Why Matt Rhule seemingly will not return to varsity soccer — a minimum of not but

By RJ Younger
FOX Sports activities School Soccer Author

Matt Rhule ain’t coming again to teaching — not in 2022. And, if we’re inserting bets, not in 2023 both.

In reality, I’m undecided Rhule ought to rejoin the teaching ranks in any respect. He’s getting paid $40 million to go residence. He’s getting paid $834,000 a month for the following 48 months to not work.

When the Carolina Panthers knowledgeable him that he was being relieved of his duties, Rhule most likely thought of going full Ed Orgeron, who, when LSU paid him $17.5 million to not work, replied: "What time would you like me to go away, and what door would you like me out of, brother?'"

If it have been you, and also you have been supplied that sort of moolah to not get your head kicked in Tom Brady’s division tomorrow, you most likely wouldn’t present as much as work both. 

Will Matt Rhule return to varsity?

In his Week 7 mailbag, RJ Younger solutions fan questions, together with whether or not Matt Rhule would possibly return to varsity after being fired by the Carolina Panthers.

Certain, buyouts are part of soccer life. It is the worth of having the ability to fireplace somebody, and directors have been handing out eight-figure checks like stimulus packages to guys identical to Rhule during the last month — Paul Chryst at Wisconsin, Karl Dorrell at Colorado, Scott Frost at Nebraska.

Nebraska actually has the funding and the fan base to assist a rebuild. The state rallies across the Huskers, and the stadium continues to promote out even when the Huskers are dangerous.

They’re closing in on 400 consecutive sellouts in Lincoln in a sport that solely performs six or seven residence video games a yr. Trev Alberts is aware of higher than most that Rhule might assist the Huskers.

At Wisconsin, although, it appears like Jim Leonhard may have his interim tag eliminated on the finish of the season if the Badgers end anyplace near respectable. He’s among the finest defensive coaches within the sport and a legend in Madison.

Georgia Tech and Colorado could be sensible to examine in with Rhule, however they're powerful sells for a person who has achieved as a lot as he has.

Tech is preventing for gamers in the identical regional pool because the SEC in addition to the ACC, and, as a lot as school soccer aficionados like to say successful recruitment at house is the formulation for successful soccer, gamers come from all over the place. And Rhule must do this to win in a state the place the defending nationwide champs are simply up the highway in Athens. 

However the true rub for these packages is another person goes to get fired by a Energy 5 program. And if you happen to’re satisfied that Rhule goes to teach in 2023, why wouldn’t he wish to wait and see what else opens up?

Is Baker Mayfield in charge for Matt Rhule's firing?

The Carolina Panthers fired Matt Rhule after a 1-4 begin. Baker Mayfield will now be enjoying for his sixth coach in 5 seasons.

Coaches aren't the categories to be content material sitting on a hefty buyout whereas they lower lawns and end honey-do lists. Gus Malzahn, for instance, took $21 million of Auburn’s cash and went straight to work at Central Florida. 

It occurs. 

However Rhule? With $40 million in his pocket? Come on now. 

And but there are nonetheless people who consider he is likely to be coaxed into rebuilding their damaged packages, even with all the additional work that comes with the faculty sport.

Recruiting is an on a regular basis affair, even when the NCAA calendar says it ain’t. You’re both recruiting gamers to return or recruiting them to remain, and one of the best head coaches spend extra time on the telephone — speaking or texting — than they do teaching ball.

However you continue to assume Rhule desires to teach your crew. I get it. Dropping is terrible. We hate shedding greater than we like successful.

Feeling as if the appropriate man would possibly present up, clear home and put your program again on the trail to respectability, possibly even a championship, is what the sport’s all about.

For presidents of universities, the stakes are even increased. The fitting head soccer coach can result in a rise in enrollment, the next common ACT amongst coming into freshmen, a rise in alumni donations, and ultimately an increase within the worth of tuition.

For a college president, the pinnacle soccer coach would possibly as effectively be the chief advertising officer. So I’m not in the slightest degree upset that directors with dangerous soccer packages will make a neat line outdoors Rhule’s door in Carolina.

He’s actually proven himself to be the consummate program-builder.

The person took a job at Temple and flipped that program right into a winner — 10-3 in 2016 whereas Rhule was in cost — with a quarterback that's greatest identified for lighting up another soccer league that didn’t even play soccer in 2022. If you happen to don’t know who that quarterback is, you’re making my level.

When Rhule arrived at Baylor, each the college and the soccer program have been in shambles. Following one of many worst sexual assault scandals in main sporting historical past, Baylor was pressured to wash home, and Rhule was the person who accepted the duty of returning Baylor’s successful pedigree.

And I’ll be dipped in chili and rolled in breadcrumbs if he didn’t go 1-11 in 2017, 7-6 in 2018 and 11-3 in 2019. And also you should be considering if he can do this at Baylor, why couldn’t he do this at Nebraska and even Georgia Tech? 

The reality is, he might. And, coaches being the kind to proceed to climb a greasy pole, he’ll most likely get again into it at some stage.

However for $40 million I’m keen to guess there’s going to be a while earlier than he does.

RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities and the host of the podcast "The Quantity One School Soccer Present." Observe him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to "The RJ Younger Present" on YouTube.

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