, including bowl prep, transfer windows, and early signing periods.
- Scott Frost (14:01): “Coach Saban said the calendar has to be fixed… The portal in May makes more sense.”
- Matt Rhule (15:40): “Now kids will play in the bowl games. Now kids will have that last bit of tape to show if they want to go into the portal.”
- Lack of Central Leadership Leads to Chaos: The absence of a single governing body is blamed for ongoing disarray.
- Scott Frost (15:55): “…There’s no commissioner of college football… everyone’s protecting their own conference, that’s why things end up being disjointed.”
4. Sam Hoiberg Interview – Basketball’s Momentum & Being a Coach’s Kid (20:06–26:43)
- Family & Playing Multiple Sports: Sam reveals he was a scratch golfer, played multiple sports, but eventually gravitated to basketball.
- Sam Hoiberg (20:38): “Quit early because golf season was the same season as football in Illinois… I’m a scratch golfer now.”
- Team Culture and Chemistry: Attributes Nebraska’s basketball improvement to buy-in, positive attitudes, and cultural change.
- Sam Hoiberg (21:23): “…We have really good chemistry this year. All of us get along… everyone has a great attitude.”
- Coach’s Kid Stories: Shares candid and humorous tales—like his dad (Nebraska basketball head coach Fred Hoiberg) punching a whiteboard at halftime.
- Sam Hoiberg (22:46): “Last year, Northwestern… He came in and punched a whiteboard… had a wrap on his hand. People don’t see it very often, but it comes out occasionally.”
- Dealing With the Public: The downside of being a coach’s kid—taking heat from fans online, especially in the Bulls days.
- Aspirations Beyond Playing: Wants to move into sports commentary, and even has his own student podcast.
5. Daniel Bullocks Interview – Lessons from Nebraska, NFL Coaching, and Player Development (28:52–56:47)
Early Lessons & Blackshirt Memories (29:28–32:25)
- Work Ethic and Accountability: Nebraska instilled discipline, work ethic, and pride in getting his degree.
- Daniel Bullocks (29:28): “Being the hardest working player on the team… showing up, being on time, and on top of that, just being a pro.”
- Memory Lane: Twin brother pranks—swapping headshots for the team picture so fans would see the wrong face after big plays.
Coaching Philosophy & NFL Insights (33:12–46:27)
- Development Focus: Emphasizes teaching fundamentals, personalized “get better plans,” and grading every snap.
- Daniel Bullocks (39:39): “I want to make sure I look at his weakness first, you know, and I want to improve his weakness.”
- Daniel Bullocks (41:45): “Every snap we call it EAT THE CAKE—Call, Align, Keys, Execute.”
- NFL’s Demands: Coaching pros isn’t easy—still about teaching, technique, and building trust.
- Daniel Bullocks (43:31): “People think it's easy because you have the best players… that's not always the case.”
- Traits of Great Coaches: Teaching, communication, talent development, leadership, and relentless work ethic.
- Scouting for Passion: Determining which prospects “love football” requires granular investigation and keen interviews.
- Daniel Bullocks (48:10): “When our scouts come around, they’re gonna talk to your professors, your friends… By the time they leave, they’ll know if you love football or just what football brings.”
- Advice to Aspiring Pros: Listen, be coachable, have “silent tape” (effort showing in every play), and possess high character.
Adapting to the Modern Game (50:08–54:03)
- Defense vs. Offensive Innovations: Must be flexible, able to defend RPOs, deal with evolving rules favoring offense.
- Tackling Mindset: Emphasized as a foundational skill, with every drill rep treated as a tackling rep.
Lasting Legacy & Family (54:51–56:47)
- Personal Legacy: Hard work, leadership, trust, impactful teacher and communicator—a proud “girl dad” and role model.
- Daniel Bullocks (55:07): “I’m a hard worker. I’m a leader… I want to be able to develop players, be a father and a husband.”
- Fatherhood: “Welcome to the team” is the message when assistants have daughters; sees role as mentor on and off the field.
6. Anything But Football: Holiday Traditions (58:43–62:14)
- Shared Italian American Traditions: Both Matt Rhule and Scott Frost talk about their love of the Feast of the Seven Fishes and Christmas Eve/Day customs with authentic, warm banter.
- Scott Frost (59:15): “The feast of the seven fishes, the night before Christmas… my grandmother, Francesca Pavia—just an all day thing.”
- Matt Rhule (60:21): “I make a red sauce and I let it on a low heat simmer for about 36 hours… it’s one of the great dishes.”
- Family Rituals: Putting up Christmas lights early, family trees with ornaments from over the years, Christmas movies (Elf, Miracle on 34th Street).
- Scott Frost (61:00): “Julie has one tree, decorated really nice, and we have one that’s like the family tree… all take turns putting it up.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|--------------|------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:58 | Scott Frost | “We want to set the bowl attendance record. Husker fans show up.”| | 02:42 | Matt Rhule | “Is the goal the best teams, or what? Is it about quality wins?” | | 03:28 | Scott Frost | “Who did you beat? That’s the big thing coming out of this.” | | 07:37 | Scott Frost | “If you want to see how to run the best sports league in the world, just watch what the NFL does.” | | 16:54 | Matt Rhule | “I think Saban for commissioner. The sport needs a commissioner.”| | 21:23 | Sam Hoiberg | “We have really good chemistry this year. All of us get along.” | | 22:46 | Sam Hoiberg | “He came in and punched a whiteboard… had a wrap on his hand.” | | 29:28 | Daniel Bullocks | “Being the hardest working player on the team… just being a pro.” | | 39:39 | Daniel Bullocks | “I want to make sure I look at his weakness first… and I want to improve his weakness.” | | 41:45 | Daniel Bullocks | “Every snap we call it EAT THE CAKE—Call, Align, Keys, Execute.”| | 48:10 | Daniel Bullocks | “By the time they leave, they’ll know if you love football or just what football brings.” | | 59:15 | Scott Frost | "The feast of the seven fishes, the night before Christmas... my grandmother, Francesca Pavia—just an all day thing." | | 64:30 | Matt Rhule | “Let’s not lose the fact that it’s another bowl game. It’s two years in a row now. That’s a big deal.” |
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 00:29 – Vegas Bowl Announcement and Excitement
- 01:45–06:51 – Playoff Controversy and Selection Criteria
- 07:37–13:19 – NFL as a Model, Expansion, Conference Uniformity
- 13:20–17:29 – Calendar Confusion, Need for Leadership, Saban for Commissioner
- 20:06–26:43 – Sam Hoiberg Interview: Culture, Family, Commentary Goals
- 28:52–56:47 – Daniel Bullocks Interview: Lessons Learned, NFL Insights
- 58:43–62:14 – Holiday Traditions: Feast of Seven Fishes, Family Christmas
- 62:14–64:45 – Looking Ahead to the Vegas Bowl, Importance for the Program
Tone & Takeaways
Authentic, passionate, and insider-focused—the episode interweaves football analysis, Husker culture, and deep leadership lessons. The hosts' banter is both warm and direct, sometimes playful, and always rooted in their collective love for the game, their programs, and the larger Husker community.
For listeners: You get a candid look behind the scenes, straight talk about how college sports must evolve, the real value of bowl games, the importance of leadership and accountability, and some good-natured family stories along the way.
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