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Matt Rhule won’t be coming back to Happy Valley after all. The Nebraska head coach, in his third season with the program, agreed to a two-year deal, which will keep him in Lincoln, Neb., through 2032, according to reports. ESPN is reporting that the deal comes with a $15 million buyout this season. The former Penn State letterman, who attended State College High School, was linked to the Penn State job because of his previous ties with the school and his relationship with Nittany Lions athletic director Pat Kraft. The pair worked together at Temple from 2013 to 2016, when Rhule led the Owls to consecutive 10-win seasons before leaving for the Baylor job in 2017. Nebraska is 6-2 this season and has clinched bowl eligibility for the second consecutive season, which hasn’t happened in nearly a decade, when Mike Riley was coaching the Cornhuskers. Two weeks ago on the Pat McAfee Show, Rhule hinted at not being interested in the Penn State job, saying that Nebraska is not a jumping off job. It is a destination job." » READ MORE: Penn State coaching search: Cross out Curt Cignetti after he signs an eight-year extension with Indiana “I have a great young team, the youngest team in the Big Ten. … I refuse to be distracted, but at the same time, when it’s your alma mater, you have to show it love and respect," he said. ‘I love Pat Kraft [but] they’ll find the right coach for them, whoever that is.” Rhule is the second coach in recent weeks to be crossed off Penn State’s coaching candidates list. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who has his Hoosiers ranked No. 2 in college football, signed an eight-year extension on Oct. 17 that made him the third-highest-paid coach nationally. The coaching market is only gotten more competitive since Penn State fired James Franklin on Oct. 12. Florida fired Billy Napier on a week later after finishing 22-23 in 3½ seasons, and Brian Kelly faced a similar fate at LSU last weekend, despite having a 34-14 record in 3½ seasons as well. » READ MORE: Despite lowered stakes of Penn State’s game against No. 1 Ohio State, the team will ‘come out and fight’ Penn State will travel to face No. 1 Ohio State on Saturday (noon, Fox29) and will host Rhule’s Nebraska on Nov. 22.
