The glory is still in the pipeline for Matt Rhule and the dream to win a Big 10 championship, along with sporting that Mahomes look is still unfulfilled for Dylan Raiola. What’s left is a 12-13 record in two seasons, and hope that the next season will be better. 2024 showed faint signs of getting that pavement ready for the glory walk, since they finally made it to the Pinstripe Bowl berth. This season? The head coach is ever more determined to finally take it up a notch. But before the season could start, a tragedy hit.
Last season showed some hopes initially, but the team toppled massively when Indiana came knocking and thrashed them 56-7. The loss started a downward spiral where 4 consecutive losses followed, and then their season ended with a loss against Iowa. Raiola sure tried, but trying will only get you so far. However, there were silver linings too over the dark clouds that never moved away from Memorial Stadium’s skyline.
The team finished top 20 in rushing yards per game following the likes of Michigan. Ohio State and Penn State. Raiola, though, couldn’t provide that dual threat and only showcased his talent by passing for 2,819 yards last year. Then we saw the team struggling against ranked teams, taking up Rhule’s all-time ranked opponents’ tally to 2-22. Nevertheless, Rhule found in mid-2024, Dana Holgorsen as his new OC on a massive $1.2 million deal. And brought back some of the talent he played with in 2024.
Jacory Barney Jr came back after a 584 receiving season, Emmett Johnson returned after showing his rushing talent and producing 411 yards, and Justin Evans came in on the O-line. But one of the most versatile players who came back was Carter Nelson. However, now, in a recent revelation, the head coach has suffered a massive setback after Nelson suffered a hip injury and could even miss the season.
Wilson Dittman, in his 19th May video, showcased how concerning the news can be. “He is rehabbing from a hip injury. He had a surgery at the very beginning of January on bone spurs in his hip and for that reason, he has been sidelined ever since then. He did not compete at all during spring ball. He really has not been in the weight room. And there has been a lot of concern over the past couple weeks that he might not play at all this season.” The move becomes a massive setback for Rhule.
Last year, Carter featured in all games for Nebraska, although sporadically, and notched up 86 yards in receptions. The tight end was 3rd ranked in his position when he was recruited in 2024 and had a high ceiling. His absence from the locker room will be felt if he doesn’t finish fall camp, due to his dual role. Nelson donned that scarlet and cream both as a wide receiver and tight end, and was looking to upgrade massively.
Matt Rhule’s 2025 season gets an unexpected threat
Last year, Dylan Raiola, as a freshman, exceeded expectations and is now slated to make that jump in numbers. Moreover, last year, his performances could even have peaked if not for Matt Rhule failing to protect the QB. Take, for example, his debut game against UTEP. By completing 19 of the 27 passes for 238 yards, he showed that he was the right man for the job. But going into the season? The QB was subjected to 27 sacks all over the season as the O-line failed to provide pass protection. This year, things are changing for good.
Elijah Pritchett came in from Alabama at right tackle, and the other players are expected to take the next step. Yet, this seems like the calm before the storm. Wilson Dittman talked about Rhule being on his toes throughout the season. “From only winning six games next season to potentially being in the mix for the cultural playoff, nobody’s talking about this. We never focus on the games that when you’re looking in May… in June, you’re penciling down as W’s. Because those are always the games that we sit here in the fall, Nebraska shows up and plays in Illinois, they play in Northwestern, they play in Minnesota, and they lose.”
Well, 2025 will be a stern test for Matt Rhule going into his third year in Nebraska. The difficult schedule and poor odds work against him. They face programs like Michigan, USC, UCLA, Penn State, and Iowa, with all five being extremely challenging. Other games like the one against Minnesota and Maryland could pose problems, too, with both games being on the road.
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