The Common Fans rekindle a time honored offseason tradition by looking at the most annoying coaches the Nebraska football team will face in 2026. Joined by friend of the program Nic Olsen, the boys have a rollicking good time talking through the head coaches that make them laugh, squirm, or even angry. Not necessarily coaches from the biggest rivals or the best teams. Just the guys who drive Husker fans absolutely insane.

As it turns out, the 2026 schedule is loaded with candidates.

What Makes a Coach Annoying?

The episode starts by trying to define the category itself. The Common Fans dive into the traits that make certain coaches uniquely aggravating to Nebraska fans:

• smugness after wins
• endless whining to officials
• fake humility
• gimmicky culture-building
• media overexposure
• acting like beating Nebraska is the Super Bowl
• or simply existing while coaching Iowa.

And once the categories are established, the floodgates open.

The Ferentz Factor

The Common Fans kick things off with Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, who somehow continues ruining Thanksgiving weekends year after year while barely opening his mouth when he talks. Seriously—Nick Olsen points out that Ferentz might have missed his calling as a ventriloquist.

The conversation quickly spirals into:

• Ferentz family HOA drama
• His permanent sideline smirk
• Why Nebraska-Iowa losses hit differently on Black Friday
• And the simple fact that Iowa always seems to win ugly while Nebraska finds painful ways to lose

Fitz and Bert Enter the Chat

Even after leaving Northwestern, Pat Fitzgerald’s name rises to the top of the list. Nebraska fans have suffered through too many of Northwestern’s random upset wins, along with the endless endless “he does more with less” narrative (even when he does less with less). Not to mention the infamous onside kick game.

The guys debate whether Fitzgerald’s move to Michigan State will actually work—or if the college football world simply romanticized his Northwestern years too much.

Meanwhile, MattyO admits something he never expected to admit: he’s kind of starting to like Bret Bielema.

Not completely. But a little bit.

Bert still checks plenty of annoying coach boxes. But there’s also something undeniably entertaining about him. And yes…the guys revisit the infamous “I outkicked my coverage” quote about his wife.

Is Curt Cignetti the New King of Annoying Coaches?

Curt Cignetti stormed onto the scene with his famous “Google me. I win.” quote—and unfortunately for everyone else, he backed it up immediately.

The Common Fans wrestle with what to think about Cignetti. While there is plenty of respect for what he has accomplished, everyone can agree there is a growing desire to watch somebody finally shut him up

Let’s Not Forget About Ryan Day

Geoff in Lincoln makes a passionate closing argument for Ohio State’s Ryan Day, complete with:

• “Just For Men” beard accusations
• Lou Holtz fight references
• And the belief that literally nobody outside Columbus likes this man

Also Included in This Episode:

• Eddie George somehow coaching Bowling Green
• Lane Kiffin discourse
• PJ Fleck catching random stray bullets
• Dan Lanning’s “possibly on cocaine” Big Ten title game celebration
• And one of the more absurd George W. Bush impersonations in Common Fan history

Check out the episode on YouTube, listen on the Common Fan website, or find it on any audio platform where you get your podcasts.

As always, GBR for LIFE!

This week, the Common Fans tackle one of their favorite offseason traditions: discussing and debating the three games that will define Nebraska football’s 2026 season. Not necessarily the biggest games. Not necessarily the toughest games. But the games that will ultimately shape how we feel about Matt Rhule and the direction of the program.

A Sneaky Big One in East Lansing

The guys start with Nebraska’s first road trip of the season: at Michigan State.

It’s early. It’s the first game of conference play. It’s a road environment against a respected new coach in Pat Fitzgerald. And maybe most importantly—it’s the kind of game Nebraska simply cannot afford to lose if this season is going to feel different.

Any conversation about the Huskers exceeding expectations–much less making a bowl game–has to involve winning this game. A win will likely have a “taking care of business” feel for the fan base, and may not move the needle much. But a loss will feel like an ominous sign for the rest of the season.

The Playoff Teams

The Big Red plays three teams that have made the College Football Playoff the last two seasons: 2024 national champion Ohio State, Oregon, and defending national champion Indiana. Can the Huskers get a win against any one of these teams?

Nebraska has the potential to be 4–1 or 5–0 heading into the Indiana game. If that’s the case, Memorial Stadium will be electric. The Huskers could be ranked and there will be national attention on the game.

The boys in red follow that up with a trip to Eugene the very next week.

The guys talk through the need for, at the very least, a competitive performance against a top-tier program. But a win against one of these top conference foes would be a game changing turning point for Matt Rhule and his program.

About November

Every conversation eventually leads to November. Nebraska football has not been good in November for years, and that includes the Rhule era. The guys zero in on games like at Illinois and home against Washington (which is actually on October 31, but we lump it in with the other November games) as pivotal “prove-it” opportunities for a program trying to shake the reputation that it fades late in the year.

If Nebraska wants to take the next step as a program, it can’t just beat the teams it’s supposed to beat in September. It has to start showing up in November.

And Then There’s Iowa

Perhaps unsurprisingly, all three Common Fans have Iowa on their list of games that will define the season. The frustration pours out in this segment—not because Iowa is some unbeatable monster, but because Nebraska has repeatedly found ways to lose games it probably should have won.

The boys dive into why Iowa has become Nebraska’s rival in the Big Ten era, how Husker fans are exhausted watching Iowa play “clean football” while Nebraska implodes, and why the Big Red needs to run off their own win streak against the Hawkeyes.

At some point, Nebraska has to start winning this series consistently again.

Is That Optimism Starting to Creep Back In?

Summertime’s close, which means fall camp is right around the corner. Anthony Colandrea is preaching confidence. And the boys are starting to get excited for Nebraska football again.

Not blindly optimistic. But hopeful. And ready for football.

Check out the episode on YouTube, listen on the Common Fan website, or find it on any audio platform where you get your podcasts.

As always, GBR for LIFE!

After an offseason of hand wringing, gnashing of teeth, and some serious skepticism surrounding Nebraska football, the Common Fans take a step back and try something different this week: an episode built around optimism. The boys have not been immune from airing their grievances about the way the 2025 season ended, so they decide to take an honest look at why and how Nebraska football could take a step forward in 2026.

Is Husker Nation Being Too Negative?

There’s no denying how last season ended. The 1–5 finish. The feeling of the missed “Year 3 leap.” The manner in which the Big Red lost the final three games. Even the usually Kool Aid-drinking Common Fans have had their share of frustrations during the offseason.

But one thing hasn’t changed: nobody here is rooting against Matt Rhule. The best thing for the program would be for Rhule to figure out how to get Nebraska over the hump, and back to national relevance.

Matt Rhule Has Already Raised the Floor

Two straight bowl games. Back-to-back winning seasons. A program that, objectively, is in a better place than it was three years ago. It’s not where anyone wants to be yet—but it’s much better than where we were.

Perhaps the progress of the last three years sometimes gets lost in the broader conversation. Husker fans should never apologize for wanting more, never apologize for expecting greatness. But we also must acknowledge that the program was at its lowest point in decades when Rhule took over.

Rhule Doesn’t Stand Pat

One thing you can’t accuse Rhule of is standing still. The boys in red will enter the 2026 season with a new defensive coordinator, a new offensive line coach, a run game coordinator, and several high impact transfers. It’s important for Husker fans to acknowledge that, when something hasn’t worked, Rhule has owned it, and he’s made changes.

Could the Offense Finally Look Different?

This might be the biggest reason for optimism. A new, mobile quarterback with three years of starting experience at the Power Five level provides an opportunity for a fresh start. The Dylan Raiola era brought hype, attention, and expectations. But it also may have taken the program in a direction that ultimately wasn’t beneficial.

Add in what looks to be a significantly upgraded offensive line, weapons at wide receiver, and a young but promising running back room, and there’s a real path to something Nebraska hasn’t consistently had under Rhule: a physical, reliable run game.

Is the Tough Schedule Actually an Opportunity?

As has been discussed ad nauseum since the 2025 season ended, the 2026 schedule is a beast. Nebraska plays three playoff teams in Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon, and the rest of the Big Ten schedule isn’t exactly a cake walk.

But the difficulty of the schedule is also an opportunity. If Nebraska is going to take a real step forward, it has to show up in the biggest games anyway. Beat some times they’re not supposed to, and things around the program will start to feel different.

Check out the episode on YouTube, listen on the Common Fan website, or find it on any audio platform where you get your podcasts.

As always, GBR for LIFE!