House Rhules | Ep. 12 — What Do a Football Coach and a Sports Talk Show Host Have to Say About NYC vs Philly Pizza?

Date: November 6, 2025
Host: Matt Rhule, Nebraska Head Football Coach
Co-Host: Anthony “the Cuz” Gargano
Featured Guests: Zach Gelb (National Sports Radio Host), European football player (Huskers), others

Episode Overview

This episode blends deep football talk, leadership philosophy, inside stories from Nebraska football, and a lively debate on pizza—New York vs. Philadelphia style. Matt Rhule and the Cuz discuss adversity, leading young men, and building team culture following a tough loss, then welcome guests for stories about broadcasting, sports media, and Midwestern hospitality. The show wraps up with favorite sports movies and a preview of Nebraska’s upcoming game against UCLA.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Dealing with Adversity and Leadership After a Tough Loss

• Recap of Nebraska’s close game vs. USC:

  • Rhule emphasizes the effort, physicality, and improvement despite the disappointing outcome.
  • "It's easy to be a leader when you're in a great moment... But when you see your players do it, then you say to yourself, you know what? We're doing the right things." — Matt Rhule (01:15)
  • "A, you can say the standard is a standard... at the same time, we also talk here a lot about, you know, what does the tape say?... It was by far, by far the best that we've done." (03:06)

• Injury to Starting QB Dylan

  • Dylan’s determination to re-enter the game, but Rhule’s choice to protect him after discovering his fractured ankle.
  • "I love you too much to put you back in there. I know you're disappointed, but this is what's best for you." — Matt Rhule (05:20)
  • Importance of teammates rallying to support Dylan during adversity (05:30-06:00).

• Tough game environment & learning moments:

  • Saturday Night Football, cold weather, physical game. Praises the championship effort from both sides (07:11).

2. The Power of Team Culture, Healing, and Brotherhood

• Managing Team Trauma:

  • Rhule underscores coming together as a team, being vulnerable and honest in meetings (11:51-13:00).
  • "What an opportunity for our team leaders to show what great leaders they can be." (12:10)
  • Coaches and team need to step up, reduce friction on the new QB (12:38).
  • "When you're on a mission for others, you're always going to have a chance to be successful." (13:11)

• On Loving Your Players:

  • "I think the best coaches have something much, much greater, much greater purpose, and that's to impact and influence people's lives." (14:20)
  • Rhule emphasizes that when coaches put players first, it brings fulfillment and long-term impact (15:30).
  • "If you're selfish right now... someday you'll just have you, you'll be alone. When your life is about others... someday you'll have others giving back to you." (15:39)

• Recruiting & Team Fit:

  • Players should choose colleges that nurture and support them—not just based on NIL deals or prestige (16:42-18:22).

3. International Husker Perspective

Interview with a European Husker football player (20:47–23:20):

• Journey from Germany to Nebraska.
• Adjusting to American culture and big-time college football.
• Learning from coaches and teammates, striving for mindset growth as a defensive lineman.
• Favorite home food: Currywurst; favorite new food: Cornbread.

4. Sports Journalism & Broadcasting – In Conversation with Zach Gelb

Origins:

• Gelb’s early days around WFAN in NYC, deciding at age 8 to pursue sports talk (25:35).
• Football became his passion after baseball; major influence from the Temple program and beyond (26:43).

Media Landscape Changes:

• Direct-to-internet/social media content has transformed how relationships and stories get told (31:39).
• "The relationship is different... athletes, coaches, they don’t need the media as much as they once did. You have a podcast now. A lot of players have podcasts now..." — Zach Gelb (32:10)

Value of Trust and Relationships:

• "You remember the people you know...who you trust, right? Who you respect the work." — Matt Rhule (33:24)
• "I never want the relationship just to be, hey, I'm only going to have coach Matt Rhule on when there's a big story about Nebraska." — Zach Gelb (32:40)

Coaches and Players Doing Podcasts:

• Gelb welcomes it as ‘more content is better’ and another tool for connection and branding (34:48-35:57).
• NIL era: Need to market yourself across different screens/platforms — adaptability is key.

Keeping Content Fresh:

• "I have an energy and a passion and a drive where I try to keep my eye on so many different things." — Zach Gelb (36:39)
• Viral moments (Debo Samuel hang up, etc.) and the unpredictable nature of internet reactions (37:56).

Storytelling—Highlighting Positives:

• Underrated stories and human side of sports shouldn’t be overshadowed by controversy or coach-firing discussions (41:16).
• Friendship and history with Rhule: from Temple’s building days to now (29:24; 41:03).

5. Midwestern Hospitality, Community & Football Culture

• Gelb and Rhule discuss the unique, welcoming, invested culture of Nebraska vs. the East Coast.
• "The people are so nice...just the love that the entire state has for the football team." — Zach Gelb (43:19)
• Julie Rhule’s (Coach’s wife) deep investment in the team, as observed by Gelb.

6. NYC vs. Philly Pizza & Lincoln Eats [Highlight]

• "New York pizza... you give me a slice from Industry here in the city, I don't see the only better slice you get is New Haven. New Haven, Connecticut is the best pizza I've had outside of that. Then it would be New York pizza." — Zach Gelb (45:16)
• Philly food scene praised for affordability, but New York pizza “not even close.”
• Lincoln steakhouse Casa Bovino wows Zach with its value: "In New York, this would have cost me about $800 a person. Not so much in Lincoln, Nebraska." — Zach Gelb (46:30)

7. Coach Rhule’s Favorite Sports Movies (47:53–50:55)

• Hoosiers — “Number one is Hoosiers. My team is on the court, my team is on the floor. Like Normandale. I love it.”
• Little Giants — “One of the greatest, greatest sports movies of all time."
• Victory — “Sylvester Stallone, soccer movie... POWs and they walk off at the end.”
• Other mentions: Field of Dreams, Rocky, Remember the Titans, All the Right Moves, Vision Quest.
• Banter over the names and trivia, especially "Vision Quest," the wrestling classic.

8. Preview: Nebraska vs UCLA (51:21)

• Scouting UCLA:

  • Coming off a bye, new coaches, dynamic quarterback (leading rusher & passer), trick plays.
  • "You really just have to be up for anything." — Matt Rhule (51:40)
  • Aiming to take another step forward despite adversity; special opportunity to play in the Rose Bowl.

• Big Ten’s New Look:

  • Rhule and host express excitement about iconic matchups (Nebraska-UCLA, Nebraska-USC).
  • “There is, if you look at it through the lens of this is pretty cool. Having all these iconic programs together, I kind of love it.” — Cuz (52:22)

• Rhule’s Mindset:

  • Expresses gratitude for the opportunities, reminding team to back up their gratitude with effort in practice and on the field (52:48).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You want to make sure your team knows that you're for them. What better thing can we say to our people that we love, than, ‘Hey, I'm for you’?” — Matt Rhule (01:26)
• “When your life is about others... someday you'll have others giving back to you.” — Matt Rhule (15:39)
• “Players, you should never pick your school just for the helmet, jersey, or NIL check—you better be somewhere where the people really, really actually care about you.” — Matt Rhule (18:10)
• “The best hidden secret in Temple football is this kid Hasan Reddick.” — Zach Gelb, recalling a young Reddick years before his NFL stardom (29:32)
• “Nothing ever dies on the Internet now.” — Zach Gelb (37:56)
• “I could live in Lincoln, Nebraska. Just give me Casa Bovino. If I get to go there once a week, I'd be a fat pig. Don't get me wrong.” — Zach Gelb (46:05)
• "Anybody got ChatGPT?" — Coach Matt Rhule while trying to recall the name "Vision Quest" (50:18)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• 00:00 — Opening banter, toasts, recap of tough USC loss
• 03:00 — Standards, improvement, and teaching moments
• 04:34 — Quarterback injury, leadership under pressure
• 07:50 — Vibe and meaning of the “Blackout” game in Lincoln
• 09:31 — All five senses, importance of game day atmosphere
• 11:29 — Healing team after trauma, culture of honesty and togetherness
• 14:12 — Exploring what loving your players really means in college sports
• 16:42 — Recruitment, team fit, value of nurturing environments
• 20:47 — “Office Hours” with a European Huskers player
• 24:45 — Zach Gelb joins the show — sports media, memories of Temple days, journalism’s evolution
• 29:32 — Origin stories: late-night practice, recognition of future NFL talent
• 31:39 — Social media, relationship-building, and media trends
• 41:03 — Human interest in storytelling, hidden gems in sports
• 43:19 — Nebraska’s unique culture compared to the Northeast
• 45:16 — NYC vs Philly pizza, Lincoln culinary surprises
• 47:53 — “Anything but Football” sports movies segment
• 51:21 — Preview: Nebraska vs. UCLA, new Big Ten dynamics

Final Thoughts

This episode stands out for its authentic look inside the mindset of a major college football coach and his approach to adversity, culture-building, leadership, and care for his players. The conversation with Zach Gelb provides valuable insight into the changing media environment, the importance of relationships in sports, and the enduring quirks of East Coast vs. Midwest life—never more passionate than when it comes to pizza. Contagious energy, genuine love for the game, and a dose of humor make this episode both insightful for diehards and welcoming for newcomers.