← House Rhules
House Rhules
What Do the Head Coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the CEO of Motorola Have In Common? | Ep. 10
00:46:31
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- [00:00]
Matt Rhule
It just gets you to do things that most humans wouldn't do. And that's what drives greatness. That's why the guys follow. Jalen hurts because he's going to do whatever it takes to win, because he hates losing.
- [00:09]
Robert
Hate to lose. To me, that's an outlaw like toast right there, man.
- [00:15]
Matt Rhule
Cheers.
- [00:22]
Robert
Robert. Football, Big Ten football. On the road now is where you're looking to get the program to the point where you can overcome those little moments on the road. Let's kick things off with that.
- [00:42]
Matt Rhule
You're in this league, you go on the road, you're facing a team that's tough, hard nosed, go to their place, it's a sellout. Friday night, it's loud. You get to halftime at 7, 6, you're not playing your best football. You get to the second half to be the team that you want to be, man, you got to make the plays in the third quarter and especially in the fourth quarter to win those games. And a credit to Minnesota, they did and we did it. You know, they went 98 yards, 4th and 3, you know, we get them stopped, we got a defensive holding. You know, they make a great throw and catch on the fade. And so, you know, that's what this league is. This league is. There's no easy outs every single week, man. You gotta battle and you gotta fight. And so we didn't get it done. But that is where we want to get to. We want to get to the place where, where, hey, people, we know, people want to play us, they're excited to play us, they know what's going to mean. And we got to answer the bell when those moments come on a Friday.
- [01:38]
Robert
Night on Fox, right? National tv, that's a buzz saw type of atmosphere, man. That's a hungry type of atmosphere.
- [01:47]
Matt Rhule
Yeah, credit, credit to Minnesota and their fans. And they were loud, they were raucous, their student section was rocking. There are no excuses to make. You know, at the end of the day, like, man, you got to score more points than the other team. And we didn't stop the run, we didn't protect our quarterback, we didn't score touchdowns in the red zone. And you get to halftime, it's still, it's a 7, 6 game. And that's in football. Like you get on the bus afterwards and you see, man, Miami lost, you know, the number two team in the country lost at the same time. So this is college football. It's becoming more and more like the NFL. There's so much parity, there's so much, you know, rosters are evening out. And so you got to show up and you got to play. And credit to Minnesota. They showed up and they played and you know, it hurts. Trust me, it hurts us. But you know what? We got it. We gotta, we gotta show up and do it again this week, bro. So, so it's like, hey, learn from it and fight back, man.
- [02:38]
Robert
College football is not like it was. It has changed dramatically, which we all recognize, right? And sometimes even though you intellectually understand that, your mind still goes to. Wow. Like you're telling me Vandy beat lsu? Like is that. That couldn't happen. That's not realistic. And it's weird. But this is the new football and it's almost like we have to get used to it.
- [03:03]
Matt Rhule
Texas Tech, who's ranked seventh in the country, you know, they, they, they lose to Arizona State. It's just, it's just the game has changed. I think back to my last year in college before I went to the NFL, you know, 20, 20, 19, you know, you think about that, that LSU team, you know, with Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase and, and to think that, you know, and think about where Vandy was then, but this new era and what a great job Clark Lee's done at Vandy. But you think about just this new era and there's no easy outs. There's no easy outs in the sec. There's no easy outs in the Big Ten. You got to show up, you got to play every single week. And you know, the Indiana's of the world, you know, that were, you know, not even thought of a couple years ago. Now they're top five teams. And so that's what we got to do. We got to find a way to get ourselves to that level. We had a chance Friday night and you know, it didn't happen. I didn't get it done. And so all you can do is take ownership of it. And the good news is we get to play again this Saturday versus a really hot Northwestern team. And Northwestern team that went into Penn State and beat Penn State at Penn State. Northwestern team that shut out Purdue. And so every week, every week's a battle.
- [04:05]
Robert
We all should have saw it. But you know, because the minute you had that kind of roster movement, it mimics like you saw the NFL where every week it's crazy and you know it. You were in that league. You, you know, like, like I remember talking to Andy Reid and Andy said to me, he's like, it's hard to win. All right? Like, I know everybody wants to what style points and they want, they look pretty. He's like, it's hard to win. Winning so hard, man. Appreciate it, would you?
- [04:41]
Matt Rhule
That's exactly. And that's, that's, you know, like to your point, that's the NFL. The NFL's built on parody and it's built with roster mobility. Think, think about it like, Christian McCaffrey has a record setting day. Well, you know, he wasn't with the Niners originally. He was in Carolina. You know, he gets, he gets traded there and the ability to move rosters and change personnel. And that was never in college. It used to be, you know, Randy Moss had to transfer down to FCS Marshall. Now the whole game has changed and it's allowed for parody. It's probably more, there's more exciting games, there's more, you know, there's less blowouts, more action on Saturday. I mean, you're sitting there on a Saturday afternoon and you're like, geez, there's great game after great game. Arkansas almost beats A and M. I mean, the team that makes those plays when it matters is the team that, the team, that team that walks away the victor.
- [05:20]
Robert
I mean, I watch it. Ole Miss take Georgia to the woodshed. Like they had to come back. Ole Miss, what they didn't get. In fact, Georgia didn't get to stop until midway through the fourth quarter.
- [05:32]
Matt Rhule
Just think about, like, think about before Lane Kiffin got the old Miss. So like, you know, like you, but with the job that he's done, it just, you know, and he's, he's out there, he's playing with a quarterback to transfer it up from Division 2. I mean, it's just such a different game now. And so I think the key is a, as a coach and as administrators and people running programs, you want to be on the cutting edge. You want to get the best players, you want to have the best roster. And at the same time as fan bases and players like just, you don't know who you're playing each week. You know, it's not, this isn't your mom's, you know, your dad's, your grandpa's, whatever team, like, you got to be ready every single week. And so. But back to our game, man, we certainly ran into a team that was motivated and ready to play. And we'll have that again this week, man. And our team will be motivated, ready to play this week.
- [06:16]
Robert
You lose two games early, it doesn't kill you, right? Like, obviously you don't lose, but it's not the death knell. A loss doesn't Kill you the way it used to.
- [06:26]
Matt Rhule
College football for many years was just like an elimination tournament, you know, like, lose the game and you're out. You know, but with the parody, you know, come comes, comes better games. I mean, I think it's all been really good for college football, right? Like, I mean, who wants. Who wants there to be two or three teams that just dominate everybody else, man? I want to see teams grow and develop. And we're just getting into middle of October, November, December. That's when championships are won. And so who's healthy, who's hot? Those are the things that matter. And so, you know, you have to. When you do lose a game, you have to learn from it and you have to grow from it. You know, you can't let a loss beat you twice. I think that's the other thing that we're seeing, because you're seeing a lot of teams, like, they lose once, they lose twice, and then they just go on a skid. They lose four in a row because, you know, guys are like, oh, the season's over. You know, I tell our guys, man, I want football players. I want guys that they'll go play in the parking lot because they love the game that much. And so part of it for us is finding those types of people, and I think we got a bunch of.
- [07:21]
Robert
Them knowing that you lost a game, right? It's almost like, oh, man, you're right. Like. Like, how do you want to be treated? Because, like, if you lost the game, like, I always feel terrible for you. Like, I'm like, I mean, you're right, bro. And you're like, dude, it's football, man. Like, what do you want, Robbie, man, That's right.
- [07:40]
Matt Rhule
None of us as men and women, you know, we don't. People. We hate when people feel sorry for us, right? At the end of the day, like, you know, we go out there to play, man. I take complete and total ownership of what happens. And so if we lose, then, you know, then. Then. Then I lost. I. I didn't get the job done. I didn't execute the mission. And so maybe I'm a little bit sad, but I'm usually pretty angry. And I'm angry at myself, and I'm like, all right. But the key to being great is saying, I'm going to learn from this and come back better this week. And so. But, you know, you appreciate that people care enough about you to reach out. Like, it's always hard when you feel like you let people down, you know, I mean, like, you walk off the field, you see your wife, you see your kids, you see your players, and you're like, man, I want so much for them to have that winning feeling. And. But that's. That's the game. I mean, if you won every game, then, you know, it'd be pretty fun, actually. But so. But, you know, but that's just the game, man. And this game will humble you. This game will take you to highs you never felt before. And so when you lose a game, you just can't wait to feel that feeling of winning again.
- [08:34]
Robert
You love to win, and you want to win, and winning is great, but you have to hate to lose. Like I say with Jalen hurts, Hurts, hates to lose. He likes winning. He hates losing. He won yesterday. And after the game, yelled out, we're not effing losers. And it's like, dude, you lost twice in 25 games like that league. Like, of course you're not. You won the Super Bowl. But it was this idea of hating to lose.
- [09:08]
Matt Rhule
Part of that goes back to what you said, though, because, like, how hard.
- [09:10]
Interviewer/Host
It is to win.
- [09:11]
Matt Rhule
Like, the sacrifices and the places you have to take yourself to win are so hard and so extreme. What's your burn? What puts you there? And, you know, if. If you only want to play football to get things, then, like, that's fleeting. But, like, when you hate to lose and that burns you and drives you and gets you to play on a hobbled ankle, it just gets you to do things that most humans wouldn't do. And that's what. That's what drives greatness. And that's. That's why the guys follow. Jalen hurts because he's going to do whatever it takes to win because he hates losing. And. And that's. That's. That's what winners do, man.
- [09:44]
Robert
Hate to lose. To me, that's an outlaw light toast right there, man.
- [09:50]
Matt Rhule
Cheers.
- [09:53]
Robert
All right, so Christian McCaffrey last night, because I. I want to bring this up to you. It was ridiculous. 201 yards from scrimmage. It was one of these performances where you're like, this kid just leaves it all on the field. How do you react? And did you. Did you know it? Did you see it?
- [10:12]
Matt Rhule
Oh, yeah.
- [10:13]
Robert
See about it. That made him special.
- [10:14]
Matt Rhule
Well, he's just so, so, so driven and a. He can do it all. But. But he. Going back to what you talk about, hating to lose. Like, he just doesn't want to even lose, like, a rep. He doesn't like to get covered. He doesn't like to, like, drop a Ball. He doesn't like to come out of the game. Like, he is so driven to be the best, and he is so driven. Like, he would, like, run a run and then go check the GPS and see how fast he was, you know, I mean, like, to make sure he's hitting his numbers. I mean, he's. He's so driven. And, you know, you look. You look at the Niners, you know, you have. You have, you know, a backup quarterback in, though, an excellent one in Mac Jones. And it's like, hey, you know what? Like, guys got to step up. And that's what CMC does, man. He steps up. He's the ultimate winner in the off.
- [10:56]
Robert
Season, I guess Bijan. Bijan Robinson ran into him and he wanted to pick his brain. The next thing you know, they're hanging out, working out together, and he's. Bijan was like, over the moon about how, you know, CMC would work. You know, gave him the time and he really helped his game.
- [11:19]
Matt Rhule
No one takes better care of their body and trains at a higher level than Christian, you know, from. From all the different modalities he uses to, like, to the sprint training and trains like a track athlete. He really. I mean, a lot of things we've put in here, you know, he's affected. He. I learned from him and the people that work with him. And so his training regimen is unsurpassed to me. It's. It's a really good idea if you're a young player, to go find someone like that, if they're willing. If they're willing to work with you. The old days, you know, Walter Payton, Jerry Rice, those guys running hills, doing all the things that they did. And, you know, Christian's taken that to a scientific new level and trained with that sort of intensity with, like, the most advanced methods. And as a result, you see a guy that's always prepared and always ready to go. I think that's one of the things. That's like, one of the things going back to Christian that he has. And I think that's one of the things you have to make sure that in this era of elite training and specialization, all these things, like, you know, somewhere along the way, you know, we all started opting out of everything. It's opting out of playing, like, who loves to play, who loves to compete, and going back to what we just talked about, like, every game is going to be a battle in the SEC and the Big Ten and the Big 12 and the ACC. Like you find in a bunch of guys.
- [12:29]
Interviewer/Host
Yeah, they Love the practice.
- [12:30]
Matt Rhule
Yeah, they love to train, but do they love to play? Do they love to compete? Do they like being on the goal line, having to make a stop to win the game? And when you find guys who love that, man, keep them. Because, because, because there's nothing better than having a great competitor on your team.
- [12:44]
Robert
Let's look at a potential recruit. Like, they could give you all the right answers, but there's got to be almost a glint. What are your tells?
- [12:52]
Matt Rhule
There's so many different ones, right? Like, you know, we had, we have a kid in our team, Isaiah Mosey, and I remember when he came on his official visit and we had all the cool stuff going on and we were actually having a camp at time the same, same day, and he's a coach's kid and instead of going up and the photo shoots and all these things, which he eventually did, like he was at the camp the entire day with a ball in his hand. He just kept throwing it up in the air. And I was like, man, you could just tell this guy loves football. You know, some guys are good at football and they like football, but, like, you could just tell he loves football, he loves to play. And finding guys who love to play, that's, that's a big, big, big key.
- [13:27]
Robert
All right, the Matt Rule way. All right, this is the Matt Rule way.
- [13:34]
Interviewer/Host
It.
- [13:34]
Robert
Can you tell across sports who's got, who's got that vibe? Like, who do you love across sports? That's a, that's a Matt Rule type of player. Behind football, because we talked about basketball. Any other sport that you see, we got the World Series going on, where you go, that's a Matt Rule kind of kid.
- [13:54]
Matt Rhule
Years ago, I listened to Hubie Brown on a podcast and he was saying one of the keys for a basketball coach is figuring out who likes to take the last shot. Like, sometimes a guy that scores 40 points a game, you know, he's a scorer, but he doesn't want to take the last shot. And so when I see the Steph Currys of the world, when I see the guys that are like, hey, give me the ball, give me the ball, I'm going to go, I'm going to put it on my back and win or lose, it's going to be because of me. I love those types of guys. But all I really know about football, man, I'm a one trick pony, you know, I'll watch a hockey game and cheer, I'll watch a basketball game and cheer. But, like, I love seeing at the end of the game who who wants to take the last shot? Because that, to me is the ultimate definition. The ball either goes in or goes out. It's all within your control. And it's thousands and thousands and thousands of reps. You know, I'm a Knicks fan, I'm not a Lakers fan, but I've read everything and listened to everything Kobe Bryant ever said. Because the Mamba mentality and that, that, that, that whole way is something that I think every young athlete should aspire to. You know, it seems like every day I get a text from someone asking where they can get the best deal on Huskers tickets. That's why I want to give the sponsor of today's video, SeatGeek, a big shout out. With over 35 million downloads, SeatGeek is.
- [15:14]
Interviewer/Host
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- [15:15]
Matt Rhule
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- [16:34]
Interviewer/Host
Thank you for coming.
- [16:35]
Greg Brown
Absolutely. Good to be here.
- [16:36]
Interviewer/Host
Why do you like coaches so much? Like, why? What do you see when you come around us? It's like, probably one of the most busiest men in the world.
- [16:44]
Greg Brown
So are you.
- [16:44]
Interviewer/Host
But when you come here, I don't take time to go to business meetings. You come here and it's like you just pour into coaches all the time. And then as I talk to guys, you advocate for us. You're around us. For me, the things you've done. For me, the advice. What is it you see in coaches that activates you?
- [17:01]
Greg Brown
So, number one, I think we have the same job. Corporate sports. We do the same thing. You used to be, quote, unquote, just a coach. You're not. You're a CEO now. And you know all the things you have to say. Grace over two. I've always loved college football and the NFL and college basketball. And when I met Treason, I didn't know him at all till a little over five years ago. It was an unbelievable honor to come into a room and see guys like you. I'm like, wow. So then Trace said, do you think there are things you do as a CEO that could teach the CEOs of football some things? And I said, you know what? I think the answer is yes. And I never. Matt, you know, I don't talk at people, but I try to share things I've gone through. Mainly the mistakes I've made, what I learned and how I think it could be transportable. And I have tremendous respect. You get measured on win losses. I get measured on the stock. You have to lead a lot of people. I gotta lead a lot of people. You. You have a board of regents or university directors. I got a board of directors. So you have to deal with the media. I have to deal with the media. You gotta deal with things that happen in real time. So do I. So when you think about the commonalities of the challenges, while they're different at Nebraska football than Motorola, they're actually a lot more in common. And I like. You give me energy. I like learning from you guys, and I like connecting. And sometimes when you will call me and talk something through, you think I'm helping you, you're as much helping me. Inevitably, it's a situation that will be similar to either something I dealt with or I may. So as much as you get out of me, I get out of you. And I appreciate you.
- [18:40]
Interviewer/Host
You know, I went and spoke. I don't speak a lot, but I went and spoke at a John Gordon event, and they were like, you know, what do you want to talk about? I talked about how I've always wanted to take not bad jobs. I mean, they're all good jobs, but places that have been losing and. And winning. And we had this thing, you know, we're sitting at the team and they do like, we bring someone in. He talks about, what's your why? And I'll be honest with you, I hear that sometimes I sit in the back, I kind of roll my eyes. I'm like, I don't want to do this. I don't want to talk about it.
- [19:06]
Robert
You know?
- [19:07]
Interviewer/Host
And I was sitting there, I was like, why do I. Why do I like going to a Nebraska that hasn't won? It's a great job, but hasn't won in a while? Why do I go into temple? And I said to myself, if I was really honest, I kind of like being the guy that can. That can fix a place that hasn't won. And you said something to me early on and you said it today, and it hits me. It's not about the cards you're dealt. It's about how you play the hand and five of clubs. Like, where did that start? How do you live that out? And when I say I like being the guy who can fix it, is.
- [19:41]
Matt Rhule
That the same thing? Is it different?
- [19:43]
Greg Brown
So actually, I go way back, and my first job out of school, I was blessed. It was AT&T at the time, long time ago. I'm an old guy. It was the biggest company in the world, 1.1 million employees. And this executive sees me. I was teaching a class. I was a school kid at Rutgers, and I was teaching a class, and he thought I was with IBM permanently. And he said, I want you to come at, AT and T and you can go anywhere in the country you want.
- [20:08]
Interviewer/Host
I thought, whoa.
- [20:09]
Greg Brown
So I go home. There's no smartphone, there's no Android, there's nothing. I get a Rand McNally map and I pull it out and I said, hey, dad, this is what the guy said. I'm a Jersey kid. I'd never been to San Francisco. I think I heard that's nice. Scottsdale. My father crumples the map up and he said, that's very nice of you to think about you and what you'd like. What do you know about the guy that made you the offer? I said, nothing. He said, so you're thinking about you. Why don't you find out more about him and why don't you find about what he needs? I called him Matt and said, Mr. Reed, it's Greg Brown. Oh, no, Greg, you can. No, no, I just want to ask you a couple questions. What responsibility do you have? And he said, I have 10 states in America. I said, what's the worst performing area for AT&T? He Said, unfortunately, it's in my region. It's Detroit. It's 1981. And I said, Mr. Reeb, I'd like to start my job in Detroit. He said, you sure about that? I said, yes, sir, I'm sure. That was my father who said, don't think about you and what you'd like. Go and turn something around. When you see a fire, run toward it. Also, Matt, preferably, I like playing from behind, not with a lead. I'd rather be the guy that's underestimated. So I just like when people underestimate the situation, me or others, because it gives me more fire and inspiration. That's kind of, I think, where it originated.
- [21:37]
Interviewer/Host
So if you go back to, like, that guy at that age taking over, or even going back to when you started at Motorola, and you're giving us lessons there, you're giving me lessons now. Like, you have one thing you can say, tell that guy, like, hey, do this. I've learned this and now this. What's the one thing that you would impart to the younger you?
- [21:58]
Greg Brown
That's a really good question. I would say. I would say don't ever be a victim and be an insatiable, curious learner, because I don't know how I got here. I can tell you kind of things that happened, but my oxygen is learning and my oxygen is connecting. Because you learned four ways. You read. You see, you hear, or you do. That's the only way we learn. I like doing and interacting, and I like reading. You know, I don't read books. People say, what's your favorite book? I don't read books. I don't. But I'm very current on what's happening, whether it's Wall Street Journal, financial Times, the economy, whatever it is. Attitude determines altitude. We all got problems. Get over it. Tell me the top two or three, how to work on it. Chip away at the Rock and go get it. That's what I'd say.
- [23:00]
Interviewer/Host
You said to me before, like, knowing what you don't know is better than being brilliant. Like, this year, for me, like, I hired Dana Holderson, you know, he's awesome. I looked at myself and said, you know, Matt, you need someone not just who's experienced and knowledgeable, but someone. Someone who you can't push over, who's going to be your OC and take yourself to the next level. So I've kind of learned that from you, and I'm trying to do that in my own place. Give me an example of that. Like, give me an example of. I'M going to make myself better by a decision you've made by knowing you don't know everything.
- [23:28]
Greg Brown
So it's. You give the example of Dana. I'll give you the example of my cfo, Jason Winkler, my coo, Jack Malloy. I'm not quote unquote smart. Jack Malloy is a sales execution machine. He knows more about it than I do. He's better at it than I am. I don't want to be Jack. I want Jack to be Jack. Jason knows financials, treasury markets, capital markets, University of Chicago. Booth. Guy splits atoms. A lot of gray matter. I ain't that guy. So I know what questions to ask. As I get more pattern recognition, I don't know the details of the topic these guys do, my team rounds me out. If you try to be everything, you'll be nothing. It's powerful.
- [24:14]
Interviewer/Host
It makes me think about myself like, you know, as you come in to be a coach, you start off and, like, you're so great at teaching a technique or teaching this or connecting with players. And as the job evolves, I was. I was the head coach at temple. We had 10 coaches. We had one operations person at GA, one strength coach at GA. There was like 14 of us. It was like family. It was like a startup. I'm in Nebraska now. I have 70 people that work for me, plus 76 students. It's a whole, whole, whole different job. I sometimes miss being the tight end coach. Sometimes miss, like, having my hands dirty. Like, how do you find the joy in always being at the level that you have to be at?
- [24:52]
Greg Brown
Not always, but you're absolutely right because I talked about it. You gotta go from doer to kind of conductor, doer to leader. I find the joy in seeing other people succeed. The example I gave this morning, that guy did a great job handling code red on the cockpit. He didn't need me. He thought he needed me. The joy I get is I didn't have to do a thing. Not because I didn't want to, but because he sat in, buckled up, put the helmet on and his mouthpiece in, and he led us through it. The joy is watching him develop. Now I'll do what you do, too. I will have a bias or dip down and do something that's kind of comfortable. And I like because. And that's okay too, right? Because you can't be. You can't be an aloof robot. And no matter what you're doing or what level, you got to connect and connect current, connect current, connect with people, stay current and keep Learning that leads.
- [25:45]
Interviewer/Host
Me to something that I find myself somewhat passionate about and I find myself being asked about a lot because, you know, I'm 50 years old and I'm coaching 18, I'm recruiting 16, 17 year old kids, I'm coaching 18. And you know, you mentioned talking, going to talk to the Motorola interns and people ask me a lot about Gen Z and the one way I've tried to approach it, because I'm coaching them, we're hiring them, you're hiring them. Well, I recognize there's a whole Gen Z, my son Bryant, he's one, and then Vivian Leona, my daughter. And one thing I've learned is each one of my kids is unbelievably different. And so I have to stay current to be able to relate to them and I have to be able to connect with them. And as we sometimes we just say, hey, this generation's this, this generation's that. I mean, there's just all these different people. They're all, they're all young people. We have to find ways to connect to them, to stay current with them. How do you do that? Why go talk to the interns? Why? Like what value does that have for you and for the company?
- [26:39]
Greg Brown
For me, I get to see and inspire grassroots talent. That's important. So instead of looking at a PowerPoint or me in a video or any other process bureaucracy, I want you to feel me, I want you to talk to me, I want you to ask me questions, I want to interact. I never Matt, when I talk to people, I don't show slides. I mean, I do here because I have a certain presentation, I stand up and I go, it's organic, natural, authentic. You can ask me anything. There's nothing prepared. You got something on your mind, you got a fear. And if I don't know, I don't know. So I think they want to see a real person, an authentic connection. I give points of view using humor. I said, I think your generation is coddled. I don't think you're mentally tough. I think tough situations produce tough people. Good times produce soft people other than Covid. And I'm not minimizing that. And that really disrupted people's work, school engagement. But where have you been tested? Tell me where you've been tested. And I would say to them in a nice way, you really haven't. And you don't know what you don't know. It's not your fault. And in fact, part of the reason you feel that way, you do is my fault because I Was raised a certain way that today, as my wife Anna reminds me, you can't say that. You can't do that. But I find a way, Matt, where I communicate reasonable expectations about being on time. Attitude, body language, doing more than what's expected. Don't whine, don't be an energy taker. These are basic things. But sometimes, you know, IQ doesn't mean you're smart. It means you're intellectual. I want you to be more self aware. A lot of people are not self aware. It's hard to be self aware and be vulnerable and criticize yourself. And I find when I talk about the things I made mistakes on, number one, it's cathartic for me. But number two, I think it helps you guys.
- [28:40]
Interviewer/Host
You know, getting fired in Carolina for me, excuse me. And going through that and kind of suffering as a family, you know, public. And it is what it is. It's part of the deal. I found that as I came back to coach and I talk about it sometimes our. With players, they're growing up in a world where, like, you don't. You don't talk about your problems out loud. You post your best moments.
- [29:02]
Greg Brown
You got it.
- [29:03]
Interviewer/Host
You don't even take a picture of yourself anymore. You post yourself with a filter that make, you know, I can make myself look what, however I want now. And so. But everyone's probably suffering a little bit inside.
- [29:11]
Greg Brown
No doubt.
- [29:12]
Interviewer/Host
One of my things has been like, hey, you know what? Be open and honest enough to, like, suffer with them. Like to show them, like, hey, listen, I've been here. I know exactly, exactly how you feel. And I think that's. That's helped me connect with them. And I think part of it too is. And you said this about, you know, expressing expectations. Bryant, you know, he's in Charlotte and Covid, so he doesn't really learn how to drive because he's, you know, we don't have that opportunity gets out. So great. I take him to get gas. I say, get the gas. Put the gas in. Put some gas in. I'm talking to him. I say, hey, that's enough. He pulls it out. He has. Still has a clutch, sprays gas all over me. I said a couple of things. I said a few choice words. Put it back. You know, I realized I never took him to the gas station. I never told him, do I want.
- [29:57]
Matt Rhule
Him to figure it out?
- [29:58]
Interviewer/Host
Do I want him to, you know, sure. But I also don't want him to have to learn anything from YouTube. And I sometimes forget, like, I'm coaching guys that like they miss their seventh grade and eighth grade year and ninth grade and tenth grade year. And so expressing expectations, is that the same now for this generation as it is for you? Dealing with 50 year old people, 60 year old, like dealing with me or.
- [30:17]
Greg Brown
Some are common, some are different. I think that the gen zers are not in general stereotypically not mentally tough. And you've talked about pain, you just talked about suffering. You've heard me say this. We all go through stuff. Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. So reach out. It's a technology generation. I want to post any communication. Looks a good picture, it's a good Instagram reel. It's all positive. And that's not what life is. So they have a distorted view of life and a removed view. It's more phone and iPad. It's electronic, not personal. And it's damaging. It's enormously damaging. So when I communicate expectations or talk to the generation, I kind of remind them what they already know. But maybe nobody says, you've heard me say with the phone, I think it's great, it's a computer in your pocket. But if you're on it all the time and you're looking not just for information but validation, you're going to mess yourself up. I think when you show awareness of the differences, but then also remind them of the commonalities, being on time has nothing to do with, to do with generational. Treating people with respect is not generational. So I kind of reground them on the common, have a little fun with the other differences. It's a challenge, but you can get them there.
- [31:48]
Interviewer/Host
Yeah. You sit here unbelievably successful, someone that people like me look up to, someone that I lean on. I went through the change, talked about leaving Carolina and as I tried to figure out what the job next was, came to you about Nebraska. And you helped me figure out what's next. You're here, you've had all the success. Like what drives you, like that makes you sick.
- [32:11]
Greg Brown
You asked me what makes you, as you go from doer to this level, what gives you joy? That gives me joy. It gives me joy to see my CFO develop, Jack develop. It gives me joy to you. When we talked about that over an hour, I didn't tell you what to do and I didn't have the answer. All I did was ask you questions which made me.
- [32:29]
Interviewer/Host
Which you made me say things. You made me say things I didn't want to actually say out loud. I was like, yes, I should.
- [32:37]
Matt Rhule
Yes.
- [32:37]
Greg Brown
But once you said what you already knew, you had the answer yourself. And the fact that, Matt, you say you look up to me. Are you kidding me? I look up to you? We had that conversation. 48 hours later, I'm seeing on the ESPN Matt Rule going to Nebraska. I'm proud because I had a little bit to help. That's what gives me great pride. It's cool. That's what it's all. It's impact.
- [33:06]
Interviewer/Host
It's impact because when I talk to you, you're willing to talk about your experiences. Like it's not all, as you say. As I say, like it's not all just a straight line. Like, we look back on our lives and it's this jagged, crooked, you know, ugly line. And as we're going through life, you know, I'm learning, like, I just want my highs to be a little higher than the other highs and my lows to not be as low as the previous low and just keep moving that line forward. I don't know if I could hear from you or anyone else if you weren't willing to be so honest about, hey, I went through this, I went through that. But so you're gonna, you're gonna continue to go through those things. I'm gonna continue to go through those things.
- [33:40]
Matt Rhule
Like what? What makes us both.
- [33:41]
Interviewer/Host
Like, you could retire. I probably could retire and go play golf. Why do I keep wanting to coach?
- [33:48]
Greg Brown
Because that's your passion and Motorola is mine. That's one. The second passion is you always want to get better and do more and have greater impact. And so do I. I know it sounds like a little high level Fluffa Duffy. It's not. I think I know the way you're wired. I think I do. And I think I know how much Julie means to you and how much Anna means to me. So I don't want to golf. I don't want to fish. I don't want to hunt. I don't want to sleep. I also don't want to exercise, so I don't want to do that. So I'm going to do what I do right, because I like it. What did I say in there? If you love what you do, you won't work a day in your life.
- [34:24]
Interviewer/Host
Yeah.
- [34:25]
Greg Brown
And I know you love it. I love it. And that's the bond I feel with you.
- [34:29]
Interviewer/Host
So I said, I went to the John Gordon event. Sean McVay spoke. I've never really met Sean McVeigh, but before I met him in passing, I come here, I see you, you're here. There's Two things I noticed about you that I don't notice about every other speaker. I see these other guys that come in, they speak and then they leave. You sit through every other presentation. You listen to everybody else talking about everything related to football. I watch Sean, me, Bay. He sits there. He listens to every other. This is the most successful coach. He's listening to pastors, he's listening to business leaders. He listens to everybody else. You mentioned that you don't read books, but you stay current. You read like, how can I read more? What makes you always want to learn? What's the best way for me to grow? What's the best way that I can learn from you? From that?
- [35:12]
Greg Brown
So I read what I want to read. Need to. The Wall Street Journal gives me current daily business information. The Financial Times gives me the same, but a European view, international view. The Economist is the single best magazine I read. It's like super hard. It talks about Africa, Asia, politics, the economy, finance, regime change, the military. I don't know. I literally don't know why. And I don't read all that stuff. I can't read all that stuff. But I pick a lot of articles out. Do I want to say I read the Economist and I want to be more worldly? No. I legitimately am interested. I am also interested, as you could tell. I am interested in politics and foreign policy. Now running a US multinational company and serving the US government, the UK government, the Germany government, the Italian government. I do have a need and a genuine interest, and it makes me better. So the things you need to think about are what do you want to read and. Or need to read that would make you better? Is it the athletic? I don't know what it is in your world and if there's a way to do it, see what that information is. Don't overload yourself and see if you can get a rhythm of engagement with the key information you think you may need.
- [36:32]
Interviewer/Host
And you'll evolve because everyone seems to be taking their information, like, in small doses. Social media. I do like books and I found, like, for me, books kind of. Kind of slow my brain down. You take time during the day or is your schedule too busy to sit down?
- [36:46]
Greg Brown
I definitely take time during the day, so I talked about white space. If I showed you my calendar looking out, I know I did, but you really couldn't see it. I bet you I have right now 40 to 50%. I bet you it's 50% of the next four weeks. 50. That's totally open.
- [37:07]
Interviewer/Host
Totally open for people Just to come.
- [37:09]
Matt Rhule
In and talk to you or for.
- [37:10]
Interviewer/Host
Just you to be by yourself?
- [37:12]
Greg Brown
Both. I think I'll read. But really it's initiating or responding. So I'll call. And, you know, whenever they get a call, it's like, oh. But now they know I'll text or call and say, I'm just checking in. How's it going? What are you working on? Hey, how's this going? Or do you need anything from me? I think a good CEO removes obstacles, eliminates bureaucracy, or gets stuff out of the way and lets them know, I believe in you. I'm with you. I'm a text or call away. And when you call people a lot and text them a lot and you need nothing and you want nothing, it's disarming. And you say, well, how do you have time to do that? That's what it's all about. That's what it's all about. And I also do that, Matt, externally, I'll check in. I told you. I'll show you this one thing. I'll look at New York and say, I'm going to text these three guys real quick. Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom. I'll go to Dallas. One quick one. San Francisco. It takes seconds. You know how many people I could text? Just, I'm checking in.
- [38:12]
Matt Rhule
You good?
- [38:13]
Greg Brown
You need anything? Now here's what I also do. I actually populate my calendar as I go. So if you and I meet for a half hour today, when we're done, I'm going to put in Matt Rule interview, 30 minutes. So when you look forward four weeks, 50% of my calendar is blank. When you look backward, it's a blur of activity because I populate what I did. And then I say, how many times did I talk to Rule in the last two months? Two. How about Trace? Zero. Oh, let me give Trace a call. So I do it that way, too. I know. I'm a little anal.
- [38:50]
Interviewer/Host
I love it. Football coaches were a lot like this, right?
- [38:53]
Matt Rhule
The X has to go exactly where it's supposed to go. The O has to go here.
- [38:57]
Interviewer/Host
So I'm gonna go to. I'll be in Cape May. I have a house in New Jersey. Cape May, New Jersey, Jersey guy. Chicago, Boston, New York, all over the world. Best, favorite place to eat, favorite food. Which. Which city's the best?
- [39:10]
Greg Brown
Chicago's really good steak places. I gotta go with New York as number one. I like Carbone in New York. I like the Grill in New York. There's a place on 56th called Il Tonello. Italian joint. Seats like 50 people. I gotta take it. Il Tonello done. It's incredible. Not well known, below the radar.
- [39:31]
Interviewer/Host
I can't tell you how much joy it brought me to coach a bowl game in New York City.
- [39:35]
Greg Brown
You love it.
- [39:36]
Interviewer/Host
Like, I mean, like, you know, I mean the bowl game is wonderful. We have bigger plans moving forward, but to go practice at the Giants, to watch the Knicks game on Christmas, to be in Yankee Stadium. But like literally people like, what are we going to do today? I just walked. I walked Central Park, I walked all over. And then I come around the corner, I'd see Brock Knudsen who I recruited on a Scotts bluff in Nebraska. Carter Nelson from Ainsworth, Nebraska that played eight man football. And they're walking around New York City looking around these streets that I grew up like bustling down, looking at tourists looking up like, what's wrong with that person? And I'm like, guys, stop looking up, man.
- [40:10]
Matt Rhule
They know you're not from here.
- [40:11]
Interviewer/Host
But I had so much fun. The energy of it, it gives you energy. Seeing my old friends, I also was so excited when I got back to Nebraska and just had the peace and calm. Like I've learned to appreciate all the places I've been. But I have to tell you what, anything I made off the bowl game, any, any bonus, I spent it all. Food.
- [40:30]
Matt Rhule
Every night is a different restaurant.
- [40:31]
Interviewer/Host
I'm like, like, like tonight we're going to Little Maven, tomorrow we're going to Smith and Lewinsky, we're going to John's Pizza, we're going. I mean I, I really, really, I really enjoyed New York's the best.
- [40:43]
Greg Brown
Appreciate you.
- [40:44]
Interviewer/Host
You as well. Thank you so much.
- [40:45]
Greg Brown
Thank you, man.
- [40:51]
Matt Rhule
We've been cheering behind their work for years, literally. Empire Netting and fence built the iconic tunnel walk gates of Memorial Stadium and the netting that keeps every foul ball and fan safe nationwide. Even in my own backyard at the Waverly High School fields and Haymarket park, home of the Huskers and Salt Dogs. And just down the road from the stadium, they took on one of Nebraska's most impressive projects yet. Building the Sandhills Global Youth Complex from the ground up. Transforming the future of youth sports in our state. And here's the cool part. They're not slowing down now. They've added something brand new. Hot Coat powder coating. It's a state of the art, fully automated line setting a new standard for powder coating in the Midwest. From race cars and high production parts to those iconic tunnel walk gates. Hot Coat's got you covered. Empire and Hot Coat are Not just powder coating building fences, gates or netting. They're building a culture rooted in grit, integrity and pride. And they're looking for good people to join the team. So next time that tunnel walk music hits and those gates swing open, think of Empire, a Nebraska company doing big things.
- [41:54]
Robert
Okay, time now. Anything but football. And this is you guys, right? This is the viewers. This is where you guys ask Coach anything you want. Hilly answers.
- [42:04]
Greg Brown
Anything. All right?
- [42:05]
Robert
That's the type of guy he is. He wants up for a conversation? Matt Rule, always up for conversation. Here we go. Cody Main quest. All right. At Nebraska, Cody, ask you this, Coach, you're a wrestling guy. As an avid wrestling supporter, can you go to detail as a coach why you like athletes that wrestle and go into detail about what wrestling does for athletes both on and off the mat?
- [42:34]
Matt Rhule
That's a great question. And I think there's a. I think there's a couple things. Number one, obviously, from a physical standpoint, especially as it relates to like O line and D line play, learning how to use your hands, body balance, anchor power, those are all the movements that we're trying to look for in football, right? At the end of the day, football is about one man moving another man in a direction he doesn't want to go. And so the ability to combat it carries over unbelievably well. But the second thing, I had two great players who played for me at Temple. Adrian Robinson, who's now deceased, and Avery Robinson, his younger brother. And I remember recruiting them. Adrian was an outside backer, and I went to the house and recruited them. I remember Mr. Robinson talking to him and he told me how they both had wrestled and gone all over the state. And he told me that he loved wrestling because his sons had to walk out. They had to wrestle and win or lose, they had to walk back. They couldn't. They couldn't blame the official, they couldn't blame the play calling. They couldn't blame their partner. They couldn't blame the quarterback. They couldn't blame. It was you versus him. And all the things we've talked about today, hating to lose, loving to win, sacrificing like, it is such a hard sport, it is such a physical sport. It is such a grind. At the end of the day, though, like, you learn it's me versus you. And so when you think about football, we have 11 guys out there, but.
- [44:01]
Interviewer/Host
Really everybody is having to win a.
- [44:04]
Matt Rhule
One on one versus somebody else. And that mental toughness, that grit, loving to win and hating to lose and that sacrifice you have to do to be a wrestler, I think carries over to football in such a high, high level. And so, yeah, we love wrestlers. Anytime we can get them just winning.
- [44:19]
Robert
At the point of contact, they know how to do it. Like you're taught that. It's tough, man, it drives you. Those kids are tough kids as wrestlers.
- [44:29]
Matt Rhule
Absolutely. I, you know, we have a great, great, great wrestling team here and just seeing the things that they go through, you know, is amazing. I have the ultimate respect for them.
- [44:37]
Robert
All right, now it's time to look ahead. This week we got Northwestern. Anything that you saw, protection wise, anything you saw from last week. What do you think going into Northwestern from an interior, a self scouting standpoint?
- [44:53]
Matt Rhule
We have to build off the things that we did well, but we got to play way better. We got a tackle, we've got a block. I mean, it's a simple game. They're so well coached that you're not going to fool Northwestern, not going to scheme Northwestern, they've won four in a row. They're, they're six in the Big Ten. The Russian for 190 yards a game stand. Stopping the run has been our challenge. We've got to take that feeling that we felt last week and we've got to put it in our stomach the entire week and then we have to go out and we have to play well for 60 minutes. We have to play together and we have to find a way. That's the type of team Northwestern is. I have elite respect for how they play. It'll be an unbelievable battle. But, you know, we get to come back home, we get to play in front of our family and friends. I can't wait to get out there and go back at it.
- [45:33]
Robert
This is the time of year, right? This is when it starts to change a little bit, right? Like the end of the warmth of summer turns brisk autumnal and this is when the season gets real.
- [45:46]
Matt Rhule
That's exactly right. You know, 40, 40 to start the morning off, maybe gets into the 50s, a little bit, a little bit of rain. Like, you know, that's part of being in Nebraska is combating the elements. But we're two Midwest teams. Both teams are used to this. It'll be a ton of fun. Like I said, I have ultimate respect for them and. But I know this. We're excited to get back on the field.
- [46:06]
Robert
Let's go. Number six, win. Number six.
- [46:09]
Greg Brown
Let's go.
- [46:10]
Matt Rhule
Let's get it done. Well, that's it. Another episode in the can. Please remember to like, share or subscribe on YouTube or wherever get your podcasts. And please follow house rules on socials till next time.