Nebraska is not a stepping-stone job. However, the job is more difficult than it appears on the surface and I'm sure Rhule knows that by now. Just like Frost, Riley, Pelini, Callahan, and Solich learned that. You see a program that has great tradition, facilities, resources, fan support, donor base, sellout streak, etc., etc., etc., etc.
The problem is the coaches get lulled into a false sense of security when things are going OK, and the fanbase is quick to sharpen our pitchforks when times get tough. It will take a special kind of person to right the ship. I'm still cautiously optimistic Rhule is the man for the job.
I've said this a million times, but I would guarantee that we will have won more games in the last 20 years if we were a program like Indiana, far from relevant (not this year) fans might go to a game every once in a while, but the majority of fans being casual. Running our football program is like campaigning every second of every day, year-round and it can be exhausting.
I'm convinced if everyone took a giant step back, our success on the field would take a giant leap forward. It'll happen eventually when our dominate runs in the 70's, 80's, and 90's aren't in the memory banks of any living Nebraskan. But the days of programs taking over college football over long periods of time are all but over.