Matt Rhule had his Nebraska football team practice in full pads on Sunday after a 45-7 loss to Michigan on Saturday, and center Ben Scott had many thoughts on the move ahead of a matchup on the road against Illinois on Friday.
“It didn't feel good, but you've got to do what you've got to do,” Ben Scott said, via Mitch Sherman of The Athletic.
Scott said he has “never in my life” had a full padded practice the day after a game, but it was needed, according to Sherman.
Matt Rhule's Nebraska football team is 2-3 going into the game against Illinois, and Scott said the team is ready for a big game.
“I think our team is fired up,” Scott said, via Sherman. “We've got a chip on our shoulder. I think we're angry.”
This will be a big game in Rhule's first year with the Nebraska program. The expectations are not high, but beating the teams that are on the lower end in the Big Ten would calm the fanbase.
The Nebraska fanbase will have some level of patience with Rhule, but for the future, expectations will rise quickly.
Rhule had success with Temple and Baylor before an unsuccessful tenure with the Carolina Panthers in the NFL. The hope is that Rhule recaptures the success that he found in the college ranks with Nebraska, and helps turn around one of the most historic programs. It will be interesting to see how the team fares on Friday against Illinois after a padded practice on Sunday.